TECHNICAL DETAILS
Riviera Golf
The championship 18-hole par 70 course at Riviera Golf Club was designed to enhance golfers’ technical game with all levels of experience. The distinctive feature of the course is the game strategy required. Holes 1 to 6 and 16 to 18, designed by the architect Luigi Rota Caremoli, are in the Conca Park. The architect designed the fairways to be in harmony with the natural landscape. The game is easier for players with high HCP, whereas it is more technical for players with low HCP.
Holes 7 to 15 bear the signature of the famous Canadian architect Graham Cooke and are designed in the American style, with long, wide fairways and greens. The course demands an intense game in the natural setting of Valle del Conca. No golfer could get bored with such a variety and choice of game. Featuring multiple tees, players of all levels can challenge their technical abilities. An executive 9-hole course completes the offer.
HOLE 1
Par 4 – 482 yards
Dogleg to the right that slopes downhill, out of bounds running down the entire left side. Semi-blind tee shot followed by an uphill approach to the green on three levels, guarded by a central bunker and two on the sides.
Expert advice
This hole requires caution and precision. The placement of the tee shot on the fairway is very important in order to gain better visibility and reach the green with the second shot. Choose the right club carefully depending on the pin position.
HOLE 2
Par 4 – 380 yards
Depending on the game strategy adopted, the hole presents various difficulties. Dogleg to the right on a straight line with out of bounds on the left. The hole and the green are flanked on the right with a lake and a bunker on the right side overlooks the surrounding holes.
Expert advice
Very technical par 4 that requires a precise tee shot. Pay attention to the lake bordering the right side of the green, which isn’t visible from the starting tee. A gentle approach to the green is recommended. Be sure to select the right iron for the second shot tee in order to avoid going long and miss the water beyond the green.
HOLE 3
Par 3 – 173 yards
Short slightly downhill par 3. Two bunkers protect the green on the left, while a creek with a wild rough on the right makes it difficult to rescue a potential wrong shot. A grove of almond and fig trees collects long shots.
Expert advice
The highest difficulty of this par 3 is selecting the right iron, depending on the wind. The green features two deep levels and slopes to the right, the most critical position is with the pin on the bottom.
HOLE 4
Par 4 – 371 yards
The drive is on a flat landing area and a pond is in play on the left, ready to welcome closed strokes. The starting tee is aimed to the right and you must be positioned in the centre of the course. On the right side there is a wide area with a heavy rough. The second shot requires particular attention because the two-level green is guarded by a grove on the right.
Expert advice
Par 4 has a lateral water hazard on the left side of the fairway for the initial shot. The second shot finds the green well protected by a frontal bunker that hides the pin when it is short at the centre. Another bunker on the left and another behind, surrounded by trees, punish shots unable to reach the green.
HOLE 5
Par 4 – 299 yards
Really engaging hole. Its limited length could betray a daring player, since there is a drop running down into a natural pond on the right of the landing area. The green is placed in dogleg position behind a succession of small creeks and is blocked out by a chessboard of bunkers.
Expert advice
Short but delicate hole. A series of bunkers on a dune protects the green in the front. An initial safe tee shot is recommended, followed by an approach to the green with a wedge. Be careful because if the second shot goes over the bunkers the ball will roll downhill to the end of the green.
HOLE 6
Par 3 – 249 yards
Straight par 3 with a wide green. On the right side, at the beginning of the green, a tree can redirect inaccurate shots and bunkers are strategically placed on the left and at the back. Out of bounds runs through the left side of the hole.
Expert advice
It gets hard after the back tee and when the pin position is placed at the left behind the bunker: the bogey is lurking. Keep the game slightly short avoiding left shots. On the right side of the green a good approach can lead to the marker pole.
HOLE 7
Lungo par 5 difeso da un grande ostacolo d’acqua a destra che termina con una collinetta circondata da Bunker.
Short par 5 protected by a big water hazard on the right ending with a creek surrounded by bunkers. Another water hazard on the right will attract large shots. The wide fairway has rolling hills, making it difficult playing a short and low game. The large green is guarded on the left by a bunker and has a longitudinal lengthwise difference in height.
Expert advice
The tee shot should be played to the left as the hole is bordered by water on the right side.
Depending on the pin position, the second shot should favour the left side of the fairway to guarantee an easy approach to the green.
HOLE 8
Dogleg right par 5. Three bunkers guarding the fairway on the left work as reference points to the tee shot. The second shot needs to be played to the left, on the right there is a cross bunker, an insidious waste area and a pond. The green is very large with difficult slopes, guarded heavily by a bunker on the left and another at the back to the right.
Expert advice
Play the tee shot lined up with the third bunker on the left of the fairway. Long hitters can aspire to play the second shot (on a calm day) on the cross bunker set adjacent to the bond on the right, aiming to go over it to set up a short approach to the green.
HOLE 9
Dogleg left par 4. Short but tricky hole with a big pond on the left up until the green. The most daring players can try to reach the green with a single shot. On the right of the fairway, the out of bounds and a cross bunker will receive inaccurate shots. The wide fairway allows a safe play. The green, slightly downhill on the back, is guarded by a bunker on the right.
