Joel --
Since I see the Newport comments from my interview invoked, I'd better defend myself.
I love this course for lots of reasons, and not all of them strictly golf related, but I can't imagine anyone who loves the game and appreciates its tradition not being utterly charmed by the place. The spell begins with the first sight of the clubhouse, proudly sitting there alone at the end of the entry drive, and builds from there.
Two absolutely streamlined moments I experienced there:
1) During the millenium summer, the tall ships were in for July 4 weekend. As I stuck my ball into the ground on the first tee on Monday, the tops of three tall ships, sailing back out to sea, came into view. My playing partner and I just stood there for about ten minutes marvelling as the ships got smaller and smaller in the distance. Thankfully, it's not a hurried golfing atmosphere.
2) My second moment is also ship-related. Back in either 1996 or 97, I went out by myself to play at about 8 one morning. As I'm walking up the second fairway (no. 2 and 3, across the road from 1, both mosey uphill straight toward the ocean), I see something in the distance, and I'm not sure what. By the third tee, it looks suspiciously like a smokestack. By the the green, I realize I'm staring at the QEII coming straight at me as it maneuvered into port for the Newport Jazz Festival. It was thrilling.
Some thoughts of why I love the course so much. As I said in the interview, I've played it well over 100 times and I've yet to be bored. More than that, I always find something new. More than that, my regular partner there, who's been playing the course since the late '30s, also finds the course reinventing itself on a daily basis as winds shift and weather conditions change. Last year -- and I'm not big hitter -- the firmness of the burned out fairways from a summer sans rain turned me into a monster, and that was fun. Also, the course has really been carefully restored to its Tillinghast glory.
I agree with the earlier statement about No. 5. It's a thrillingly strategic hole, and six, a seemingly easy Par 4 back out to sea, is deceptive in the afternoon breezes, and can be positively nasty since an original Tillinghast bunker was unearthed to the right of the green.
Nine is simply one of the most fun holes I've ever played. Huge cross bunker then straight uphilll to a plateau green so depth perception is a challenge. Also, there's a stand of trees out there planted in the '20s to discourage Newport's pre-jet-set jet set from trying to land their private planes on the edge of the fairway. When you get to the green, revel in the view around you.
The green on no. 10 is the oldest green in continuous use in the US, and 11 offers the most trouble I've ever found on a short par 4. Ben Crenshaw considers No. 13, one of the consecutive 3s that surround the clubhouse, to be one of his favorite one shotters, and it's especially fun the first time you play it, because you're shot is completely blind. As with 9, make sure you take in the view before heading to the next hole. No. 14 is another great par 3, made more intimidating by the tee box at the edge of the clubhouse for everyone to howl when you hook it down the hill or push it right into hash of sand and grass. (It's also the last remaining of the original holes from Willie Davis's 1894 layout.) There's another steeply elevated green on 18 that plays havoc with depth perception. Make sure you check its pin location as you segue from 13 to 14. If you're on the wrong level and have to put downhill, your next shot could be from back on the tees.
Overrated? Nothing so enjoyable, so beautiful, and so filled with history can possibly be overrated.
Enjoy yourself...
js