Worldgolfer's Golf Course Reviews

Course Name: Newport Country Club

Designer: Theodore Havemeyer (1890, primitive 9 holes), William F. Davis (1894, 9 holes)(1899, 9 more holes), A.W. Tillinghast (1923, Redesign), Ron Forse (1995, Restoration)

Location: Newport, Rhode Island

History: I can only think of a few select courses that match Newport Country Club’s impressive history. In 1889, Theodore Havemeyer returned from a trip to France with a newfound love for the game of golf. Almost immediately, he built a rudimentary 9-hole course located over today’s holes 2-8. In 1893, Havemeyer and his prominent friends John Jacob Astor IV, Perry Belmont, and Cornelius Vanderbilt II officially founded Newport Country Club. By 1894, club professional William F. Davis had designed a 9-hole course.

In late 1894, Havemeyer met with members of Shinnecock, St. Andrew’s (NY), Chicago Golf Club, and The Country Club to form the United States Golf Association (USGA). Havemeyer was selected the first president of the fledgling group. In 1895, Newport C.C. hosted both the first U.S. Open and U.S. Amateur (won by C.B. Macdonald). In 1899, Davis completed another 9 holes. It had long been assumed that Donald Ross redesigned the course around 1915, but recent evidence disputes this. Finally in 1923, A.W. Tillinghast redesigned Newport C.C. Ron Forse was brought in 1995 to retouch the course, but today’s Newport C.C. is still largely the same Tillinghast design.

Newport C.C.’s illustrious history has only grown in recent years thanks to a thrilling 1995 U.S. Amateur won by Tiger Woods and 2006 U.S. Women’s Open won by Annika Sorenstam. The U.S. Senior Open was slated for 2020, but was cancelled due to Covid-19. Notable awards for Newport C.C. include:

• #126 Best Course in America – Golf Digest (2023)
• #84 Best Course in America – Golf Magazine (2022)
• #49 Best Classic Course in America – Golfweek (2022)
• #1 Best Course in Rhode Island – Golf Digest (2021)
• #1 Best Course in Rhode Island – Golf Magazine (2023)
• #3 Best Course in Rhode Island – Top100golfcourse.com (2020)
• #1 Best Private Course in Rhode Island – Golfweek (2022)

Conditions: 8/10, Newport C.C. has no irrigation system so the conditions are almost completely at the mercy of the weather. In the summer, these fairways play incredibly firm and fast, making the course play shorter than the scorecard. The rough at Newport is thick and penal, but pales in comparison to the gnarly fescue you’ll encounter on some holes.

I have especially high praise for the teeboxes and greens, which are among the finest I’ve ever played. Running at about a smooth 11 on the stimpmeter, Newport’s greens are superb, without a single ballmark or ounce of discoloration.

Value: N/A, This is a private course.

Scorecard:

Tee                           Par         Yardage         Rating          Slope

Black                        70           7075               75.4              135

Red                           72           6577               72.4              127

White                       72           6194               70.6              121

Blue .                        72           5601               73.0              126

Hole Descriptions: The layout at Newport C.C. is simply sublime. I expected the course to heavily utilize the Atlantic Ocean, but instead it plays just inland, offering views from several holes. The real superstar at Newport Country Club is the magnificent clubhouse. Tillinghast understood this, and placed it centrally on the property. Holes 1, 9, 10, 13, 14, and 18 are directly attached the clubhouse, and views are readily available on almost every hole. Speaking of Tillinghast, I think Newport C.C. demonstrates how versatile of an architect he was. While his other major works are inland parkland designs (Bethpage Black, Winged Foot, Quaker Ridge), he obviously could work well with seaside land too.

At a stout 7000+ yards from the par 70 Tips, Newport C.C. is plenty long enough to challenge the world’s best. However, the main defenses of the course come in the form of bunkering and wind. In the summer, a strong southwesterly gust continually blows off the Ocean, and the layout has a perfect balance of downwind, sidewind, and into-the-wind holes.

