Wanumetonomy G&CC | Photo Tour & Descriptions (Middletown, RI)

[Nick Campanelli]

A few weeks back, Mat Hickey was kind enough to invite Tim Martin, Cliff Hamm, and myself for a round at his home club, Wanumetonomy G&CC in Middletown, RI.  Besides the constant 30mph+ winds and 30d temps that day, we all had a great time.  Below is my usual course photo tour and hole descriptions for those of you not familiar with this Seth Raynor layout built in 1922.  Enjoy.  

Brief Description
Wanumetonomy CC is a demanding, yet charming layout located ten minutes north of downtown Newport, RI.  Characterized by difficult greens and deep bunkering, Wanumetonomy CC is a layout that challenges all facets of the game and places a premium on iron play and the short game.  

Like many great clubs, the clubhouse is situated at one of the site’s highest points, allowing sweeping views of the property and distant Narragansett Bay.  The site itself is moderately sloped, with approximately 100’ of grade change from the clubhouse (East Property Edge) down to the 6th hole and adjacent Bay (West Property Edge).  What’s unique about this layout is that you rarely feel the grade change, as many of the holes run across and down, but never directly into the slopes.  In addition, only once do consecutive holes run in the same direction ( holes 7 & 8 ), allowing play with varying wind directions throughout the round.  

Course Routing


Course Scorecard
   

[Nick Campanelli]

HOLE 1     
Par 4    318 / 309 / 300 / 300
Hcp      13 / 13

Leave the driver in the bag on this opening hole as the fairway ends about 250yds from the tips.  A play down the right side of the fairway is favored as the green slopes sharply left to right, and back to front.  A good drive will leave a short iron approach to a green guarded left, long, and short right by deep bunkers.  Par is an excellent score around this difficult green.

Tee


Approach


Short of Green


Right of Green


Back of Green

[Nick Campanelli]

HOLE 2     
Par 4    313 / 296 / 281 / 281
Hcp      11 / 15

The smart play off the tee is short of the fairway bunkers left and right (250yds from back tee), leaving a short iron approach to a green that is deceptively harder to hold that it appears.  Longer hitters can challenge the fairway bunkers, leaving a pitch shot approach if negotiated successfully.  Drives missing left will likely be blocked out from the green by large trees.  Bunkers guard the right and front left portion of the green, with a steep falloff beyond for approaches missing long.  The green generally slopes from back to front and right to left.

Tee


Approach


Short of Green


Back of Green

[Nick Campanelli]

HOLE 3    
Par 4    451 / 433 / 397 / 397
Hcp      1 / 5

Grip it and rip it on the longest par 4 at Wanumetonomy CC.  A drive down the middle is favored, as trees right and left have the potential to block clear views of the green.  Longer hitters will have to account for a crossing hazard 300yds from the tips.  A good drive will leave a mid to long iron approach to a small green guarded left and right by deep bunkers.  The green itself slopes generally back to front and left to right.  Par is an excellent score here.

Tee


Approach


Layup


Short Right of Green


Back of Green

[Nick Campanelli]

HOLE 4     
Par 4    392 / 378 / 366 / 366
Hcp      9 / 1

This relatively open, mid length par four plays slightly downhill.  A drive down the left side is favored, leaving a short to mid iron approach to a raised green that slopes back to front and right to left.  Approaches missing right will find deep bunkers.  Approaches missing long or left will be left with difficult recoveries into steep grass faces.  Another hole where par is a good score.

Tee


Approach


Short of Green


Back of Green


Left Face of Green from 6th Fairway

[Nick Campanelli]

HOLE 5     
Par 3    149 / 132 / 122 / 122
Hcp      17 / 17

The shortest hole on the course, this par three requires a precise play off the tee to avoid trouble.  Shots missing slightly left will kick into the hazard.  Shots missing right will find a deep bunker, leaving a downhill recovery with water long.  This slightly crowned green is two-tiered, and slopes generally back to front.

Tee


View from 13th Green


Back of Green


Left of Green

[Nick Campanelli]

HOLE 6     
Par 4    416 / 395 / 383 / 345
Hcp      3 / 7

If Wanumetonomy CC had a “cape-like” hole, the sixth would be it.  This gentle dog-leg right, mid length par four requires a precise drive down the middle, avoiding bunkers and O.B right, and trees left.  Players forced to layup short of the green will contend with a hidden bunker 30yds short left of the green.  The green itself slopes slightly left to right, and is guarded right and left by deep bunkers.  The safe miss is short of the green.

Tee


Fairway Bunkers


Approach


Short of Green


Back of Green


Left of Green

[Nick Campanelli]

HOLE 7     
Par 4    301 / 293 / 287 / 225 
Hcp     15 / 11

The seventh is the shortest par four on the course, but plays longer as its uphill all the way.  A drive to the top of the hill is favored, avoiding a cluster of small trees right, and large trees left.  A good drive will leave a short iron approach to a green surrounded by deep bunkers on all four sides.  The green generally slopes back to front.  Likely the best birdie opportunity for birdie on the front nine.

