GolfNewsRI

I played Meadow Brook Golf Course in Richmond, RI during the first week of December.  

Before I played the course, when I thought of Meadow Brook, I thought of my good friend John B. 

John, who is 80 going on 40, often told me that this course was a gem in Rhode Island, and I am doing myself a disservice by not playing it.  

Like the Alanis Morrisette song, “…like the good advice you didn’t take”, I never took him up on the offer until there was snow everywhere and Meadow Brook was one of the only courses open on a Rhode Island Saturday in December.

I didn’t like the course. I loved the course.

I called the pro shop to make an improtu tee time and was warmly greeted.  When our foursome arrived, we were the only group there and were extremely surprised about that.  Later in the day, the course got busy. 

I am a baby about wanting to hit range balls before the round, but there was no time and opportunity for that.   So, my first swing in a week plus was live.  The layout is a little unusual and it was best for us to start on number two ~ a relatively short par 5.  I took a few practice swings, and I remembered my swing thought of the day ~ take the club low and slow and straight back and attack from the inside.

Notwithstanding the fallacy of vividness, it was probably the very best out of the gate drive of my life.  I hit a huge (for me) tee shot right down the middle and I caught the fairway speed slot.  When I got to my ball, I couldn’t believe that I only had a 7 iron into the green. 

I hit the back of the green, but it took me 4 more to get down for a bogey.

As we moved around the course, I could not believe the awesome course conditions in December. 

The leaves were near nowhere to be found, and the greens were in good shape as were the tees and fairways.

I found the course layout to be extremely interesting and I played with three friends who have played the course before so that certainly helped my score.

This day I drove the ball very well and putted decent, but my fairway woods were terrible in approaching the four par 5s and it kept me out of the high 70’s.

Not the best part of the day, but the greens fee with a cart was only $45.

The criticism I often here about this course is the lack of tee options. 

The course was designed way ahead of its time for the new modern golf ball and its carry and the course is 7,468 yards from the black tees and 6,532 from the green tees.  The course is long enough that it could really have six tee boxes 

I found the finishing holes to be a little weak (18 and 1) with 18 to be an awkward risk/reward hole with an undrivable par 4 over water with a suspect layup area.

To add insult to injury of me not playing this course much earlier, I now realize that this course is less than 20 minutes from my home.  

I would rate Meadow Brook as one of the best public courses in the state.

I really cannot wait to play this course again in prime season.