The Riviera Country Club

What The Riviera Country Club does

The Riviera Country Club is a private, invitation-only country club founded in 1926 in Pacific Palisades, California, operating under the legal entity Riviera Golf & Tennis, Inc. and owned by Noboru Watanabe. Its core asset is an 18-hole championship golf course designed by George C. Thomas and opened in 1927, consistently ranked among the top 50 courses globally and top 25 in the United States, anchored by a Spanish-revival clubhouse completed in 1928. The club's tennis facility, established in 1963 on the site of the former 1932 Olympic polo grounds, features 24 courts (22 hard, 2 clay), 30 teaching professionals, and 3 hitting partners, making it one of the oldest and largest tennis clubs in the Western United States.

The club generates revenue through recurring membership dues under a closed, sponsor-based access model in which prospective members must be invited by existing members and complete an application. Membership spans U.S. and international ultra-high-net-worth individuals, touring professionals, nationally ranked junior players, and beginner families. Distribution is exclusively direct, with all guests required to appear on a member's guest list and reciprocal-club visitors required to have an introductory letter on file. There are no public sales channels. Members pay recurring dues and consume club dining, event, and tournament services; pricing is undisclosed and inquiries are handled by the General Manager.

The club's commercial positioning is amplified by its role as host venue for elite golf tournaments, most prominently the PGA Tour's Genesis Invitational (annually, returning in 2026 after a 2025 wildfire displacement to Torrey Pines), the 81st U.S. Women's Open in 2026, and the men's and women's golf competitions of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Past majors hosted include the 1948 U.S. Open, the 1983 and 1995 PGA Championships, the 1998 U.S. Senior Open, and the 2017 U.S. Amateur. Approximately 51–100 employees run operations under General Manager Jim Richerson, with Martin Alvarez as Director of Marketing overseeing press and media.

Name

The Riviera Country Club

Legal name

Riviera Golf & Tennis, Inc

Website

https://therivieracountryclub.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1926

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Riviera Country Club is a private, invitation-only country club in Pacific Palisades, California, founded in 1926, offering an 18-hole championship golf course and a 24-court tennis program to ultra-high-net-worth member families, while hosting the PGA Tour's Genesis Invitational, the 2026 U.S. Women's Open, and the 2028 Olympic golf tournament.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Pacific Palisades

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: The club generates revenue primarily through private membership fees. Prospective members must be invited by existing members and complete an application process. The club offers golf and tennis facilities to members and their families.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

The Riviera Country Club is a private, invitation-only membership country club founded in 1926 that provides members with access to an 18-hole championship golf course, 24 tennis courts, a Spanish revival-style clubhouse, and member-exclusive dining amenities. The club also serves as host venue for premier professional tournaments including the Genesis Invitational (PGA Tour), the 81st U.S. Women's Open, and the 2028 Olympic golf competition.

Product overview

The Riviera Country Club operates as a private membership club offering three primary services: championship golf on an 18-hole course designed by George C. Thomas (one of the world’s top 50 courses), tennis facilities with 24 courts (one of the largest teaching programs in the Western US), and hosting of prestigious golf tournaments including The Genesis Invitational PGA Tour event. The club’s product portfolio centers on its golf course as the core offering, supplemented by the tennis club as a parallel recreational amenity, with major tournament events driving visibility and membership appeal. The Genesis Invitational serves as the club’s signature annual event, while future major events include the 2028 Olympic golf tournament and the 81st U.S. Women’s Open.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Ranked top 50 golf course in the world and top 25 in the United States
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• Genesis Invitational (PGA Tour)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 February 2026The Genesis Invitational is hosted annually at Riviera Country Club as a premier PGA Tour event. The tournament returns to Riviera after being displaced to Torrey Pines in 2025 due to wildfires. This partnership positions Riviera as home to one of golf's most prestigious professional events, with top players like Scottie Scheffler competing.
• U.S. Women's OpencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe 81st U.S. Women's Open will be hosted at Riviera Country Club. The club has prepared the course for this major championship event, marking one of the most prestigious women's golf tournaments at the venue.
• 2028 Olympic Games - Golf TournamentflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerRiviera Country Club has been selected as the official site of the 2028 Olympic Games golf tournament. The club is preparing the course to host both men's and women's golf competitions when the Olympics come to Los Angeles.
• Los Angeles Athletic ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe club was founded in 1926 by members of the Los Angeles Athletic Club, who commissioned the golf course design and vision for the premier facility.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Shinnecock Hills Golf Club: Long Island private club and one of the oldest golf clubs in the United States, hosting multiple U.S. Opens. Directly comparable to Riviera as a historic elite private club with major-championship hosting credentials.
• The Los Angeles Country Club: Another elite private club in the Los Angeles area that hosted the 2023 U.S. Open. Directly comparable to Riviera as a competing LA-area private country club competing for the same wealthy member base and major-championship hosting opportunities.
• Augusta National Golf Club: Hosts the Masters Tournament annually and is the most prestigious private golf club in the world. Augusta National is the closest direct peer to Riviera: an elite, invitation-only membership club with a historic championship course, limited membership, and a signature annual professional tournament.
• The Olympic Club: San Francisco-based private athletic club with multiple golf courses and a long history of hosting U.S. Opens, U.S. Amateurs, and PGA Tour events. Directly comparable to Riviera as a multi-sport private club on the West Coast with major-championship hosting credentials.
• Cypress Point Club: Private club on California's Monterey Peninsula, consistently ranked among the world's top courses. Direct peer to Riviera as an elite invitation-only West Coast golf club with a small, highly exclusive membership.
• Pine Valley Golf Club: Frequently ranked the No. 1 course in the United States and a highly exclusive private club in New Jersey. Comparable to Riviera as an elite private club whose brand value is anchored in a single, world-class championship course.
• Pebble Beach Company: Operates the Pebble Beach Golf Links and surrounding resort properties and hosts the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am as well as multiple U.S. Opens. Comparable to Riviera as a marquee California golf host venue with deep tournament heritage and luxury positioning.
• Seminole Golf Club: Exclusive Florida private club that has hosted U.S. Opens and U.S. Women's Opens, ranked among the top courses in the United States. Comparable to Riviera as an elite, invitation-only private club with major-championship hosting credentials.
• Congressional Country Club: Washington D.C.-area private club that has hosted the U.S. Open, PGA Championship, and Ryder Cup. Comparable to Riviera as a multi-sport private club (golf, tennis, swimming) with significant tournament hosting heritage.
• Winged Foot Golf Club: New York-based elite private club that has hosted multiple U.S. Opens, PGA Championships, and U.S. Women's Opens. Comparable to Riviera as a top-tier private club with deep major-championship hosting history and a small invitation-only membership.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Riviera Country Club