The Sight
Cradled
in the of the Sugar River Valley Basin and the heart of the Dartmouth Lake
Sunapee Region the Newport Golf Club is located just off Rt.11 in Newport
NH. The Phil Wogan design
utilizes the natural beauty of the surrounding mountains, streams and ponds to
frame the 18-holes built on 151 acres.
Areas of the course were carved out of a forest of mature pine, hemlock,
oak, maple, cherry and birch and other sections of the course were built on
open pastureland. The well-drained
fertile soil in the valley is an excellent base that supports the growth of the
plush bent grass, grown on the greens, tees and fairways. The combination of changes in elevation, the
meandering Sugar River, natural wetland areas, annual and perennial flower
gardens, 8 ponds and tree-lined fairways create a beautifully scenic and serene
backdrop for an enjoyable round of golf.
Newport Golf Club History
The origins of the Newport Golf Club began prior
to 1920 when 2 residents from Newport,
Bob Gould and Sid Rollins, grew tired of making the ten-mile trek back and
forth to Claremont
to play golf. At that time it was the
only course in the area. Gould and
Rollins thought that the town of Newport
should have its own course. Together
they assembled several other golfers in Newport
that also shared the same vision and formed the Newport Golf Club.
The first assembly of
the club was March
30, 1920 and the first order of business was to
locate property suitable to build a golf course. The original location for the course was the
Howard Fletcher place on the road to
Sunapee. The club signed a purchase and
sales agreement on the property and retained former British Open winner Willy
Park Jr. to design the course. However,
when Mr. Park came to assess the proposed sight he determined that the parcel
was not suitable for a golf course and the club had to rescind the purchase of
the property. A second and present day
location of the course on Unity
Road was selected and met
the approval of Mr. Park. The property,
leased with the option to buy, was several parcels of land with the largest
parcel being owned by Dr. J. Leavitt Cain and William Davis and smaller parcels
owned by George Spooner. In Parks opinion the property, located in the scenic
Sugar
River
Valley,
was an ideal location for a course and that the natural features of the
property would lend itself to be a cost effective transition from open pasture
land to a completed golf course.
Construction of the 9-hole course began in the summer of 1920 and was
completed in 1921. By 1927 Dr. Cain had
passed away and the club decided that it was necessary to exercise their option
to purchase the property to ensure the course was to remain intact. On April 4, 1928 the property was
officially transferred to the Newport Golf Club. The original Willy Park Jr. 9-hole design
remained intact for 70 years with only minor renovations completed in the 1930s
by Ralph Barton.
John H. Cain, grandson
of the late Dr. Cain, grew up working at the golf club and for a time moved to
Rhode
Island to train as a greens
superintendent and club professional.
When his training was complete he returned to Newport
and resumed working for the club as the head greens superintendent. By the mid 1940s he established the “John
Cain Classic” a three-day annual golf tournament that is still in existence
today and attracts players from all over New
England and Canada. John H. Cain became an icon to the club and
upon his death in January of 1965 the Newport Golf Club renamed itself the John
H. Cain Golf Club in honor of his life long dedication to the club and his
community. In 2002 the club became
privately owned and the name was converted back to the Newport Golf Club.
The New Course
In 1988 the members
passed a motion to purchase additional land adjacent to the club to expand and
become an 18-hole course. New England
based golf course architect Phil Wogan designed the new course. To accommodate the routing of the new holes
and maintain consistency between the front 9 and back 9 of the new design it
was necessary to plow under the original layout. In May 1991 the new course was opened with
great reviews. Since its rebirth it has
been the host of the state Mid-Amateur three times and the state Amateur once.
Three sets of tees that range from 4738 from the
forward tees to 6650 from the tips give players of all ages and abilities the
chance to play from a distance that will suit their game. The course is a par 71 with 4 par 3s and 3
par 5s. The front side often presents
players with the opportunity to score well and should be taken advantage
of. The backside is considered to be a
greater challenge with water coming into play on nearly every shot. It is suggested to bite off only as much as
you can handle. The multiple tees,
generous fairways and large receptive greens will provide players of all
abilities with the opportunity to score well.
Regarded as the best greens in the area they are also considered the
most challenging. It is a premium to
leave your approach shot on the proper side of the hole. The Wogan design is a true shot makers course
that is full of risk and reward. Well
placed tee shots on the par 5 10th and 18th holes will
give skilful players the prospect of making 3, however, guarded by ponds and
bunkers the second shot for either hole is not for the faint of heart.
The
Holes
#1 The
first is a 437 to 529 yard Par 5 slightly up hill. The landing area for the tee shot is
generously wide with the bunker on the left side of the fairway is in play for
long hitters. Rarely is the green
accessible on the second shot it is generally best to lay up to the length of
the approach shot you are most comfortable with. The two level green is guarded with bunkers
front left and on the right.
#2 The
par 4 second varies from 198 to 357 yards and is a dog leg right up hill. The tee shot from the white and blue tees
must carry Boulton
Valley
to reach the fairway and have a clear shot to the elevated green. The green has two levels with the top shelf
sloping down to the left.
#3 The
par 4 third is played from the highest point on the course. From an elevated tee your tee shot must carry
anywhere from 160 to 240 yards, depending on your tee box selection, to have a
full view of the green. From the top
level of the fairway to the green is 55’ drop in elevation to a wide shallow
green that slopes from front to back and has bunkers on either side in the
front and a large bunker in back.
#4 The
first par 3 is a beautifully framed signature hole with a stone wall and large
flower garden behind the green. The
length varies from 91 to 209 yards with 65’ drop in elevation from the blue
tees. The large green slopes from back
to front.
