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.