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Editor's Note: As the warm weather finally arrives (we hope), many Rhode Islanders are breaking out their golf clubs and looking to get back out on the fairways and greens. Last summer, Journal sports writer Eric Rueb wrote about several courses worth checking out in the Ocean State. With golf season upon us, The Journal will re-publish some of those articles, as we plan new ones in the coming weeks.
Spring is here, and while Rhode Island receives plenty of attention for its beaches and coastline in the warmer months, the golf season is the real star of the show.
Popularity of the sport is higher than it has ever been, and while the state has plenty of courses, finding a place to play can sometimes be more difficult than hitting a green in two on a par 5.
When we talk Rhode Island’s best courses, the conversation always starts with the state’s best private courses. Newport Country Club, Shelter Harbor, Wannamoisett and others are great to talk about but aren’t a realistic option for most of the Rhode Island golf community.
The good news is that there are plenty of options outside of private golf. There are some truly terrific public tracks throughout the state (and some just over the borders), and while Rhode Islanders are terrified to drive 45 minutes anywhere, there is no distance a true golfer won’t travel to play someplace that can provide an experience.
Here are five Rhode Island golf courses to play this season:
I can hear you groaning about this thinking, “Tell me something I don’t know.” But let me tell you something — making Triggs the must-play place for this summer wasn’t something I thought I’d be doing.
I’ve worked in and around golf for nearly 30 years and can say, in my experience, Triggs hasn't always had the best customer service, which is the main reason I’m not there twice a month.
But the course makes up for it all.
I’ve rekindled my relationship with Triggs. You have to experience the course if you haven’t already because it’s a playing experience not many of the public or private courses can match.
The playing conditions were vastly improved from what I remembered of my “snobby golf guy” era; the fairways were green, the greens rolled smooth and, while the rough was a little wispy, it wasn’t anything different than what you’d find anywhere else that isn’t Wannamoisett.
But the star of the show is the layout. It’s 18 holes of Donald Ross brilliance. You’re tested from tee to green and every hole gives you a different experience. There are blind shots, wide open fairways, elevation shifts and greens both large and small.
It’s absolutely maddening to play because you have to make good decisions for 18 holes and, as a very mediocre golfer, that’s impossibly difficult when your heart is telling you something your brain says is wrong.
Triggs is hardly perfect. The larger concern seems to be jamming as many players as possible onto the course instead of valuing things like pace of play and the player experience. If you want a tee time, you need to book well in advance because the ones that give you the best shot of playing in under five hours get taken quick.
It’s a decent value play as well. With a cart, it’s $77 during the week, $87 on weekends, but walking will knock $22 off the price. The course is very walkable and, despite what you’re told, walking is the fastest and best way to play — especially on a Donald Ross course.
There are plenty of courses to play in Rhode Island this summer, but whether you’re a resident or visitor, do whatever possible to check out Triggs. The course won’t disappoint you.
While Triggs was our must-play Rhode Island golf course in 2025, the point of this list is to inform and entertain while also producing something search-friendly for those visiting Rhode Island or in-state golfers looking for a different course to play.
There are some other notable courses I haven’t experienced for myself for a variety of reasons.
We need to point out that there are three courses that should be in the rotation annually and are clearly Rhode Island’s best public golf courses (although one is over the Connecticut border but is a Rhode Island Golf Association member, so we count it).
∎Newport National Golf Club (Middletown) is the best public golf course in Rhode Island and also the most expensive, but the experience is more than worth it if you’re going once a summer.
∎Meadow Brook Golf Club (Richmond) has maybe the state’s most fun layout and the conditions to match. Impossible to not enjoy this place.
∎Connecticut National Golf Club (Putnam, Conn.) is unlike any public course in Rhode Island. The layout is tremendous, the conditions are better than many private courses in Rhode Island and it’s quietly becoming a destination course in New England.
Any list about must-play or best courses in Rhode Island would be incomplete without mentioning these three. Now let’s move on.
Seeing 90 degree days in the forecast but still want to get out on the course and play? Then it’s time to make a trip to Winnapaug Country Club.
Westerly might as well be on Mars for most of the people in the state, but if you’re going to have yourself a terrific summer day, playing 18 at Winnapaug has to be a part of it. Conditions at the Donald Ross design have greatly improved and the stretch of holes from No. 10 through No. 13 provides scenery few public courses in the state can match.
Besides the view, the course is very playable but scores can add up quickly if you don’t hit it in the right spots. The green complexes are typical Ross, with some stunning to see and experience. It’s not a long course, but distance doesn’t matter at Winnapaug — positioning does. If you can chip and putt, you’ll fare just fine there.
The Journal had the chance to experience Winnapaug in all its glory last June — you can read a full review of the course on the website — and on a day when it was nearly 90 degrees across Rhode Island, temperatures might have hit 80 down in Westerly.
