President’s Day Weekend May Find L.A’s Social Crowd At Riviera Country Club Rather Than Mammoth
You don’t have to be a golf fan to enjoy the Northern Trust Open.
All you have to do is like to be outside with a beer in your hand. A good walk spoiled? Hardly.
The annual PGA event at Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles is Feb. 16-19 with blue skies and temperatures near the 70s expected the entire four rounds. That means big crowds and a big time social atmosphere.
This, coupled with little to no new snow in Mammoth, means several people from LA are likely to be staying in town for President’s Day Weekend, making this one of the big party places for Southern Californians.
The Northern Trust Open has all the PGA stars, with one notable exception – and why couldn’t Tiger just swing down after the Pebble Beach Pro-Am? – and LA star power. For starters, Laker Legend Jerry West is the executive director. Chances are, he will roll by you on a golf cart sometime during the day, leaving you to turn your head and say “hey, that was Jerry West!”
With great weather, cruising the course will be in play all during the days, and you can walk with aluminum bottles of Budweiser, Bud Light and Michelob Ultra that are sold at several stands.
Or, take a break and stop in The Grove, the mid-course lounge that is the prime party place for the event. It’s located a fairway over from the 18th hole by the 14th tee. Cocktails purchased here must also be consumed here, per a PGA rule allowing only beer and wine on the course.
Once upon a time, when this event was the Nissan LA Open, there was a large outdoor patio in this vicinity serving drinks all day and people soaked up the scene. But that has now been replaced by The Grove.
The clubhouse has a small bar that’s a good first stop on the way to the course and a drink or two at the end of the day.
And at Riviera, that’s the party par for this course.
RELATED LINK:
• Northern Trust Open Fans Guide & Party Scene
PHOTO CREDIT
• Northern Trust Photos by Jack Fleming Photography
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