Location: Barrington, Rhode Island
History: Founded in 1911, Rhode Island Country Club (RICC) was Donald Ross’ first design in Rhode Island and opened in July 1912. Besides a few minor renovations, the course is as Ross designed it over a century ago. Rhode Island Country Club has hosted many local and national tournaments over the years, including four U.S. Women’s Amateurs (1924, 1953, 1987, 2011). Legendary Rhode Island golfers Brad Faxon and Billy Andrade grew up here and hosted a joint LPGA-PGA charity event called the CVS Classic from 1999 to 2019. Winners of the tournament include Keegan Bradley, Bubba Watson, and Steve Stricker. RICC is considered one of the best courses in the state, earning the following awards:
- #5 Best Course in Rhode Island – Golf Magazine (2024)
- #5 Best Course in Rhode Island – Top100golfcourses.com (2024)
Conditions: 9/10, RICC is in excellent condition with fast greens and particularly firm and well-maintained fairways.
Value: N/A, This is a private course.
Scorecard:
Tee Par Yardage Rating Slope
Black 71 6900 73.1 132
Blue 71 6466 71.1 130
White 71 6003 69.1 124
White/Red 71 5660 67.3 122
Red 71 5081 69.7 125
Hole Descriptions: Growing up in Rhode Island, I was able to attend the CVS Classic several times, but actually playing Rhode Island Country Club evaded me until I was fortunate to get an invite a few summers ago. Situated in the state’s most affluent town, RICC is an early Donald Ross design with many of his trademark features on display but also some unusual quirks that make it stand out. The course is routed through a neighborhood and can roughly be divided into thirds, with the beginning set amongst the forest, a middle section on swampier property, and a closing stretch playing along Narragansett Bay in memorable (and usually windy) fashion. Not dissimilar to Merion East, these different sections of the course differ architecturally as well, providing great variety to the golfer. Overall, I really enjoyed my round here and consider it my 5th favorite course in Rhode Island, just a notch below the state’s “Big 4.” This truly would be a lovely place to be a member and is a course well-worth playing if given the opportunity.
If you look at the scorecard, it seems the scoring opportunities are most readily available on the opening six holes, with five shorter par fours and a short par 3. While this is probably true for better players, this stretch features some really interesting holes and some truly diabolical greens which are quite well-defended. This is true of the 1st hole, a 380 yard dogleg left par 4 running downhill from a teebox near the clubhouse. While a shorter hole, this fairway is on the narrow side with OB down the right the entire way and bunkers on the left at 160, 200, and 240 yards. The final bunker is a giant inverted bunker, an unusual feature present on a few holes at RICC. Numerous additional bunkers surround this back-to-front sloped putting surface that contains lots of internal movement.
The 2nd hole runs alongside the opener as a straightaway 375 yard par 4. The fairway itself is rather narrow, but light rough lines either side and there’s really no risk on this teeshot. The approach, however, is a challenging one, playing uphill to an elevated green containing a plateau on its left and back portions. You’ll have some wild putts from the wrong side and the green is also well-defended by a false front and deep bunkers on either side.
The 3rd hole is another quirky par 4 that plays longer uphill the entire way at 348 yards. This is not a very straightforward teeshot, as you must carry fescue for about 150 yards and avoid two tall trees down the right. Driver is not always a prudent play here, as the fairway narrows the further you go and ends around 265 yards. This is another challenging approach, continuing uphill over a plateau and bunkers to a turtle-back green that repels balls along the edges.
At 354 yards, the 4th hole is another short par 4 that runs downhill the entire way and plays even shorter. While the fairway is generous, a large bunker lines the right around 205 yards and OB lines the left the entire way. At about 275 yards, the fairway ends with a creek. I suppose the longest hitters can carry this hazard, but attempting this would be extremely risky. There’s a small amount of fairway on the other side of the creek followed by another very difficult green. With bunkers on its four corners, this putting surface slopes severely back-to-front with two distinct tiers.
The first of only three par threes at RICC, the 5th hole plays over level terrain at 165 yards. This small, raised green is on the flatter side but surrounded by bunkers short, left, and long.
The 6th is the shortest par 4 on the course at just 303 yards and is certainly in range for longer hitters. With its teeshot running back over the creek, this hole features a generous fairway that gradually widens up until about 255 yards. There’s a bunker down the right at 200 yards that will catch a poorly struck lay-up, but the real danger on this hole is an absolutely minuscule, back-to-front sloped green that sits off to the left. Bunkers short, left, and long mandate an aerial approach from any angle and create an intimidating short pitch after a good teeshot.
After a string of short, quirky holes to begin, RICC toughens with a stretch of its longest, most difficult holes beginning at the par 4 7th. At a prodigious 458 yards, this number 1 handicap is all right in front of you but is a test throughout, beginning with an 160 yard carry over marshland to a fairway lined by thick trees on either side. Once in the fairway, you’ll face a lengthy approach into a back-to-front sloped green that’s open up front but lined by bunkers on either side.
