The history of a place is the direct result of the commitment, creative integrity and vision of its inhabitants. It is also crafted in concert with gifts nature has bestowed. When visiting Jamestown, Rhode Island, established in 1678, your heart beat immediately slows as you breath in the pastoral, maritime air. A soft right onto Conanicus Avenue, almost as to avoid the rush of visitors and commerce streaking over the Claiborne Pell Bridge to bustling Newport, will put you on a quiet path to the village of Jamestown known to the locals as Conanicut. Just think, you saved the $4.00 toll (not to mention the $4 to return), which during the week will cover nearly half of your greens fees to walk 9 holes at Jamestown Golf Course.
Jamestown begins with a warm, unassuming welcome. From the tee you are faced with a broad expanse of fairway rolling out to the west, plenty of room to spray it out here, as many do…find it and advance. The hole is a shortish par 4, dead straight. Upon approaching the green you immediately realize that the putting green, with its quiet contours, was some sort of mean joke. The humps and rolls, highs and lows throughout the large surface area allow the hole to be set up in a multitude of ways. The elongated shape of the green running from northeast to southwest creates deceptive depth perception adding 2 clubs on the green itself. Along the right a separated short bunker may challenge the long hitter from the tee. Along the same edge of the green, three smallish mitts protect the right side pin positions.
Soft pocket bunkering pushing into the right of the 1st green
Walking off the first green your eye instantly wanders to the pastoral hillside to the north. There the famous Jamestown Windmill has been completely restored. Built in 1728, the mill was used for grinding corn using the sea breeze for power since there was no source of running water on the island to turn a waterwheel. Below the windmill cattle roam the hillside grazing on the open fields of fescue and bunch grasses.
With your heart now comfortably slowed to a soft beat the 2nd hole unfolds. The hole seemingly plays straight away, but the hard angle of the ground from left to right and the pond sitting at the bottom on the right gives cause for pause and a check on your alignment. Scattered, small trees along the left side gather mishit shots while a well hit drive will roll out along a narrowing fairway. From here there are no obstacles between you and the green, except for the attention diverting serenity of the Marsh Meadows Wildlife Preserve and little wooden shack known as Zeeks Creek to the locals..I am a local..with fresh lobsters and little necks to be picked up on the way home. If you can refocus, simply hit all you got to get up close to the green..or on with a little muscle. On the green is a relative term as like the 1st green, the 2nd stretches itself out adding pin after pin moving away and upslope from a lower hollow at the front right of the green to an upper tier at the back left.
From the 2nd fairway, looking out to the pastoral hillside
across the Marsh Meadow Preserve
The par 4 3rd plays ever so slightly uphill and again to the eye straight away. The only danger from the tee is the small grove of trees to the left. A well placed tee shot down the middle…middle right will open up to the green. Two oblong bunkers are pushed into the front left of the green while a third sits hidden at the back right. Yet another stretched green surface, though with less contouring.
Walking off the 3rd green to the 4th tee and you are introduced to the quintessential New England cottage community of Shoreby Hills. Framed by age old hand crafted stone walls and built along a high bluff, the neighborhood is an architectural joy ranging from simple cape cod shingle cottages to more expansive shore style homes flowing down to the edge of the historic village and the waters of the Conanicus Harbor.
A gate to Shoreby Hill just off the 3rd tee
The 5th presents the first par 3. Shortish at 130 the green is again the defense. A product of the golden age of architecture a short crossing bunker rests 20 yards in front of the green. The contours along the ground are flattish with flanking greenside bunkers left and right and a hidden trap at the back left. The surface is a bit benign in comparison to the greens up to this point, but stretches and climbs from front to back.
The par 5 6th takes us back upslope toward the village. As you walk back to the tee from the 5th green your view is framed by the enormity of the Newport Bridge in the foreground and the no so distant Jamestown Verrazano Bridge, which just recently replaced the “Old” Jamestown Bridge. It wasn’t until 1969 that the vibrant peninsula of Newport was connected to the quiet beauty of Jamestown forcing the Conanicans to endure the rush of “people” through their quiet community.
From the tee, the left side is framed by a wide reaching field of blue stem separating the 6th and 8th fairways. The landing area from the tee is generous with a well hit shot leaving a chance to go at the green on this short 5. Again, two crossing bunkers separated slightly from the green define the second landing area prompting a decision to lay short or carry to the green. The surface of the green lies comfortably within the surrounding contours with bunkers cut into the left and right sides.
The 7th is a wonderful par three. Playing at 160-175 yards the wind plays havoc with the yardage adding or taking away length with a simple gust. The crossing bunkers short of the surface, though not in play, hide a wide opening in front of the green allowing a run on shot. Again the typical flanking bunkers nestle up to either side of the green. This hole is all about placement on the green. A prominent spine bisects the surface with upper pinning areas on the right, protected to the right greenside bunker and more accessible lower left pins.
The round strengthens along the turn to the clubhouse at 8 and 9. The 8th, at 405 can be challenged along the left corner, but anything mishit too far left will be lost in the gnarly long grass and brush, not quite long enough and the turning bunker will grab it. Playing it out to the right will avail the best angle into the green. The green is open at the right with bunkers at the front left and the back right. The pronounced “Barranca” swale cutting through the green is the defining element on the hole. Find your way to the right level and you’ll have a chance at birdie.
The 9th sitting quietly in the shadows of the Newport Bridge
Finally the 9th brings us full circle to the shadow of the Newport Bridge. In fact, from the tee players can dial in their trajectory with the ominous iron pillars of the bridge. A short fairway bunker, likely leftover from years past, lies flat along the right side. The hole gains interest as you approach the green with an abandoned bunker, now soft mound feature in the middle of the hole 70 yards short of the green and yet another set of short crossing bunkers protecting the approach. The green pitches severely from left to right requiring a shot to be left below the cup.
Next stop, Pawtucket Country Club and a meeting with Willie Park, Jr.
Robert McNeil
Golf ArchitectThe Northeast Golf Company
www.northeastgolfcompany.com
Love the concept and have enjoyed reading about the adventures. You say above "the oldest nine hole course" i assume you mean in RI. Highland links in truro, ma is older i believe and another seaside gem. I also assume your blog will focus only on RI courses and not members of the RIGCSA? If not come out to MV for a stroll with, supossedly the last course designed by, Wayne Stiles.
ReplyDeleteMatt- It was a pleasure speaking with you this morning about my walk and the many interesting stories that will come of it. I am redirecting my blog a bit to include wherever my feet take me...with the goal to walk all the courses of RI...so that means you'll be getting a call to come out to Mink Meadows. Talk soon.
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