Expert advice
Do not be misled by the proximity of the green – the safest shot is played from the right of the only cross bunker, just at the right of the lake, which offers a wide landing area. This hole rewards a good second shot from around 80 metres to the green.
HOLE 10
Straight par 4. The first shot landing-area is guarded on the left by a pond followed by a series of cross bunkers. On the right there are two dunes with a heavy rough obstructing a complete view of the green, with a bunker on the left side. The green is quite undulating with a respectable pin position when the hole is set in the bottom hump.
Expert advice
This hole requires a driver aimed to the left of the fairway to enjoy a large view of the green. Long hitters must be careful, behind the bunkers there is a second pond on the left. The green is not extremely difficult but is guarded by a bunker on the left. Look carefully at the long pin because the green starts sloping towards the end.
HOLE 11
This hole requires a precise shot from the start. On the right side a big pond extending nearly to the green characterizes this dogleg. A set of dunes on the left allows a clear view of the green. The second shot is critical and depends on the pin position, which is well protected by the bunker on the right. The two-level green hides big slopes and gets fast on the drop.
Expert advice
Approach this hole with a first shot aimed to the left of the fairway. The right side will take your ball down to the water hazard. The second shot is also entertaining with the short pin. It becomes demanding when set in a high position towards the end because after the bunker there is a waste area downhill.
HOLE 12
Fairly straight and not long par 4, the initial shot is aimed to avoid the cross bunker on the right. The pond on the right is a potential risk for shots played too much to the right. The wide landing area allows for a good view of the green, the waste area, and the bunker guarding the green on the left. This green has hidden slopes and gets more difficult for the approach shot when the pin is at the end.
Expert advice
Play the initial shot safely to gain an easy second shot. For long hitters and close second shots, mind the waste area on the left. When the pin position is at the back, the shot to the green has to be blocked but if it is at the beginning of the green, the game gets easier.
HOLE 13
A demanding par 3 that requires length and precision. Two big bunkers on the right and a pond on the left heavily guard the short pin. The final part of the green is an uphill surrounded by the pond. Don’t play it long!
Expert advice
The hole changes a lot when played from the back tee but the standard tee isn’t easy either. The two-level green influences the game: if the pin is placed on the first level it is an easy par 3, but if it is on the second level stopping the ball from rolling down towards the pond is tricky. If this is the case, consider playing with a lower iron. Pay close attention to direction and strength of the wind.
HOLE 14
This par 4 ranks as the toughest on the course, slightly strong dogleg right with a big bunker awaiting the tee shot on the right. A series of dunes and another bunker are not visible from the starting tee. This green with two bunkers and a marked difference in height on the left makes it difficult to approach the pin. The green gets faster from left to right.
Expert advice
Difficult par 4 that should be played following the architect’s designs, keeping the initial shot to the left of the huge cross bunker at the right of the fairway. With wind coming from the right direction, you could try a shot over the bunker but be careful not to open it up too much on the right or you’ll be in for an extremely complicated second shot. The approach to the green rewards players who can stop the ball with precision and direct it to the centre of the green with a short pin. With a long pin, the ball could roll down the sides or the end of the green.
HOLE 15
The most beautiful par 3 of the course with a big bunker on the right and another at the bottom to the left. The fairly narrow and deep green can difficult to be read.
Expert advice
This amazing hole rewards a shot aimed at the centre of the green and requires a medium iron. Fairly easy tee shot when the pin is short and delicate when the pin is at the end of the green. In this case, adding an iron with two more lengths might not be enough. Watch out for the direction and strength of the wind, which will influence your choice of iron.
HOLE 16
Par 4 – 377 yards
Straight hole with a long pond on the right and a walnut tree on the left marking out of bounds. The green is set longitudinally for the most aggressive players’ second shot, they have to mind the huge beach bunker with tentacles arising from the water towards the green. Rather wide green with an elevated central part.
Expert advice
The narrow fairway requires a lot of precision on the first shot, but try to avoid closing the shot towards the out of bounds or opening it towards the grove on the right facing the pond. Placing the tee shot at the centre allows you to attack the green with the second shot, but keep in mind that the green is wide but not deep and guarded by bunkers to the front and left.
HOLE 17
Par 4 – 328 yards
Fairly short Par 4. A set of bunkers all along the hole does not allow for distractions. The out of bounds runs through the left side of the hole. Small green on two levels, guarded by 4 bunkers, easy to play.
Expert advice
Play an accurate tee shot keeping it to the left to approach the green easily on your second shot. Watch out for the distance to the green – the out of bounds is just behind the green with 4 bunkers protecting it to obstruct the game. The bravest players can attempt a tee shot directly to the green, even if it is not always rewarding.
HOLE 18
Par 4 – 384 yards
Final par 4 with the last 150 meters uphill. The out of bounds runs through the left side of the hole while a lateral water hazard narrows the landing area on the right. The game gets very technical for high HCP players. Very long green with dunes on the left.
Expert advice
Long par 4 depending on the pin positions, with out of bounds on the left and a water hazard on the right. An uphill arrival to the green, and the landing area of the starting tee shot’s cross bunker on the left and pond on the right make this hole memorable. A good drive is essential; depending on the length of the shot you can “go over” everything or play a less risky shot. Wide and very deep green: depending on a short or long pin, the second or third shot to the green can require a choice of three different irons.