#5 From
and elevated tee the fifth hole varies from 310 to 417 yards and is a sharp
dogleg left. With out of bounds and a
hazard on the left it is not likely to find success trying to cut the dogleg
off the tee. The green is large and
receptive, however, with a hazard close to the left and bunkers that surround
the back accuracy is a premium.
#6 The
sixth hole is a straightforward par 4 that varies from 311 to 391 yards. The fairway is large but does have two
bunkers that impinge the fairway. A good
tee shot will carry the bunkers and leave you with medium to short approach
shot to a green that has a hog back at the midpoint that runs perpendicular to
the fairway. From the hog back the green
slopes to the front and to the rear.
#7 The
7th hole is a medium length par 3 that ranges from 119 to 167
yards. The elevated two tiered green
slopes gently from the center to the front.
Bunkers front right, around the back and on the left, guard the green.
#8 The
shortest and easiest hole on the course the par 4 8th plays from 209
to 285 yards in length and is a dogleg left.
From an elevated tee a medium to long iron tee shot sets up a short
approach shot to the kidney shaped green.
However, for the skilled player a well-shaped wood from the tee may find
the green and chance for eagle. The green
is bunkered well on the left and in back.
Shots long and to the right side of the green will find a slope that
runs away to a hazard.
#9 The
301 to 383 yard par 4 9th is played to an elevated green. The bunkers that flank either side of a
generously wide fairway frame the tee shot.
A good tee shot will leave you with a medium to short approach shot to
the elevated two-tiered green that is bunkered front left and back right and an
opportunity to make birdie.
#10 Let
the games begin. The straight and
shortest, 379 to 490 yards, of the par 5s the 10th is easily
reachable in two, but accuracy is a must.
The fairway is narrow with impinging bunkers both right and left. A pond on the right side of the fairway
narrows the approach increasing the risk of playing a long second shot to the
green. The prudent play is to lay-up
short of the pond to play a 100 to 120 yard shot to the elevated saddle shaped
green with bunkers front right and in back.
Approach shots left above the hole or on the wrong side of the green
will produce difficult slippery puts.
#11 Ranging
from 96 to 151 yards the par 3 11th hole is the shortest of the par
3s. Played from slightly elevated tees
to a large elevated green shots landing in the front side will stay. With a pond and bunker short right, bunkers
in the rear and out of bounds on the left this short par 3 can be a challenge.
#12 The
medium long par 4 12th hole playing from 318 to 398 yards often
times plays much long than the card. A
wetland hazard on the left runs the entire length of the hole and two ponds
with a bunker on the right side of the fairway create a gooseneck shaped
constriction of the fairway. Accuracy
and distance control is imperative from the tee to set up a medium to long iron
second shot to an elevated, deep, multi-leveled green. The 12th green is the only
greenside bunker free hole on the course.
4 on this hole is an excellent score.
#13 The
most difficult hole on the course is the ultimate in risk and reward. Played from 293 to 420 yards the question
will be, on tee shot, how much of the pond can I carry. The tee shot can be played to the left
avoiding the pond but will leave a very long approach shot to a difficult
elevated green or a well-struck tee shot tempting fate can leave a sand wedge
approach. The green is divided into three
sections all sloping away from the high
point in the center. Similar to the 12th hole a 4 is an
excellent score.
#14 The
Sugar River running adjacent to the left of the tee boxes and the bunkers on
the right side of the fairway frame the tee shot to the 308 to 415 yard par 4
14th. A tee shot that carries
past the fairway bunkers will find a spacious fairway and a flat lie for a
medium length second shot to a two level green.
Guarded left and right with greenside bunkers but open in the front the
green may be approached with a variety of shots including bump and run.
#15 The
yardage, from 273 to 353 yards, on the dogleg right par 4 15th is
deceptive. Like #13 risk and reward is a
major element to playing this hole. A
tee shot to the fairway staying left of the potential trouble leave you with
160 to 180 yard approach shot, however, with a high ball flight the skillful
player can cut substantial distance to the approach shot by cutting over the
corner of the river and trees. The green
is protected by bunkers front right and back left and slopes off in 3
directions from the center.
#16 The
most difficult of par 3s the 105 to 185 yard 16th is a
challenge. Finnegan’s Brook to left the
Sugar
River
to the right frame the hole nicely. The
elevated kidney shaped green is bunkered on the right and around the back.
#17 The
dogleg left par 4 17th varies from 293 to 425 yards in length
depending on your choice of tee box. The
tee shot from any tee box is over a different body of water to a very wide
fairway with a bunker to the right that rarely is in play. The approach shot can vary greatly from a
short iron to rescue hybrid. From the
blue tees it takes two well-struck shots to get home. The large elevated green with bunkers both
front and back runs perpendicular to the fairway. Approach shots that do not find the front
edge of the green will not bounce up.
#18 The
newly restored dogleg right par 5 18th is a great finishing hole
with elements of risk and reward. The
hole plays from 441 to 527 yards from elevated tees to a wide fairway. Bunkers on the right side of the fairway are
a target for the big hitters that want to shorten the hole, however, a shot
missed right is often in trees blocked out from a look at the green. A lay up shot over the river will leave a 100
to 140 yard approach shot. Big hitters
looking to reach the green in two must navigate the narrow passageway between
the pond on the right and the mounds on the left. The large green is gently sloped from back to
front and is surrounded by mounds and bunkers.
Played well 4s are carded often; striking poor shots on 18 can have
adverse results.
