http://www.travelgolf.com/departments/clubhouse/newport-country-club-us-open-access-1307.htm

Tim,

Here is an interesting article. Newport basically is on rolling land with the clubhouse sitting at the crest of a hill. Everything lays out in front of you and falls gently away from the clubhouse which is surrounded by the course similar to Shinnecock. The only blindish shot is really the second into 18, an uphill hole where you need an extra club. Obviously local knowledge will help on the greens if you are allowed to take a caddy.

It looks like the key will be wind and cold, so bring a punch shot and enjoy.

PS Make sure you go into town and have the chowder at The Wharf Deli or Black Pearl. Also, please report back if they have actually installed a sprinkler system for the US Womens Open. They certainly updated the clubhouse from the picture in the article.

What a cooincidence, as I was looking for Newport info last night.  Type http://local.live.com/ into your browser.  Then Newport CC, Rhode Island and you will get some great photos.

Windows live local is another aerial photo program, in beta form, which also has birds eye views.  They are early spring, perhaps even this year?  Its clear some bunkers have been modernized, but those photos really give you an idea of what the course is like.  

From the info department...

When you are 21, there may be no better place to spend the summer...

Seeing as I am an Apple user, it doesn't look like Windows Live Local wil work for me.  Nevertheless, I'll have a look on Google Earth, and I think I'll be pretty well set sans-practice round.

I appreciate all the responses, and I'll try to post my thoughts on the course when I get home, depending on my mood .

Thanks again.

Alright,

I played only 7 holes today due to inclement weather.  It was perhaps the most miserable I've ever been on a golf course, except for the fact that I was in a great place.  I can't wait to get to the 8th tee tomorrow morning at 8:00 !

To answer the questions of the last few posts, it does NOT appear that there is any kind of sprinkler system, which is a very good thing.  The green-brown of the fairways and roughs sits right at home in the atmosphere of the club.  It's beautiful with the natural colors.  Also, the bunkers were properly unkempt on the edges, but maintained in the sand.  Many of them are delightfully mean-looking.  The greens are a little bumpy, but fine nonetheless.

I am really looking forward to a sunny day tomorrow, so I may enjoy the golf course.  Of course, I have business to attend to, as my opponent and I are All Square with 11 holes to play.  If I win, the next round is at Rhode Island CC.  Hopefully, I'll be asking you guys for RICC info tomorrow night .

I'm afraid I lost.  1 up, on the last hole.  My opponent made a birdie after I had skulled my third shot out of the front bunker.  Wonderful golf course, which I hope to see again soon.  I made some silly mistakes, and missed a few key putts.

Now, the golf course.

Frankly, I liked the first 15 holes more than the last three.  16 is a nice hole on its own, but to me, it would fit a little better if the nines were switched.  18, with the really elevated tee, seems like a more modern hole than the others.  However, the second shot into that hole is excellent, and not out-of-place.  I just think that if there were a tee lower to the ground on the last hole, it would be a more thought-provoking visual.  The way the tee is now, one can see the entire landing area, as if from an airplane.  There really aren't any other holes that concede a perfect view of the landing area, and I really liked the semi-blindness of some of the tee shots.  To see them unfold and become clear when walking to the tee ball was exhilirating in a way.

My two favorite holes on the golf course were 12 and 14.  12 is an incredible work of deception, whereby the green appears to be about 30 yards closer than it actually is.  14 may be the best redan-type hole I've played, and the pin was tucked just behind the front-left bunker.  Other favorites were 4, 5, and 11, but there were no holes I disliked.  11 is a superb short par 4, which must be great fun in fast and firm conditions.

The bunkers were delightfully scruffy, the grass appropriately green-and-brown, and the course, perfectly-relatively unmarked (just square stone plates at 200, 150, and 100).  It is definitely an incredible place, and I will definitely watch the U.S. Women's Open.  I hope I get back before too long, though I know it's a pretty exclusive place.

Tim,

Thanks for the detailed analysis. I think I know what is wrong with your game. You are thinking about the architecture too much!

The back nine, especially the last 3, is historically where NCC had drainage problems. They fixed it years ago but my time before and after was distant, so I could not see/remember the changes when I visited a couple of summers ago.