Worldgolfer's Golf Course Reviews

Designer: Walter Johnson (1944, 1966, Renovation)

Location: North Kingstown, Rhode Island

History: Originally built for the adjacent Quonset military base, North Kingstown was designed in 1944 by Donald Ross’ student Walter Johnson. Colloquially known as Quonset Golf Course, this course was completely renovated in 1966 by Johnson and sold to the town in 1982. It currently owns the following award:

• #4 Best Public Course in Rhode Island – Golfweek (2025)

Conditions: 7/10, North Kingstown is always in solid shape. The fairways and teeboxes are especially good, while the rough is healthy but not too penal. The greens here are smooth and roll true. The only complaints I have are that the bunkers are a bit thin and rocky, and the course doesn’t drain particularly well.

Value: 8/10, North Kingstown is one of the best values in the state. Easy to walk, this course is $41 at peak hours but offers fantastic discounts to residents, military members, seniors, and juniors. It is only $10 for juniors to walk in the summer at 6 P.M., a deal I heavily relied on while learning to play.

Scorecard:

Tee                           Par         Yardage         Rating          Slope

Blue                         70           6269               69.3              121

White                      70           5843               67.3              114

Red                          70           5227               69.1              115

Hole Descriptions: I try to keep anonymity on the blog, but if you somehow find yourself on this post about North Kingstown, know that this course holds a special place in my heart. It is not only where I learned to play by sneaking on at dusk, but also the home of many firsts including a Sub-80 round, Sub-70 round, and hole-in-one (8th hole). Over the years, I’ve been back here to play several times and still view the course very favorably, even after playing some of the top courses around the country and globe.

While there are numerous things to like about North Kingstown including its generally strong conditioning, good value, and playability, the aspect I admire most about it is the variety you find here. No two holes are alike and there is a very nice mix of scoring holes and challenging ones. While trees play a big role on much of the front 9, the back 9 becomes almost links-like with views of Narragansett Bay and firmer, windswept conditions. The fact that the course plays along the edge of an active airport and military base also creates a very unique and memorable setting. North Kingstown is not an elite public course in Rhode Island (although there really are none), but it is among the half-dozen or so I would recommend to visitors and I will always cherish my memories here.

North Kingstown opens with a 379 yard par 4 that is fairly straightforward but also very tight. With clusters of trees down the left and dense forest to the right, only an accurate teeshot here will work and for many that is a tough task on their first swing of the day. The green is open up front, but defended by a bunker on the left, and slopes steadily back-to-front as most do on the course designed by Ross’ pupil.

While there are tougher holes on the back, the number 1 handicap 2nd is definitely the most difficult hole on the front 9. At 417 yards, this dogleg left features an intimidating teeshot with thick trees down the left and the 8th and 9th holes for those who go right. At about 275 yards, a creek bisects the fairway and golfers will want to be well-short of this to prevent rolling down the hill into the hazard. There’s additional fairway on the other side of the creek leading to a back-to-front sloped green defended by two bunkers left and one to the right. After two challenging holes, the 3rd the first par 3 on the course at 191 yards. A pretty hole, this one-shotter requires a carry over a swamp to a large back-to-front sloped green flanked by bunkers.

The par 5 4th is the perhaps easiest hole on the course playing straightaway at 501 yards. What you see is what you get here, with a fence and highway down the left the entire way and a generous fairway lined by trees and small creek down the right around 230 yards. Another large water hazard runs down the right for the second part of the hole but is more in play from the White Tees or on the lay-up. This green is shaped like a guitar pick, with a pair of bunkers on either side.

One of the more interesting holes on the course is the 5th, a 390 yard straigthaway par 4. This hole turns back around the opposite direction and runs parallel to the 4th with the hazard down the right for the first 215 yards. This hazard actually loops around the front of the teebox and requires you a brief carry on your drive. At around 230 yards, trees and a creek encroach down either side and a patch of rough bisects the fairway. While I don’t like this feature, it does force the golfer into making a choice off the tee about either laying up or trying to play over the hazards. While long iron or wood is the smart play, it leaves a longer than desired approach into a large, flatter green flanked by bunkers. The 6th is another interesting par 4 at just 362 yards as a dogleg left. You must carry a hazard here to a fairway angled left lined by dense forest left and trees and fairway bunkers down the right. Interestingly enough, these are the only fairway bunkers on the entire course. This undulating green is slightly elevated and defended by bunkers long, left, and right.

