Worldgolfer's Golf Course Reviews

Course Name: Ledgemont Country Club

Designer: Alfred Tull (1949)

Location: Seekonk, Massachusetts

History: Historically known as the Jewish club of Providence, Ledgemont opened in 1924 in West Warwick, RI as Ledgemont-Valley Country Club but moved to its current location in 1949 to accommodate more members. Despite being in Massachusetts, Ledgement is a member of the RIGA and has hosted several state tournaments including the R.I. Amateur and R.I. Open.

Conditions: 8/10, Ledgemont is always in very good shape with speedy greens, pristine teeboxes and fairways, and thick rough.

Value: N/A, This is a private golf course.

Scorecard:

Tee                     Par         Yardage         Rating          Slope

Blue                   71           6801               73.4               134

White                71          6492               72.1               131

Red                     74          5846               74.3              130

Yellow                74          5069               69.9              121

Hole Descriptions: I’ve always considered the hilly and tight Ledgemont a challenging course, especially from the 6800 yard tips. With that being said, the course actually opens with several easy holes, especially the 1st. At 464 yards, this par 5 is essentially a glorified long par 4. This is a tight dogleg left, with bunkers on either side between 160 yards and 220 yards. Any golfer that reaches the dogleg will have a good chance at reaching this back-to-front sloping green in two. The 2nd hole is also quite short as a 339 yard par 4. Though not lengthy, this hole features a challenging green with extreme back-to-front slope surrounded by four bunkers. The 3rd hole is a fantastic hole – a 406 yard par 4 with two viable teeboxes which determine whether it’s a dogleg right or straightaway. The bunkering on this hole is tremendous, with a crossbunker on the left around 250 yards and two on the right starting at 270 yards. This long, narrow green is guarded short by three additional bunkers.

I find the 4th to be an extremely intimidating par 3. At 185 yards, there’s a pond directly in front of the teebox that runs until just short of a very tiny green. Three bunkers surround this green, further compounding the difficulty. At 351 yards, the 5th hole is a short, straightforward par 4 with more fantastic bunkering surrounding another very tiny green. The par 3 6th is a bland, yet difficult hole at 197 yards. This green is quite large and guarded by bunkers and rough on both sides. Playing 424 yards, the number 1 handicap par 4 7th is a strong hole. This is a slight dogleg left with a fairway that runs downhill towards a creek about 110 yards short of the green. For such a long hole, this green is tiny and contains bunkers short on both sides. The 460 yard 8th hole is another very short par 5, but plays as a true three shot hole for most golfers due to a serious uphill gradient. With OB right and a creek at about 140 yards, anything long and straight is the goal on this teeshot. This green plays at least two or three clubs extra and is guarded by four bunkers short. The closing hole on the front is a solid 370 yard dogleg left that runs back towards the clubhouse. Bunkers line both sides of the dogleg about 220 yards off the tee. Like many holes at Ledgemont, the 9th features a classic-era inspired small green complex surrounded by four steep bunkers.

Playing 375 yards straightaway, the tree-lined 10th is a fairly boring hole with no real danger besides two deep bunkers short of a large green. While the first two par fives are short, the 11th is a monstrous hole at 566 yards. Unfortunately, I feel this design relies too much on “target golf,” with two separate creeks bisecting the fairway and dense forests lining the entire length. The teeshot here runs straight downhill from an elevated tee box to a fairway that ends at 290 yards with a creek. This creek is in play for longer hitters, who should consider 3-wood instead. From the end of this fairway, golfers will have the option of hitting the second fairway or trying to carry the second creek about 150 yards short of the green. This green is elevated and runs hard back-to-front. The 12th is a nice 163 yard downhill par 3 with an undulating green guarded by two cavernous bunkers on both sides, while the 13th is a difficult uphill dogleg right. At 388 yards, this par 4 plays several clubs longer and features a tight fairway. This elevated green is a narrow and long, with bunkers on both sides.

The 14th is another rather bland straightaway 380 yard par 4 that plays downhill towards a tiny green. At 177 yards, the 15th is the final par 3 at Ledgemont with a large elevated green surrounded by bunkers. While there’s a weak stretch at the beginning of the back 9, the closing holes at Ledgemont are fantastic with three strong par fours. The 16th plays a long 422 yards uphill to a generous fairway lined by the range on the left. This approach plays uphill and to the left with a tiny green surrounded by tall trees. The 421 yard 17th plays as a similar but better version of the 7th as a long downhill dogleg left with a creek crossing the fairway. This drive is fairly difficult with OB on both sides and a bunker on the right at 230 yards. The creek runs across the fairway about 50 yards short of the green and shouldn’t be in play unless you have to lay-up. The 18th is a fantastic closing hole as a 404 yard dogleg right from an elevated teebox. I love the view from this tee, and it really feels like you can swing for the fences here. In reality, your line should be over the bunker on the corner of the dogleg at about 200 yards. This approach to another tiny green is framed perfectly by the clubhouse.

General Comments: With a large practice green and grass range, the practice facilities at Ledgemont are very solid. The clubhouse is picturesque and looks majestic on several approach shots. Pace of play is generally very strong here.

Verdict: While often overlooked by Providence’s other private clubs, the well-kept, challenging Ledgemont is a strong course and one I’d recommend if you get an invitation to play.