Newport CC, Misquamicut, Black Rock

[herrstein]

Just back from the 3rd Annual Seth Raynor Society get together at Wanumetonomy. Report will be in another thread.
While there I played Newport CC, Misquamicut, and Brian Silva's new Black Rock CC.
I am surprised to find none of the three reviewed on this site. All three are worthy.
Newport gives rise to an observation: The more exclusive, and exclusively devoted to golf, the Club, the less pavement and landscaping around the clubhouse, or on the course, for that matter.
Newport is solid from start to finish, a delight, and like being dropped in Scotland. I saw them cutting the rough with a 21-inch Murray. I estimate 17 lineal feet of cart path on the whole course (paved). Fabulous.
Misquamicut was unbelievably cool from 1 to 12, then it had some holes that seemed imported from another course, maybe in Florida (except the 15th and 17th greens, which were pretty neat). One of the greatest reachable but undriveable par 4's I have ever seen, the 4th. Everyone hits driver, no one gets on, everybody then has to get up and down for birdie. The purest par 4/bogey 4 combination I have ever seen. The ninth was likewise a strong, strong, short par 4. The 11th a beautiful short 4, almost a cape hole, but the green not on a peninsula. The green with cool "gate" mounds in front. The 18th returned to the quirky nature of the first 12, a blind uphill 215 yard par 3 finish. Very cool.
Black Rock was a stunning new creation from Silva, carved out of a rock quarry wasteland and as strong a collection of holes as I have seen in a new course in the last three years... since Black Creek, of course! Highly recommended to anyone who can see it. I would love to hear reactions from others who see it. The 4th could have been on Yale with its huge "Green Monster" hill hiding the massive punch bowl green on a 574 yard par 5. A similar design idea to the 6th at Black creek, but with different execution... kind of like seeing Macdonald/Raynor's Redans all reproduced everywhere. And there's one of those Redans, too, the 9th. The surrounds are spectacular with rock outcroppings and sheer bluffs all over, good variety, and great walkability.

[TEPaul]

herrstein:

We've talked about Misquamicut on here a lot but not in some time. That course is one of my favorites with some holes that are really unique and some that are cooly quirky. #6 green is one of the most fascinating on a par 3 that can be found and actually #15 green is too. An unusual finishing hole too in #18. How about those corrugated fairways on particularly #1 and also #9? The first tee is pretty cool too right up against the clubhouse like it is.

[George Pazin]

I drove by Newport last summer - not too hard to see why Patrick loves it so much.

I'm bringing this back up so others can see the thread and respond.

P.S. Bring next year's meeting to Fox Chapel so I can get in on the fun. I'll host a barbeque if you bring up some Wicker's sauce.

[herrstein]

Tom Paul: The whole front just really got me going, although I guess the 2nd and 3rd were just ok....the first tee was a beehive of activity in some ways like Merion without the clatter of dishes...really neat ambiance.
The fourth, fifth, and yes- the 6th with a fabulous rolling green on a 195 yard par 3- and the huge falloff to the right (was there a bunker down there once?- I had to think so) were very strong. The par 5 7th was OK, but I really liked the 8th (looked like a Raynor lift of a short- very similar to the 8th St. Louis!) and especially the 9th.
The 10th with the split fairway was double cool too.
You are right about the 15th green. I birdied that with a putt over the mound. What fun! But what's up with those holes from 13 through 17? After all those rolling fairways on the front, those 5 holes are almost flat in the fairways...even the 11th was flat, come to think of it, although I really liked it.
George- If Fox Chapel will host, we'll consider it VERY strongly. It would be a great place to see and play, I'm sure. But, we can't presume upon any members to arrange such a thing- one of the issues with any organization like the Raynor Society is making sure private clubs know they aren't obligated or expected to serve as hosts just because their course was designed by a famous dead guy. As the Society grows, we will have broader opportunities, I'm sure, but it's no coincidence that the event has been hosted at Clubs where King or I or some of the early joiners are members. After all, Raynor/Macdonald/Banks courses are almost all private- some very exclusively so. I can say that Lookout Mountain would have looked with suspicion upon hosting the Raynor Society's first meeting if King and I had not been involved; as it was, it was essentially a private party hosted by some members. Some of Lookout's members still don't take to the idea of the Raynor Society anyway...30% of most of these clubs are filled with people who say no to everything as a matter of course, Lookout included.
That being said, most of these courses draw from a similar group of people, seeing as most of them are descended from somebody who knew CB Macdonald on Wall Street, so once they get to know one another, it's all OK.
And Scott Wicker, aka The Man, is always coming with me to the Raynor event, if I have MY way!