At 554 yards, the 7th hole is another straightaway par 5 that is generally very open for the first 400 yards or so. At this point, the range begins down the right side and a large cluster of trees makes an approach from the right rough difficult. This elevated green slopes back-to-front, and features deep bunkers behind, left, and right.

The 8th hole is the most difficult par 3 at North Kingstown at 200 yards. In addition to its length, this hole plays slightly downhill and contains a very severe green that slopes steadily back-to-front with a vertical ridge running through it. Putting from the wrong side of the ridge all but guarantees a three-putt.

The 9th hole seems easy on paper at only 290 yards, but can also wreck a scorecard if careless. This short par 4 runs uphill with scattered trees on the right and dense woods on the left the whole way. The fairway narrows as you near the green and finding the putting surface with driver would be extremely difficult, as it is raised, notoriously firm, and defended by a deep crossbunker short. The correct play is likely a long or hybrid, leaving an uphill pitch to a small but flat green.

The back 9 is only a par 34, but is the tougher side, with some very difficult holes in the closing stretch. The 174 yard 10th is not one of these holes as a medium-length downhill par 3. Outside of three greenside bunkers, this hole is fairly simple as long as you can control your distance.

At 565 yards, the 11th hole is a mammoth par 5 and the longest hole on the course. Usually a three-shotter, this straightaway hole features dense forest down the left side the entire way and groups of trees down the right. On your lay-up, the fairway slopes hard left-to-right and pushes many good shots into the rough. This green slopes heavily back-to-front with bunkers on either side. Par is always a solid score here.

The 12th is an uphill 335 yard par 4 that usually plays longer into the wind. High dunes and a pond are directly in front of the teebox rendering anything low or topped dead. This approach continues uphill to a small, severely back-to-front sloped, perched green surrounded by bunkers.

The 13th my favorite hole at North Kingstown and one of the most memorable par fours in the state. At 407 yards, this downhill par 4 features a blind teeshot to a narrow fairway lined by a vast wasteland down the right. You can play balls from down here, but lies can be horrendous. This is the tiniest green on the course and is quite difficult to hit coming from the rough or significant distance. Quonset military base and airport are just long and to the right of the green, creating a very unique backdrop.

The 14th is a challenging 198 yard par 3 running parallel to the airport. The wind usually plays a big role on this hole, pushing many well-struck balls into the numerous greenside bunkers. The green itself is on the flatter side.

The 15th is another fantastic hole and probably the hardest hole for the majority of golfers that play this course. At 416 yards, this sharp dogleg right par 4 requires a carry of 125 yards over Fry’s Pond to an elevated fairway. Drives that slice too far right will find a valley of trees and necessitate a punch-out, while drives down the left or too far will run through the fairway. This green is off to the right and slopes hard back-to-front and left-to-right with a bunker on the right.

In my opinion, the hardest hole on the course is the 16th, a 405 yard slender dogleg left par 4. This is another intimidating teeshot, with trees down the right side and the military base jutting out on the left around 240 yards. Ideal teeshots will carry a ridge in the fairway near the dogleg and trundle downhill. Most golfers will have a downhill, possibly blind approach towards a huge green that slopes severely back-to-front defended by bunkers left and short. A back pin on this hole is probably the toughest pin on the course.

The 17th hole is a quirky one, and one of my least favorites on the course. At only 325 yards, this slight dogleg left features a claustrophobic teeshot that asks for a right-to-left ballflight. Small trees line the right side while dense trees jut out on the left directly in front of the teebox. You’ll likely only have wedge in, but this two-tiered, severely back-to-front sloped green is difficult to hit and defended by bunkers long, left, and right. There used to be a gigantic dead tree overhanging the left side of the green that blocked out half the fairway, but this was thankfully removed in recent years.

North Kingstown is a rare course that closes with a par 3. Running parallel to the 10th, this 160 yard one-shotter features a wide, yet shallow green defended by bunkers left, short, and right.

General Comments: The practice facilities are pretty standard at North Kingstown with a large practice green and 220 yard driving range. You aren’t supposed to hit driver on the range, but that doesn’t stop most people. Pace of play at North Kingstown is one of the main detractors, especially during summer afternoons as there are leagues every day of the week. It is a very pleasant and easy walk.

Verdict: Fun, affordable, and well-conditioned, North Kingstown holds a special place in my heart. In addition to being the place where I learned how to golf, NKGC is also the home of many career firsts including my first hole-in-one. The variety here is strong and this is one of the better public courses in Rhode Island and one worth playing.