Tee


Looking Back at Tee


Approach


Short Left of Green


Back of Green


Right of Green

[Nick Campanelli]

HOLE 8     
Par 4    389 / 372 / 331 / 331 
Hcp      5 / 3

Drives on this mid length par four need to avoid three bunkers left and a parallel hazard and O.B right.  A solid drive will leave a short iron, uphill approach a green guarded by deep bunkers left and right.  Keeping the ball below the hole is crucial as the surface is deceptively steep back to front.  The safe miss is short.  Take your par and move on.

Tee


Fairway Bunkers


Approach


Short of Green


Short of Green


Back of Green

[Nick Campanelli]

HOLE 9    
Par 4    369 / 335 / 293 / 293   
Hcp      7 / 9

The front nine closes with a dog leg left that plays entirely uphill.  The smart play off the tee is right of center, avoiding the trees and lone fairway bunker left.  A good drive will leave a mid iron, uphill approach to a green guarded left and right by deep bunkers.  The green slopes back to front and slightly right to left.  Like the 8th, staying below the hole is key on this green.  Missing long will leave a very difficult up and down for par.

Tee


Approach


Short of Green


Back of Green


Left of Green

[Nick Campanelli]

HOLE 10     
Par 4    392 / 379 / 328 / 328   
Hcp      4 / 4

The back nine begins with a mid-length, gentle dog-leg right that falls away to the left the entire way.  Drives should favor the left side of the fairway, avoiding deep bunkers left and O.B. right.  A good drive will leave a mid-iron, uphill approach to arguably the most difficult green complex on the course.  The green slopes sharply back right to front left, and is guarded by very deep bunkers left and right.  Missing this green left, right, or long will leave a very difficult up and down for par.  The bunker left sits 8’ below the putting surface at its lowest point!  This is another hole where par is an excellent score.

Tee


Approach


Left Rough


Short of Green


Bunker Short Left


Back of Green

[Nick Campanelli]

HOLE 11    
Par 4    404 / 392 / 388 / 388  
Hcp      10 / 8

Enjoy the view from the tee on this picturesque, straight away par four that plays dramatically downhill.  Moderate to long hitters will be able to carry the pinching fairway bunkers, leaving a short iron approach into the green.  Shorter hitters will likely play short of these bunkers, leaving a mid iron approach to the large, relatively flat green that falls off sharply long.  Large, deep bunkers will catch miss hit approaches short left and right.  The hole is likely the best birdie opportunity on the inward nine.

Tee


Approach


Short Right of Green


Green


Back of Green

[Nick Campanelli]

HOLE 12     
Par 3    173 / 162 / 153 / 153   
Hcp      16 / 16

This short hole has often been compared (and rightly so) to “Eden,” the Old Course’s 11th.  Playing slightly uphill, the safe play is to center of the green.  The bunker guarding the green short and right sits 6’ below the putting surface at its deepest point.  To compound the problem, the resulting recovery plays to a putting surface that runs away from you.  Missing left will leave a similar recovery.  The green slopes generally back to front, and is defined by a central spine that bisects its entire length.  Par is good score here.

Tee


Short of Green


Short of Green


Back of Green


Bunker Right of Green


View from 11th Fairway

[Nick Campanelli]

HOLE 13     
Par 4    347 / 332 / 324 / 324   
Hcp      12 / 14

The first of back-to-back short par fours, this dogleg right plays slightly downhill.  The safe play is to the left, short of the four fairway bunkers guarding the dogleg.  A well placed drive will leave a short iron approach.  Longer hitters can challenge the fairway bunkers, leaving a pitch shot second if negotiated successfully.  The green is raised and slopes generally back to front with steep falloffs on all four sides.  Deep bunkers guard the right and left side of the surface.  The safe miss is short.

Tee


Approach - Right Edge of Fairway


Approach - Left Edge of Fairway


Short Left of Green


Back of Green

[PCCraig]

Wow! Great stuff...thanks for posting.

What a neat set of greens so far...

[Nick Campanelli]

HOLE 14    
Par 4    334 / 323 / 314 / 314  
Hcp      18 / 12

This straight away, uphill par four requires a drive that negotiates the hidden crossing bunkers approximately 230yds from the tips.  Playing short of the bunkers leaves an uphill, short iron approach of approximately 120yds.  Drives carrying the bunkers will leave a pitch approach to the only bunkerless green at Wanumetonomy CC.  The green is raised from the fairway with slight fall offs left, right, and back.  The putting surface slopes generally back to front, with a spine bisecting the surface front to back.