[Mike_Sweeney]

Doug,

Sorry I could not make it. Can you say anything more about Black Rock? It always sounded interesting, but never hear anything about it.

[herrstein]

Mike,
Black Rock is another "retro"- or do we call that "neo-classical" design from Brian Silva, like my own course, Black Creek Club (which is reviewed on this site). Unlike Black Creek, though, Black Rock (did they use our course as inspiration?) does not pull so directly from one architect (Black Creek was built keeping Macdonald/Raynor in mind, although most of the holes are not directly inspired, or should we say "copies"), but seems to me to be the result of Silva's immersion in the design characterisitics (read "strategic school") of the architects of the "Golden Era."
The 1st, for example, has a billowing fairway spotted with random bunkers, with a green set hard against a rock outcrop, but with plenty of chipping area. In fact, the whole course is like this: random bunkers, lots of options, lots of chipping areas). The property was an old rock quarry, and it's visually stunning, but you are not down in a hole like with other quarry courses I have seen.
The 9th is a Redan with a long, long green- maybe 60 yards. Lots of feed to the left.
The 12th is a long par 3- 227 yards- with a great long bunker left that sits beneath a long slope that kicks into the green left to right. Tough hole...beautiful in the rocks...but I never hit a rock, even though they frame many of the holes.
I think the next hole is the drivable par 4, downhill, looks tighter than it is...next time I'll drive with less fear because the fairway opens at driver distance. A small green that's crowned...I damn near three putted for bogey after being just 10 yards short on my drive.
The 16th they call a par 5 but it's a four if you cut the corner...
The 18th has the longest fairway bunker I have ever seen, a great "bite off" hole of 483 yards (I didn't play the Championship tees, even from the "Black" tees it's 448).
The turf was excellent, especially for a one year old.
The greens had a lot of movement, but weren't as severe as you may find on old Ross or Raynor courses... I don't remember any 5% slopes that were in cupping positions, but there was definitely a right place to be on most of them... like many of the older courses, the trouble gets more so toward the backs of the greens... if you keep the ball between yourself and the hole (of course, tacking your way around the many fairway bunkers), you will be safe, but if you want that birdie you have to risk a little more.
My expectations were exceeded. I think it's impossible to build a course these days that has the worn in charm of some of the really old courses, but Black Rock will weather well, and I am sure it will stand the test of time. I want to play it again.... and again. It would be a great home course.
I think I might suggest some interclub matches with them and Black Creek- I think the members of both places would enjoy both courses.

[George Pazin]

Pulling this up for Dick Daley to add comments.

[RJ_Daley]

Sorry George, I can't add anything to this thread because I only played at the SRS gathering at Waunotonomy CC.  

[SPDB]

Herrstein, I heartily concur with your appraisal of Misquamicut and Newport. You are also spot on about the 4th, not only is it impossible to drive, it is nearly impossible to make 4 by laying up, if the pin is up front (or as upfront as it can be on that green). It is the most severe front to back sloping green I've ever seen. The 9th is also a tricky approach. A great day can be had combining Misquamicut or any of the other legit ross courses (e.g. Pt. Judith, Sakonnet) and Newport. The wind at all of these courses make it so much fun, and the no irrigation at Newport makes it a blast.

[herrstein]

no irrigation at Newport makes it a blast.

Of course, when I played it, it was sopping wet- so I didn't get the full experience.
Drivers came back a foot after landing.
Still, it was a neat place, and the fact that they don't try to control Mother nature makes it much more interesting.