People & the land Architect
Architect
George C. Thomas Jr.
George C. Thomas Jr. designed Riviera after working on Los Angeles Country Club and Bel-Air. The Southern California Golf Association’s account says he initially doubted the site, then accepted the commission with control of the budget and William P. Bell as construction supervisor.1
In the archive 3 Courses at 3 Clubs
Course work
Published course connections in the archive.
- Original design
- Original design
- Original design
Fifteen Plans Before Riviera
Thomas considered fifteen possible layouts before construction began in 1926. The course opened on June 24, 1927, with Thomas striking the inaugural drive. The account distinguishes his final design from the many alternatives examined on the way to building it.1
Sources and record notes4 references
Sources for this history
- The Riv: As Nearly Perfect as Man Could Make It
Southern California Golf Association, FORE Magazine
Primary page paragraphs describing the named architect and project, reviewed in the retained original.
Consulted 2026-11-14
Architect record sources
- Southern California Golf Association / FORE (opens in a new tab)Architect identity · Course design
- Los Angeles Country Club official history (opens in a new tab)Course design
- Southern California Golf Association / FORE (opens in a new tab)Course design