Republished from The Boston Globe July 1, 2025 “Rhode Map” email newsletter by Dan McGowan.
It’s not every day that you get to write about a new golf course in Rhode Island, so I took my friend Eric Rueb’s advice and found time recently to play the nine-hole South Shore Village Golf Club in South Kingstown.
It’s part of a brand new 55+ development that still has plenty of lots available if you’re looking for a new home, but the golf course welcomes anyone from the public. If you’ve ever been to The Nordic in Charlestown, it’s located in that area.
My two takeaways are entirely selfish: 1) I love this course so much that I almost don’t want anyone else to know that it exists. I walked nine holes in less than 90 minutes. 2) I’m all for developing more housing, but I kind of wish they built 18 holes because South Shore Village would be among the best public courses in the state.
If you’re looking for a new course while you’re on vacation this month, you have to check this course out. Here’s my guide.
Hole 1
A very straightforward 320-yard, par-4 to get your round started with a slightly elevated and well-manicured green. You can find tree trouble off the tee on the right or left, but the fairway opens up pretty quickly.
How I played it: I had the daunting challenge of being the annoying walker that four riders allowed to play ahead of them after they had already driven their balls into the fairway. With a gallery watching, I delivered my standard 220-yard drive down the left side of the fairway. An smooth gap wedge left me 18 feet from the pin, and I two-putted for an easy par.
Even.
Hole 2
A 362-yard, par-4 that shouldn’t cause too much trouble off the green. Things narrow a bit heading toward the green, but it’s another pretty, if relatively easy, hole.
How I played it: A groundskeeper was daring me to hit him from about 215 yards off the tee on the left, so I piped it about 217 yards down the middle. Because I was so amped up about two consecutive fairway hits, my second shot went just over the green. A bad third shot followed by two putts led to the bogey.
+1
Hole 3
This is a really cool par-3 with a large green that is difficult to miss. But here’s a warning: There’s a massive slope at the front of the green that will make your putt incredibly difficult.
How I played it: I hit a 6-iron to the middle of the green, and two-putted for an easy par.
+1
Hole 4
If you can clear the small bunkers about 180 yards away, you’re in a perfect place for a second shot to another elevated green. It plays almost 390 yards from the blues.
How I played it: I pulled off an all-world bogey after slapping it around the course on this one. I ended up needed to hit a delicate chip on the right fringe that rolled down a hilly green and left me with a seven-foot tester. Nailed it.
+2
Hole 5
This is No. 1 handicap, and the sand on the left is definitely in play. There’s a sneaky amount of water and then trees on the left side of the hole.
How I played it: I swear that I really wanted to try the white-sanded bunkers because they looked pristine, I managed to avoid the bunkers again. Then I hooked my hybrid into the trees on the left, and made a mess of the rest of the hole. Double bogey.
+4
Hole 6
It’s the only par-5 on the course, and is wide open off the tee. The fairway narrows significantly heading toward the hole, but good players can definitely catch the green in two shots.
How I played it: I am not one of those good players, so I needed four shots to make the green and then two putted for bogey.
+5
Hole 7
Holes 7 and 8 give you a good chance to admire how many small houses are still going to be built on this development. This par-3 is the easiest hole on the course, playing about 132 yards.
How I played it: Can someone please connect me with Brad Faxon for a putting lesson? I hit a 9-iron to about 10 feet, but couldn’t make my birdie.
+5
Hole 8
This a very drivable par-4 but it’s deceiving because there’s still a giant pile of dirt on the left that will give you all kinds of trouble. You’re flirting with tree trouble on the right, but if you catch the hill, you can get it pretty close to the green with nothing more than a hybrid or 5-iron.
How I played it: I hit my trusty hybrid about 200 yards (with the hill’s help), and had 46-yard shot to the green. Obviously, I chunked it, but was still close enough to two-putt for par.
+5
Hole 9
Just a gorgeous hole to finish on. You might be intimidated by people on the practice range, but pay them no mind. The fairway is wide open, and your approach shot will take you over an unusually blue pond. There’s also a cute little bridge to walk over to get to the green.
How I played it: I drove it in the middle of the fairway, but by my pitching wedge was too much and I ended up just over the green. I chose to putt when I should have chipped, and ended with a bogey.
+6 (For me, 41 is downright amazing.)