Don’t be alarmed on the 1st tee when you see the Red Tees behind the Tips – this is because the hole plays as a long, difficult par 4 from the Tips. From the Reds, the opening hole plays away from the clubhouse as a short 480 yard par 5. This straightaway hole provides a good opportunity to get your round off to a nice start, but wayward drives will be punished. In particular, a bunker on the right about 210 yards from the tee and fescue on both sides are to be avoided. About 50 yards short of this elevated green, the fairway runs out, leaving awkward pitches straight uphill. This large green is one of the most undulating on the course and guarded by bunkers on both sides.

You must cross Harrison Avenue to access holes 2-8. The 2nd hole is another good scoring opportunity as a straightforward 366 yard par 4. Out of bounds lines the entire left side and bunkers line this fairway about 200 yards off the tee. Your approach to this relatively flat green must contend with the wind and four bunkers that surround it.

At only 328 yards, the short par 4 3rd is aptly nicknamed “Ocean”, as it plays directly towards the water. Despite it’s short length, this hole is rarely drivable due to the heavy wind that blows off the water. Like the previous hole, OB lines the entire left side. A cross bunker requires a carry of at least 200 yards off the tee, and multiple bunkers surround this long, back-to-front sloped green. First time players will be amazed by the incredible Ocean views from the green.

The par threes at Newport C.C. are phenomenal beginning with the 220 yard 4th. Playing directly alongside the Atlantic Ocean, this long hole is undoubtedly one of the most difficult par threes in Rhode Island. The only acceptable miss on this hole is short, as long, narrow bunkers line the fairway the entire way. This challenging green runs hard back-to-front with a central ridge running through.

Playing 422 yards uphill, the par 4 5th is the number 1 handicap hole. Although this hole usually plays downwind, there is still plenty of danger with OB lining the left and a blind teeshot over bunkers. The bunkering on this hole is superb with a bunker wide right about 210 yards from the tee and a pair of bunkers in the middle of the fairway about 275 yards from the tee. This back-to-front sloped green is one of the smallest on the course.

The 383 yard 6th is a fantastic par 4 and one of several extremely fun driving holes at Newport C.C. This hole is pretty wide-open aside for several bunkers on either side of the fairway. This approach is a bit more difficult and requires a carry to avoid a crossbunker just short of this wildly undulating green with different pinnable plateaus. Don’t let the breathtaking views of the Ocean distract you here!

The long par 5 7th runs parallel to the 6th and 3rd and plays a strong 553 yards. Although usually downwind, this is still a challenging three-shotter due to classic Tillinghast bunkering. This fairway snakes around bunkers with a notable “Great Hazard” wastebunker occluding the left side of the fairway about halfway through the hole. Golfers will need to carry this on their lay-up to give themselves a reasonable birdie putt. For the final 300 yards or so, OB lines the right. This well-bunkered green plays somewhat like a bowl with both sides kicking balls to the center.

At 177 yards, the par 3 8th plays as a shorter version of the 4th with multiple bunkers lining both sides of this green. The miss here is short, as deep balls may carom down a steep embankment. This green is severely pitched back-to-front and leaves some very difficult recovery shots.

After crossing Harrison Avenue again, you encounter the strong 422 yard par 4 9th. Playing uphill and to the right, this hole plays back towards the clubhouse and is my favorite par 4 at Newport. A creek runs down the right side of the fairway, while strategic bunkers can be found 220 yards out at the corner of the dogleg, 190 yards out cutting the corner, and 305 yards out straightaway. This large green is rather receptive but slopes severely right-to-left. This hole will play as the 18th in the Senior Open because its green lends to a greater ampitheatre effect.

From an elevated teebox, the par 5 10th plays 528 yards downhill. This hole begins a stretch of several inland holes where you’re somewhat shielded from the otherwise gusty conditions. A driveway bisects this fairway about 200 yards from the teebox with fairway bunkers on either side just afterwards. From here, this reachable par 5 slides gently to the right towards an extremely well-bunkered, small green that’s the only original 1893 green on the course. The club claims this is the oldest surviving green complex in America. On another historical note, the trenches dug out to the right of the fairway were dug out by soldiers in the Revolutionary War.

