Riviera

My favorite hole at Riviera is the bittersweet par-3 6th. Because
it has a bunker in the middle of the green, it's one of the most
strategic holes in the world--if not the best loved.

During one L.A. (now Nissan) Open in the late 1960s, Billy Casper
hit the front-right portion of the green, but the pin was on the
back left, so the bunker was between his ball and the cup.
Exasperated, Billy decided to show a nearby Tour official how he
felt. Instead of trying to putt around the bunker, Billy took out
his sand wedge and made a big practice swing, taking a
beaver-pelt-sized divot out of the green. Glaring at the
official, Billy took another, even bigger, practice swing and
divot. Finally, he deftly hit his shot, barely brushing the
grass.

But guess who had the last word? As Billy walked to the 7th tee,
the official stopped him and said, "You're lucky you didn't hit
the flagstick. That would've been a two-stroke penalty."

*For 28 years--the last eight with his dog, Squeaky--Gorjus
George has crisscrossed the U.S., drawing the yardage books used
by the pros at Tour events.

COLOR PHOTO: TODD BIGELOW/AURORA (LUCAS)

B/W DIAGRAM: DIAGRAM BY GEORGE LUCAS Number 6 Par-3 169 Yards