Course Name: Beaver River Golf Club
Designer: Michael Weremay (2001)
Location: West Kingstown, Rhode Island
History: N/A
Conditions: 7/10, For the most part, Beaver River is in exceptional conditioning. The teeboxes, fairways, and bunkers are all top tier and a pleasure to hit off of. The greens were a bit on the slower side, but rolled true. The only reason the grade isn’t higher than a 7 is because of some dead spots in the fairway and rough.
Value: 5/10, I always found Beaver River to be a bit overpriced. It is almost impossible to walk given the distance between holes and a cart and 18 will cost you about $50 on the weekends. 9 hole and weekday rates are cheaper.
Scorecard:
Tee Par Yardage Rating Slope
Black 70 6006 67.8 120
White 70 5676 66.2 118
Red 70 4894 68.1 116
Hole Descriptions: One of the shortest regulation courses in Rhode Island, Beaver River places an emphasis on accuracy with it’s tree-lined fairways. This is evident on the opening hole, a short 481 yard par 5. One of only two par fives on this short par 70, I enjoy this hole because it gives you options. Players looking to start out their round with an easy hybrid or long iron will be able to reach this green safely in regulation, but confident players can rip driver and have the possibility of reaching this green in two. Fescue lines both sides of this narrow fairway, which runs out about 100 yards short of a back-to-front sloped green.
At 334 yards, the short dogleg left 2nd hole features a tight, blind teeshot that pretty much requires a right-to-left ballflight. Two bunkers guard the sides of this narrow green.
The 3rd is a short, unremarkable 150 yard uphill par 3 followed by another short dogleg hole that plays eerily similar to the 2nd. At 335 yards, the 4th plays slightly uphill and to the left, with a large bunker short of this green.
The 5th hole is a 325 yard tight dogleg right that features a heavily sloped green, while the 6th is another short narrow par 5 that turns left sharply about 285 yards from the tee.
The 7th and 8th holes are by far the two most difficult on the side with the 7th being a long uphill 203 yard par 3 and the 8th being a sharp dogleg right long par 4. Playing 439 yards, the number 1 handicap 8th is a veritable challenge with an extremely tight fairway and OB long and left. I distinctly remember a tall tree blocking drives that try to cut the right corner.
The approach on 8 is downhill, but not nearly as severe as the next hole. The 9th hole is probably the most memorable hole on the course as a severely downhill 343 yard par 4. This is probably the most downhill hole in the state, and it is certainly drivable for those who can hit it right-to-left.
With no par fives, the back 9 is shorter than the front by almost 200 yards. The 10th hole is a beautiful short par 4 at 342 yards. Water and reeds line the entire right side and two trees block the left side of the fairway. Most players will probably hit driver here, but I strongly recommend long iron, as the fairway narrows near the green.
The 11th hole is similar to the 3rd as a short uphill par 3 playing 166 yards. A large, deep bunker right in front of this green is meant to catch players who fail to account for the severe uphill.
As difficult as the 8th hole is, the number 2 handicap 12th is my choice for hardest hole on the course. With a prodigious length of 453 yards, this monstrous par 4 is extremely tight off the tee and requires a carry over a creek to a well-protected green.
This strong par 4 is followed by another difficult, narrow par 4 playing 393 yards. A huge bunker guards the right side of the 13rd green.
At 305 yards, the tight par 4 14th marks a return to the script for Beaver River. This hole features an uphill approach to a green guarded by two deep short bunkers. The best par 3 on the course, the 15th plays downhill at 190 yards. This diagonally shaped green is guarded on the right side by a deep bunker making these back pins are extremely hard to access.
The short 270 yard 16th is one of the weaker holes on the course and only requires a mid-iron-wedge to reach this green. Although reachable, this teeshot is completely blind and the hole is almost too short to go for with driver. The finishing holes at Beaver River are two strong par fours. The penultimate 17th plays 383 yards as a tight, uphill dogleg right, while the 18th is clearly the best par 4 on the course. Playing 410 yards, this strong finishing hole requires a drive of at least 200 yards over water to a tight, sloping fairway. The blind approach to this green is also a challenge, as water guards the left hand side.
General Comments: Although the putting green was well-maintained and large, there is no driving range at Beaver River. I’ve had mixed experiences with pace of play here – the first time took over 5 hours but the second time we breezed through in under 3. It might be a good idea to call ahead and ask about how busy the course is.
Verdict: Quirky and short, Beaver River is a decent course very similar to Richmond Country Club, but not quite on the same level of Meadow Brook down the street. The best part about Beaver River is the conditioning, which is above average for public courses in the state. I highly recommend Beaver River for shorter, accurate golfers who will enjoy these short, tight holes. For longer and more advanced players, Beaver River’s cramped design might leave you underwhelmed.
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