Although the furthest inland hole at Newport Country Club, the short 298 yard par 4 11th is a splendid short par 4 and one that provides golfers plenty of options. This hole narrows as you reach the green with OB encroaching on the left and several bunkers surrounding this narrow green. For players who opt to hit iron off the tee, you’ll have to avoid a large bunker on the right at 190 yards and small bunker on the left at 220 yards. I laid up with 5-iron because I was only 1 over at the time, but can definitely foresee times I’d go for it. This green is a small target and features a severe back-to-front slope with two tiers. There’s talk of turning this hole into a beastly par 3 for championship events, but I wonder if the difficulty of this green precludes that.

Like the 1st, the Reds play longer than the Tips on the par 4/5 12th. At only 477 yards from the Reds, this is a short par 5 that bends to the left. Out of bounds and thick fescue line the entire left side as I learned the hard way with a disastrous quad that derailed my first round here. Golfers going for this green in two will have to contend with three bunkers short right and one on the left of this severely back-to-front sloped green.

The shortest hole at Newport C.C. is also one of the most intimidating in the 151 yard 13th. Playing straight uphill, this is a fantastic par 3 that will yield both birdies and big numbers. Six deep bunkers surround this narrow left-to-right sloped green surface. This is one of my favorite one-shotters anywhere.

After making a pitstop at the clubhouse, you make your way to the incredible set of finishing holes at Newport C.C., beginning with the stunning par 3 14th. This back-to-back par 3 plays 189 yard over golden fescue to a Redan green that kicks the ball hard right-to-left. With a giant bunker complex to the right and a deep one on the left, this hole is my favorite hole at Newport and my personal favorite Redan (even though it’s not a MacRaynor).

I’m not sure I agree the 15th is deserving of its number 2 handicap, but there’s no doubt this is a terrific 411 yard par 4. From an elevated teebox, this hole runs downhill and to the right, and usually plays into the wind. This fairway is rather generous, but longer hitters will need a carry of at least 245 yards to cut the corner over a bunker. Like the 6th, this green is well-bunkered and a boomerang-shaped bunker just short blocks any balls running up.

A member told me before the round, “The Club Championships begins on the 16th tee.” He was not wrong. Despite being 352 yards, the par 4 16th is a scary hole. This minuscule fairway is lined by a rock wall on the right and creek that runs down the entire left side. Bunkers also line the fairway on the left at 205 yards and 250 yards, while fescue lines the right. While I managed the drive alright, I royally messed up my approach to a tiny green that juts out over water. I hesitate to use the words “target golf,” but this hole is decidedly un-linksy.

Don’t expect to find relief on the 17th, the longest par 4 on the course at 441 yards. With out of bounds lining both sides of a generous fairway, you’ll need both length and accuracy here. A series of deep cross-bunkers run across this fairway for the final 100 yards. Theoretically, these shouldn’t come in play, but may make life very difficult for those trying to lay up. This back-to-front sloped green is also guarded on both sides by bunkers.

At 379 yards, the finishing hole is an interesting medium-length dogleg left. If you look back on the teebox, you’ll see several elevated rock croppings that serve as wonderfully scenic teeboxes but are rarely utilized by the members. Like the previous hole, this fairway is fairly generous but mishit drives will either be lost or find bunkers on both sides about 200 yards out. From the fairway, this hole runs straight uphill to a giant three-tiered green that runs straight back-to-front. As you would guess, the famous clubhouse is situated just to the left of this green. This green feels out of place compared to the others but I love the hole.

General Comments: I’d be remiss if I didn’t discuss the unbelievable clubhouse. Designed by Whitney Warren, this is one of the most majestic clubhouses in all of golf, and one that rivals the nearby Newport Mansions in terms of beauty. Although stunning from the outside, it’s even more impressive on the inside with incredible views of Brenton Point Reef and several holes.

Newport is an excellent walking course, but does have cart which are topless. As you would expect from a championship course, the practice facilities at Newport C.C. are fantastic with a full short game area, putting green, and well-maintained range stocked full of Pro-V1’s. Pace of play is also superb and one member remarked, “it feels weird to even see another group.”

Multiple presidents, including John F. Kennedy and Dwight Eisenhower called Newport home. Apparently, Eisenhower was never able to break 80 in over a hundred rounds here.

Verdict: Newport Country Club is a timeless gem. A tremendous history, superb Tillinghast design, a setting unlike any other make this seaside paradise one of America’s finest golf experiences. Don’t hesitate to accept if you’re lucky enough to get an chance to play.