This headline is going to make some people laugh, but they don’t live here. They’re not like us.
If you’re from out of state and happen upon this, these golf courses are not out of the way. They’re actually all very convenient to get to compared to what you’re used to.
But if you’re from Rhode Island, the idea of playing one of these spots might give you a second thought. Only in the Ocean State is a spot that is not directly off the highway or takes more than 40 total minutes of driving considered “out of the way.” It’s a stereotype, but it’s a stereotype for a reason.
To come up with five golf courses that are worth going to, we had to take a few things into consideration. For one, if a course has already been featured, it’s not here — which is why Meadow Brook Golf Club and RIGA member Connecticut National aren’t on it.
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The second thing is fulfilling the stereotype. It has to be in a spot that people would think twice about crossing the state to get to. If I can get there without a GPS, it doesn’t qualify (which is why I don’t consider North Kingstown Golf Course “out of the way”).
So who made the list? I’ve played all these courses at one point or another — including two recently — and can tell you, without a doubt these are the five courses that are worth the drive.
Crystal Lake Golf Club, Burrillville
Personally, this is a course that doesn’t qualify because it’s 18 minutes away from my front door. For the rest of the state, it might as well be in Guam.
If you haven’t played Crystal Lake, you’re missing out. The course is impressively playable with a terrific variety of holes. It’s on the short side — nearly 6,300 yards from the tips — but there are more than a few holes where trouble prevents you from truly taking advantage. If you can play disciplined target golf, you can score here. If you don’t, well, hit it straight.
The course has its quirks, exemplified best by the back-to-back par-5s on the front side. No. 5 is a 90-degree dogleg right that measures 494 yards. Forget driver. It’s a 200-yard shot, followed by a mid-iron, followed by another. By the green there is zero room to miss, so good luck.
What follows is a dogleg left par-5 that’s 452 yards. No need to cut the corner here — 225 up the middle, 225 to the green. Easier said than done (except last summer when I made eagle, NBD).
The par-3s are an adventure in elevation. My relationship with Nos. 2 and 11 is sketchy, but the eighth hole ranks among the best par-3s in the state. It’s 195 yards, uphill, with a bunker protecting the right side. Tough shot, especially when the wind blows, and I can’t remember a round with the pin safe on the left side.
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As far as conditions go, Crystal Lake is among the best. The greens can be a little fuzzy — what public course isn’t? — but everything from tee to green is kept in terrific shape. The water features on the course add to the environment and, even on a busy day, you can get around in a reasonable amount of time.
It’s $45 to walk during the week, $60 with a cart. The price goes up $3 on Fridays, weekends and holidays so during prime time (7:30 a.m.-1 p.m.), it will cost you $60 to walk, $80 with a cart.
Exeter Country Club, Exeter
If you’ve been, it shouldn’t be a surprise to see Exeter on this list and it’s not the only one from the Hendrick-McCrory family that made it.
The course tips out at 6,900 yards — far too long for this guy — and still provides a challenge from the next set, which is at 6,400. Yes, there are shorter options as well.
Exeter brings it all to the table. It managed to be both playable and challenging, the conditions are impressive as always. It feels like a bombers’ paradise, but there are enough holes that require shot-shaping or placement that it makes you stop and think before ripping driver.
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You have to play the course for the 13th hole. While I’d be OK with it being burned to the ground — my track record there isn’t great — it’s a tough short par-4. It’s a nervy shot over water and, after you travel through the covered bridge, you’ll need to hit a blind approach or just take your double and move to 14.
What I always enjoy about Exeter is the ability to get completely distracted from life for four hours. It’s in the middle of nowhere and the only signs of civilization are the golfers on the course. There’s usually a lot of them, but it provides one of the more relaxing 18 holes you’ll play all summer.
Rates are on par with the rest of the state. During the week it’s $45 to walk, $65 to ride, with a $2 increase on Fridays. Prices don’t get sky-high on weekends either — $53 to walk, $75 to ride, with those prices decreasing after 2 p.m.
Green Valley Country Club, Portsmouth
Don’t let worries about bridge traffic scare you off — this course is worth it.
When I wrote my original “Five Courses to Play This Summer” column, there was plenty of reaction in my email box, DMs and on social media about not including Green Valley.
I get it now.
Of all the days I…