Tee


Crossing Bunkers


Approach


Short of Green


Back of Green

[Nick Campanelli]

HOLE 15     
Par 4    408 / 388 / 376 / 352   
Hcp      2 / 10

The fifteenth is the longest par four on the inward nine, and plays longer than indicated as it climbs uphill the entire way.  A drive down the middle is favored, avoiding trees left.  A good drive will leave a mid iron, uphill approach to a double-plateau’d green guarded by deep bunkers left, right, and long.  The safe miss is short as the green slopes generally back to front with two distinct plateaus back right and left.  Two-putting this green is a challenge and scoring par will likely pick up a few strokes on your playing partners.

Tee


Approach


Short of Green


Short of Green


Left of Green


Back of Green

[Nick Campanelli]

HOLE 16     
Par 5    556 / 545 / 446 / 446   
Hcp      6 / 6

The sixteenth is the longest hole and only par five at Wanumetonomy CC, but plays down hill its entire length.  A drive down the right center of the fairway is favored, avoiding a lone fairway trap left (250yds from tips) and trees right.  Players will have a decision on the layup.  Longer hitters will challenge the green in two.  Shorter hitters will choose to layup short of the pond right or play to a landing area between the pond and two bunkers left (30yds wide at its tightest point).  A good layup will leave a short iron approach to a green that sits level with the fairway.  The green itself is generally flat, with a slight slope front to back.  The green falls away steeply left, right, and long with deep bunkers (not visible from the fairway) flanking all sides.

Tee


Layup


Approach


Short of Green


Back of Green

[Nick Campanelli]

HOLE 17     
Par 3    206 / 192 / 146 / 146   
Hcp      14 / 18

The seventeenth is the last and longest of the short holes, and is likely the toughest of the three at Wanumetonomy CC.  Playing slightly uphill, the safe play is to the right center of the green.  Shot missing short left will flirt with the deep “road” bunker.  Shot missing right will find an even deeper bunker not visible from the tee.  The green slopes generally back to front and slightly right to left.  The safe miss here is long or short.

Tee


Short of Green


Road Bunker


Deep Bunker Right of Green


Green


Back of Green


View from 18th Tee

[Nick Campanelli]

HOLE 18    
Par 4    391 / 380 / 338 / 338   
Hcp      8 / 2

The finishing hole is a straight away par four that plays uphill its entire length.  A drive of 220yds+ will leave a semi-level, mid-iron, uphill approach.  Mishit drives not reaching the crest of the hill will likely catch the severe left to right slope, leaving a blind, long iron approach from the right rough.  The green is slightly elevated from the fairway, and slopes generally back to front and left to right.  The two bunkers short right of the green are positioned ten yards short of the putting surface, not against the green as they appear from the fairway.  Recovery from the bunkers left and long will be difficult as the greens runs away from both points.

Tee


Looking Back at Tee, Showing Slope in Fairway


Left Rough


Approach


Short of Green


Back of Green


Falloff Right of Green

[Nick Campanelli]

Wow! Great stuff...thanks for posting.

What a neat set of greens so far...

They were pretty neat.  You'll notice the flags in all the pics are all fully extended.  Hitting these greens was a pain in the @$$ with the wind that day.

[Pete Lavallee]

Nick,

Thanks for the detailed photo tour; I appreciate the work it takes to show all the angles like you did. I certainly recognise the Raynor par 3's: the Short, the Eden and the Redan. The Double Plateau is the only other Raynor that is easy to recognise. I'm curious, why doesn't the Club print the Raynor names of the holes on the scorecard?

[PCCraig]

Nick,

Thanks for the detailed photo tour; I appreciate the work it takes to show all the angles like you did. I certainly recognise the Raynor par 3's: the Short, the Eden and the Redan. The Double Plateau is the only other Raynor that is easy to recognise. I'm curious, why doesn't the Club print the Raynor names of the holes on the scorecard?

+1

I don't think I've ever seen such a subtle Raynor?

[Nick Campanelli]

Pete, I would imagine its because the template holes here aren't as defined as most other Raynor routings (i.e. the 6th is almost a cape, but its missing the angled carry over the hazard).  The actual scorecard is pretty plain, something i tend to like with courses (it doesn't give too much away).  

[George_Bahto]

Thomas Suffern Tailer build the Ocean Links course adjacent to Newport CC in a show of defiance to the attitude of the Newport CC’s administration for rebuffing his group of members who felt NCC was falling behind the times and wanted to redo the course. Tailer's Ocean Links was a huge success, of course.

Tailer commissioned Raynor to build a course in nearby Middletown to be called Wanumetonomy Golf & Country Club feeling there should be a course for the locals to play. He picked up the tab for Raynor’s fee and I think for much of the property and the construction costs (perhaps, matching funds). The course was done in stages; the first nine holes was built during 1921 and 1922, followed by the rest of the course in 1923 and 1924.