Aquidneck Club - Rhode Island - USA

For some reason The Aquidneck Club -- formerly Carnie Abbey Club -- does not receive much attention and it escapes me because there's enough there to merit a visit for those inclined to see it.

The main downside of the course is the routing which Steve correctly noted. Given the wetlands on the property the holes take a circuitous tour and therefore it's not exactly finishing putting at one green and immediately jumping on board with the next tee.

The inward half is less appealing because the land is fairly ordinary and while the architecture is good -- it's not exactly edge-of-your-seat quality to merit the extraordinary shuffling of feet to get to the next hole.

Things do change when you reach the 500-yard par-4 9th. The land has sufficient character and movement and the juxtaposition of the bunkers and the shape of the greens becomes more engaging.

The meat of the layout is when you arrive at the 13th tee. From this point to the home hole at the 18th your play needs to rachet up a few notches. The routing changes constantly and thankfully the walking is within the boundaries of reasonableness between the holes.

The par-4 14th is a splendid hole. Turning slightly right in the drive zone and having a series of ponds that insert themselves on the approach shot. When the pin is cut tight to the front right and you encounter a headwind you'll need to hit a bullet iron underneath the blowing air to arrive at the target. Sounds easy -- but it's anything but.

The par-4 16th is another fine two-shot hole. Once again you head back into the prevailing wind and the premium on the drive is tested immediately as the hole slides rightward. The green is done well with sufficient movement.

Interestingly, when you leave the 16th and head to the final two holes you can sense the close proximity of Narragansett Bay. The penultimate hole is a fine test. You play across a section of wetlands and a portion of the green is protected by it. There's plenty of room to the right but when the pin is cut towards the left side -- especially in the far rear area -- the likelihood of making par becomes more problematic.

The closing hole is smartly done. You tee off alongside the Bay and see the green literally hovering by the water. At 280 yards you have to fight the inner demons in "going for it" because the penalties for failure can be rather severe. The prevailing wind during the season is usually into you. There are a series of devilish bunkers dotting left side for those who bailout. The green is done well -- big enough to have you think driving it is doable but small enough to inflict some closing pain for the impertinent golfers failing to execute.

Steve mentioned the crushed white shells used for the cart paths is an excellent choice. I wonder why more courses that are near coastlines do not do similarly.

M. James Ward

Donald Steel has created as interesting a set of green complexes as there is in the state. The humps and bumps make for challenging and always different putting. And the approaches provide variety as well, with only a couple holes not allowing the option of a running approach. Steele’s bunkers are lovely, with a couple (on #2 and #16) appearing to be right next to the green when the player has, in fact, 20 yards between the bunker and the green. Prior to reaching the green, the course is not as interesting. While some shots (notably # 10 with its split fairway, # 15 with its fairway bunkering and #18, a driveable par 4 with Narragansett Bay providing a hazard all the way down the right side) require decisions, most do not. Reaching the tee on many holes is, however, another of the challenges. The last four holes, for example require over a half mile of walking on cart paths. And there are lengthy walks to four other tees, all the result of much of the property being wetlands. While members do walk (there’s a good caddie program), the course does not fare well as a walk in the park. The most unusual aspect of the routing (for guests anyway) is parking at the pro shop by the 4th green and then taking a cart down a half mile long path to the first tee. The cart path, like all of them on the course, is made of crushed white shells—much more attractive than the usual blacktop………..and more functional, too. The first time I played here, I had dinner in the clubhouse after the round. It was late in the season and quite dark when we finished dining. There are no lights on the cart path we took back to our cars, but the white shells made the navigation easy. I enjoy playing the Abbey, but it’s not among my Rhode Island favorites.