Winnapaug has gone to a modern booking system, creating an app and pushing online reservations. It also uses a dynamic pricing model, but its costs are in line with the rest of the state and probably on the low side when you consider there’s no tourist tax added on as at some of the other summer hotspot courses.
So, if you find yourself with a golf itch you can’t scratch because you’re worried about high temperatures, jump in the car and head south to play Winnapaug — and bring some money for the pro shop, because the course logo is the best in Rhode Island.
There aren’t many true semiprivate clubs left in Rhode Island, but Montaup is one of them and it’s on this list simply because it’s one of the courses left in the state that I’ve never played (as of June 2025).
Having covered Rhode Island Golf Association events at Montaup, I’ve played many of the holes in my brain, and while those swings go right, how I’d handle the course when things don’t go right is why I want to experience Montaup this summer.
Many golf courses ease you into your round, but Montaup flat-out punches you in the mouth with two longer par-4s (depending on your tee box) and a long par 3. You then get to spend the rest of your day traversing through doglegs and tight fairways while avoiding bunkers, only to finish things up with a par 4 with one of the smallest greens you’ll see and a risk-reward par 4 where your brain might be too tired to help you make the right decision.
Honestly, this is exactly how I want to spend an afternoon — and if I can pretend I’m playing a swank private club at the same time, good for me.
There’s a certain level of golf snob who hates every course that isn’t historic or has pristine conditions or is designed in a way that fits whatever style is popular on social media right now. If you’re wondering why Glocester is a must-play Rhode Island golf course for 2025 and ready to fire off an email or comment on why I’m done, that’s you I’m talking about.
You know what the most important thing at any golf course is? The ability to have fun — and if you can’t do that at Melody Hill, maybe it’s time to stop playing the sport.
Melody Hill has put in the work to transform itself into a course that was borderline unplayable to a track where you can have one of the more enjoyable golf experiences of the summer. It’s a shot-shaper’s dream.
The course is undergoing some major rebranding — you can purchase one of those big-letter hats that say “HILL” on them in the pro shop — and is pushing its improved conditions to try to bring more players to its neck of the woods.
Melody Hill provides what many courses can’t — a fun experience for players of any ability. If you’ve got a foursome with a single digit, a couple of midlevel players and one guy who plays twice a year, this is the spot to have your game because everyone will leave having had a good time.
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Best Rhode Island public golf courses to play in 2026
Continue reading...
Spring is here, and while Rhode Island receives plenty of attention for its beaches and coastline in the warmer months, the golf season is the real star of the show.
Popularity of the sport is higher than it has ever been, and while the state has plenty of courses, finding a place to play can sometimes be more difficult than hitting a green in two on a par 5.
When we talk Rhode Island’s best courses, the conversation always starts with the state’s best private courses. Newport Country Club, Shelter Harbor, Wannamoisett and others are great to talk about but aren’t a realistic option for most of the Rhode Island golf community.
The good news is that there are plenty of options outside of private golf. There are some truly terrific public tracks throughout the state (and some just over the borders), and while Rhode Islanders are terrified to drive 45 minutes anywhere, there is no distance a true golfer won’t travel to play someplace that can provide an experience.
Here are five Rhode Island golf courses to play this season:
Is there a must-play Rhode Island course?
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Triggs Memorial Golf Course, Providence
I can hear you groaning about this thinking, “Tell me something I don’t know.” But let me tell you something — making Triggs the must-play place for this summer wasn’t something I thought I’d be doing.
I’ve worked in and around golf for nearly 30 years and can say, in my experience, Triggs hasn't always had the best customer service, which is the main reason I’m not there twice a month.
But the course makes up for it all.
You must be registered for see images
I’ve rekindled my relationship with Triggs. You have to experience the course if you haven’t already because it’s a playing experience not many of the public or private courses can match.
The playing conditions were vastly improved from what I remembered of my “snobby golf guy” era; the fairways were green, the greens rolled smooth and, while the rough was a little wispy, it wasn’t anything different than what you’d find anywhere else that isn’t Wannamoisett.
But the star of the show is the layout. It’s 18 holes of Donald Ross brilliance. You’re tested from tee to green and every hole gives you a different experience. There are blind shots, wide open fairways, elevation shifts and greens both large and small.
It’s absolutely maddening to play because you have to make good decisions for 18 holes and, as a very mediocre golfer, that’s impossibly difficult when your heart is telling you something your brain says is wrong.
Triggs is hardly perfect. The larger concern seems to be jamming as many players as possible onto the course instead of valuing things like pace of play and the player experience. If you want a tee time, you need to book well in advance because the ones that give you the best shot of playing in under five hours get taken quick.
It’s a decent value play as well. With a cart, it’s $77 during the week, $87 on weekends, but walking will knock $22 off the price. The course is very walkable and, despite what you’re told, walking is the fastest and best way to play — especially on a Donald Ross course.
