Newport National

This isn't a top 100 course, but the best in Rhode Island.  I played with two Texans on vacation, and a Boston financier who retired near here and once owned a ranch in Texas.  And I, of course, am a Texan by domicile.  On the first tee, a dogleg left, the local guy told Big Juan (who is not Mexican, but had his golf balls monogrammed with "Big Juan", like mine say "Mr. Science".  We exchanged balls after the round.) to "aim for the cot".  Juan turned around and said

"The cot?  I don't see a cot." 
"The golf cot, out theyah on the fayaway." 
"Oh.  We call that a carrrt." 
And we were off.

The course opened in 2002, designed by Arthur Hills, and has been named the best in New England.  The fairways are wide enough, but lined with tall fescue all around.


And those are the easy lies, if you're not straight enough.




 or long enough


It's called a "modern" links course.  The terrain is fairly flat, but with elevated tees and greens unlike a traditional links design, and parkland-style lush fairways.  The thick stands of short bushes ready to catch errant shots are reminiscent of the gorse in Ireland or Scotland, but I think it's a bit of a stretch to describe the fairways and greens as "linksy".  Elevated greens are just not linksy no matter what the rest of it looks like.

But quite a nice course.

The golf cart seats were luxurious (rich Corinthian?) molded leather.  Very comfortable.


More pictures.

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