Located in Barrington, Rhode Island you’ll find this 1911 Donald Ross masterpiece. The course is a combination of parkland, wooded and seaside holes, with the final four holes located on beautiful Narragansett Bay. RICC offers magnificent views of the Bay and its islands, which are connected by three bridges. Consistently ranked as a top classic golf course, it has hosted four USGA championships and is home of the CVS Charity Classic.

The Club:

In 1885 the initial purchase of land that would become part of Rhode Island Country Club was made by Charles Merriman. The land stretched from Washington Road to Middle Highway and from the current 3rd green to the canal. Originally known as Nayatt Country, it was a simple nine-hole layout with a modest clubhouse located where the third green lives today.

In January 1911 the Rhode Island Country Club was incorporated by 27 founders including Charles Merriman.  The club’s goal was to build the finest possible course and they reached out to Donald Ross who was a very well-respected designer.  The course opened on July 4th, 1912. Other than a few new tees, bunkers and a couple of rebuilt greens, that layout is still in play today.  Donald Ross maintained a relationship with the club throughout his life and recommended thefirst General Manager they would ever hire. In 1938 a hurricane swept through the region damaging the golf course. Donald Ross returned to make recommendations to the course and would help with the construction of the new 17th and 18th greens. 

In 1950 the first clubhouse burnt down taking with it priceless archives, but through great effort new club histories were produced in 1951 and 1961 by the members as they located and preserved some of the lost history. The entire archive of drawings by Olmsted are available. Through the years, the club has undergone several renovations to both facilities and the golf course.  The most recent having been completed in 2021 offering significant improvements to the the clubhouse amenities including a new dining room, members bar, camp room, fitness room, and two golf simulators.

The Course:

Rhode Island Country Club is a private country club situated on 200 picturesque acres in scenic Barrington, Rhode Island and it’s considered to be one of the best examples of what the Ocean State has to offer.  Overlooking Narragansett Bay, our 18-hole golf course was the first and oldest of 12 courses in the state designed by renowned golf architect Donald Ross in 1911.  A challenging par-71 measuring 6,734 yards, with a linksy final four holes located across the road from the rest of the course and the clubhouse.

Known for it’s “fast and firm” mantra, this unique course offers a combination of links, parkland and oceanside golf in and efficient layout with challenging greens that are the embodiment of a Ross courses natural defenses.  

Donald Ross made excellent use of this rolling property. The opening two holes are wide and pleasant and help the player prepare for what is to come. The third is that dramatic moment where Ross asks you for your very best. The next three holes test your decision making and execution, while the final three test your length and accuracy. It’s a very well-balanced front nine.

The early holes on the back nine utilize Mussachuck Creek. The first two provide an opportunity to score, while the 13th is a stern reminder that only your best will do. The14th is a skyline hole with a devilish green set hard against the road. The final four are on Narragansett Bay. The absence of trees and presence of long views make this an inspiring place to be. The opening two par fours are really strong fours with lots of options on how to play them. They are followed by a delicate pitch on the 17th where players face an all or nothing shot to windswept plateau surrounded by sand. The final hole is the last of Ross’s spectacular uphill holes featuring another dangerous approach shot. 

Rhode Island Country Club has played host to the CVS/Caremark Charity Classic, held four USGA Championships and countless State and local professional events.

“Bearing in mind that golf should be a pleasure and not a penance, it has always been my thought to present a test of the player’s game; the severity of the test to be in direct ratio with his ability as a player.”

Donald Ross