There are only two par fives on this par 71 layout and both play fairly similarly during a four-hole stretch in the middle of the course. The 8th is the easier of the two at 494 yards and is an interesting hole. This teeshot is pretty straightforward to a wide fairway lined by thick forest down the left and light fescue to the far right. There’s a diagonal crossbunker on the left between 150 and 200 yards and the fairway ends around 280 yards with a giant, great hazard-like bunker. There’s a tiny bit of fairway over the bunker, but a large pond creeps in down the left at this point and ideal lay-ups will find a third slab of fairway which doglegs around the hazard. For longer hitters, reaching this relatively flat green in two is an option as long as you can avoid the three bunkers that surround it.
The 9th hole runs along the edge of the property as a straight-as-an-arrow 433 yard par 4. With OB and houses down the left the entire way, this is a somewhat intimidating teeshot with an additional bunker down the right around 180 yards. Another inverted bunker sits just short left of a well-defended green that contains a small vertical swale. This isn’t the most memorable hole on the course but is a tough par and features an excellent green.
At 193 yards, the 10th hole is the longest and most difficult par 3 at RICC. Although it’s all right in front of you, this huge raised green requires a well-struck longer club to avoid the bunkers that defend it on either side and short. The green has punchbowl features, with severe slopes along the back edge.
The 11th hole is the second and final par 5 on the course at 510 yards. This is a tricky hole that begins with a generous straightaway fairway lined by trees down either side. There’s an imposing centerline bunker at 210 yards with additional bunkers down either side around 250 yards. At about 330 yards, a path bisects the fairway and the hole begins to turn slightly left with a narrower slab of fairway on the other side. The defining feature of this hole is a small creek that runs across about 60 yards short of the green. This hazard really forces the golfer into a decision on their second shot, especially after a good teeshot. This small, raised green sits off to the left with numerous deep bunkers on either side and a significant false front. Like the 8th, this is definitely a birdie hole in the CVS Classic, but can wreck havoc on the scorecard of a careless golfer.
The 12th hole is a shorter par 4 at 320 yards and gives the golfer numerous options. With its teeshot playing over several small creeks, this fairway bends to the right with a right crossbunker at 200 yards and a trio of bunkers down the left beginning at 250 yards. While in theory reachable for the longest hitters, this small, undulating green is completely surrounded by bunkers and would be very difficult to hold.
The 13th runs adjacent to the 1st and is a similar, albeit more difficult hole at 445 yards. Like the opener, this is a dogleg left par 4 featuring a narrow fairway wrapped around a trio of left bunkers around 210 yards. There’s also a hazard to the far left which will catch overzealous teeshots. Golfers will likely face a long approach into a back-to-front sloped green that’s open up front but otherwise surrounded by bunkers.
At 378 yards, the 14th hole is a par 4 running uphill along the edge of the property. OB and a road line the left the entire way while sporadic trees and a small creek guard the right. This approach runs uphill over several crossbunkers towards a giant infinity green containing several plateaus and different compartments. You’re afforded the first views of Narragansett Bay from this green.
The final stretch plays on the other side of Nayatt Road in links-like fashion along Narragansett Bay. These treeless holes are often very windy and feel quite different than the rest of the course. The 15th is the first of these holes as a 375 yard par 4. With the road down your right the entire way, this hole features a narrow fairway lined by a string of large bunkers down the left and deep, penal bunkers on the right around 200 yards. This approach plays towards a Redan-like green surrounded by bunkers that slopes hard towards the water.
The 405 yard 16th hole runs parallel in the opposite direction to 15 as another straightaway par 4. While large bunkers run down the left for the first 240 yards and marshland lines the right, this is an overall generous fairway. This putting surface slopes left-to-right with the land and is lined by bunkers short on either side.
The par 3 17th is RICC’s shortest hole at 138 yards and juts out towards the Bay amongst the marshes. Not dissimilar to nearby Wannamoisett’s famous short 3rd, this raised, tiny green is surrounded by bunkers and mostly slopes back-to-front.
The closing hole runs back towards the clubhouse as a 392 yard par 4 that plays longer uphill. With an initial carry of about 170 yards needed to clear the marshes, this fairway is otherwise quite generous besides a deep right crossbunker at 320 yards only in play for the biggest hitters. This approach is arguably the best on the course, playing uphill to a punchbowl green lined by bunkers and a false front.
General Comments: Rhode Island is a true country club with a family-oriented vibe, excellent dining, and pool and racquet sports available as well. Practice facilities include a practice green near the 1st tee and memorable range across the road along the water. Pace of play was excellent when I played and the course is a very pleasant walk.
Verdict: A classic Donald Ross design located in the state’s most affluent town, Rhode Island Country Club is a very good course with an excellent routing playing inland through a neighborhood and marshland before finishing on Narragansett Bay. Host of four U.S. Women’s Amateurs and the CVS Classic, this is a wonderful member’s course that is well-worth a play if given the opportunity.