I'm playing Newport CC for the first time in a few weeks and it seems people I discuss it with either love it or think its just OK (I'm not going to say hate it).

Golf Magazine ranks it # 95 in the US and Golf Digest does not have it on its top 100.  In the recent GCA interview, Jeff Silverman called it his favorite course.

I'm confused.

I have played it and put it on a "must play" list-- I am not sure how faithful it is to the original layout, but you certainly get the "feel" that you are playing a turn of the century classic course--

The bunkering, green complexes and sight links are clasic links--

Only recently did they install the capability of watering the fairways, so its designed to play firm and fast--

The club house, which is a magnificent site(a little outdated inside) is a great part of the site lines on those holes that play back up the hill to the clubhouse--

I believe it rightfully has a place in anyones top 100 lists-

Mike:  I'm not worried about the rankings which is why I want to see it for myself.

Everyone talks about the views, irrigation system (or lack of), clubhouse etc. but what about the holes.  Do they have any unique world class holes, any interesting features on the courses which are unique to Newport CC?

The Wharf Deli has a great Chowdah!
and good rolling rocks...

The oysters outside on the deck of the Black Pearl are some of the best I've ever had.

Don't forget to have a good time in town.

While I'm at it...

I'd also suggest the commodore room at the Black Pearl (reservation and jacket required, although my buddy wore a blue tux jacket and purple ruffled shirt my last time there  )

And sunday brunch at Castle Hill is pretty tough to beat.

Cheers

Herrstein hits the nail on the head by calling it a club that "feels good."  I played last summer and when I saw this thread I started to think about the day, the experience, the weather, the locker room . . .  but what about the holes?

I eagled the first - didn't know it was a par five until someone complimented me.  The tenth I remember as a good three shot hole and the par three on the back coming up to the clubhouse is a strong hole- partially blind I believe.

Great overall experience, fun course to play!  Someone mentioned irrigation in the fairways - I'm not sure that's correct.

Be sure to check the view from the urinal in the men's locker room on the third floor - spectacular!

I eagled the first - didn't know it was a par five until someone complimented me.  

  Someone mentioned irrigation in the fairways - I'm not sure that's correct.

Be sure to check the view from the urinal in the men's locker room on the third floor - spectacular!

The 1st- curiously and properly- is a par four from the Championship tees, and that tee is actually forward of the "men's" tees. We accidentally played it from the back tees, and I made four and like you thought it was a par. Now I don't know what to call it. 2 shots for playing the wrong tee, I guess. Double bogey?

I was told there was no fairway irrigation- not that they needed any while we were there- and I saw no evidence of sprinklers.

And the view from the urinal is indeed awesome.

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

 

To me courses like Newport, Maidstone, NGLA, Kittanset, Fishers Island, Misquamicut are just super fun courses to play--for anyone. When I listen to people analyze some of these courses and say things like this or that hole is too short, too easy, whatever, I think they miss the point of courses like these. They're all basically old style golf, and very good old style golf which always meant a good deal of variability--usually to do with weather, wind and differing ground conditions requiring a huge spectrum of variety--a huge spectrum of shot variety--something most modern courses just don't seem to really possess.