There are plenty of courses to play in Rhode Island this summer, but whether you’re a resident or visitor, do whatever possible to check out Triggs. The course won’t disappoint you.
Golf courses you shouldn’t miss
While Triggs was our must-play Rhode Island golf course in 2025, the point of this list is to inform and entertain while also producing something search-friendly for those visiting Rhode Island or in-state golfers looking for a different course to play.
There are some other notable courses I haven’t experienced for myself for a variety of reasons.
We need to point out that there are three courses that should be in the rotation annually and are clearly Rhode Island’s best public golf courses (although one is over the Connecticut border but is a Rhode Island Golf Association member, so we count it).
You must be registered for see images attach
∎Newport National Golf Club (Middletown) is the best public golf course in Rhode Island and also the most expensive, but the experience is more than worth it if you’re going once a summer.
∎Meadow Brook Golf Club (Richmond) has maybe the state’s most fun layout and the conditions to match. Impossible to not enjoy this place.
∎Connecticut National Golf Club (Putnam, Conn.) is unlike any public course in Rhode Island. The layout is tremendous, the conditions are better than many private courses in Rhode Island and it’s quietly becoming a destination course in New England.
Any list about must-play or best courses in Rhode Island would be incomplete without mentioning these three. Now let’s move on.
The beat-the-heat course for this summer
You must be registered for see images attach
Winnapaug Golf Club, Westerly
Seeing 90 degree days in the forecast but still want to get out on the course and play? Then it’s time to make a trip to Winnapaug Country Club.
Westerly might as well be on Mars for most of the people in the state, but if you’re going to have yourself a terrific summer day, playing 18 at Winnapaug has to be a part of it. Conditions at the Donald Ross design have greatly improved and the stretch of holes from No. 10 through No. 13 provides scenery few public courses in the state can match.
Besides the view, the course is very playable but scores can add up quickly if you don’t hit it in the right spots. The green complexes are typical Ross, with some stunning to see and experience. It’s not a long course, but distance doesn’t matter at Winnapaug — positioning does. If you can chip and putt, you’ll fare just fine there.
The Journal had the chance to experience Winnapaug in all its glory last June — you can read a full review of the course on the website — and on a day when it was nearly 90 degrees across Rhode Island, temperatures might have hit 80 down in Westerly.
Winnapaug has gone to a modern booking system, creating an app and pushing online reservations. It also uses a dynamic pricing model, but its costs are in line with the rest of the state and probably on the low side when you consider there’s no tourist tax added on as at some of the other summer hotspot courses.
So, if you find yourself with a golf itch you can’t scratch because you’re worried about high temperatures, jump in the car and head south to play Winnapaug — and bring some money for the pro shop, because the course logo is the best in Rhode Island.
Time-to-feel-fancy course
You must be registered for see images attach
Montaup Country Club, Portsmouth
There aren’t many true semiprivate clubs left in Rhode Island, but Montaup is one of them and it’s on this list simply because it’s one of the courses left in the state that I’ve never played (as of June 2025).
Having covered Rhode Island Golf Association events at Montaup, I’ve played many of the holes in my brain, and while those swings go right, how I’d handle the course when things don’t go right is why I want to experience Montaup this summer.
Many golf courses ease you into your round, but Montaup flat-out punches you in the mouth with two longer par-4s (depending on your tee box) and a long par 3. You then get to spend the rest of your day traversing through doglegs and tight fairways while avoiding bunkers, only to finish things up with a par 4 with one of the smallest greens you’ll see and a risk-reward par 4 where your brain might be too tired to help you make the right decision.
Honestly, this is exactly how I want to spend an afternoon — and if I can pretend I’m playing a swank private club at the same time, good for me.
Just-want-to-have-fun course
Melody Hill Country Club, Glocester
There’s a certain level of golf snob who hates every course that isn’t historic or has pristine conditions or is designed in a way that fits whatever style is popular on social media right now. If you’re wondering why Glocester is a must-play Rhode Island golf course for 2025 and ready to fire off an email or comment on why I’m done, that’s you I’m talking about.
You know what the most important thing at any golf course is? The ability to have fun — and if you can’t do that at Melody Hill, maybe it’s time to stop playing the sport.
Melody Hill has put in the work to transform itself into a course that was borderline unplayable to a track where you can have one of the more enjoyable golf experiences of the summer. It’s a shot-shaper’s dream.
The course is undergoing some major rebranding — you can purchase one of those big-letter hats that say “HILL” on them in the pro shop — and is pushing its improved conditions to try to bring more players to its neck of the woods.
Melody Hill provides what many courses can’t — a fun experience for players of any ability. If you’ve got a foursome with a single digit, a couple of midlevel players and one guy who plays twice a year, this is the spot to have your game because everyone will leave having had a good time.
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Best Rhode Island public golf courses to play in 2026
Continue reading...
