Fenner Hill Golf Club

Pulled up to full parking lot for 1pm tee time at 12.15 pm and was told NO CART would be available until about 10 mins to tee time...asked if Ranger was out to shepherd the RIGA players and was told they are supposed to have someone doing that(never saw anyone like a ranger)...that is the begining...finally got to load up with the threesome I was booked with...

First tee is a down hill shot to a green that is about 25+ yards from cart restriction sign with about a 30 degree slope ...that there were mounds prevalent was a harbinger...fast greens and rolled true...but this was all AFTER the RIGA last group pulled the pin twice for each other...during a tournament???...

Second tee was the real reality check...the first, of what would be blind shots and more mounds in the fareways, along with those around the greens...third hole,blind shots to where we thought the center of the fairway...nope...long bent fariway...put a gap wedge to the front of the green,right where it was targeted...only to see it explode across the green and roll into the side of the elevated green(with the mounds)...

Mini Summary...more blind shots(both on the tees---coming at you and from you from tee box or fairways...FORE is an alien word)....

After almost 3 hours to complete the front, I tapped out as the RIGA folks continued pulling the pin and putting it back for each other...and no marshal/RIGA staff...and the mounds in the fairways, greens and sand traps led the consensus that 4 folks wont return...in for nothing else, the need for safety....and looking for the lost beverage cart

From afar, the course looks easy, until the first mound takes its first bite...from the fairway or the greens...

Gorgeous facility...and when you arrive, you will see stations for driving , pitching approach to an elevated green, and that same green doubles as a chipping area(but, only if you are okay with going up a 60 degree slope...LOL)...and all the balls are included in your fee...but you might have to mind a shag bag first...

Superintendent has the course in great shape, yet, without trees to provide moving shadows across much of the property, the sun will only make the fariways, greens all the more challenging...and the mounds, more aggravating...lol

Sadly, I would suggest one play here, if you wont mind having to go to the crest of the mound blocking your view of the 2nd fairway to start your journey for those in front of you...

A course to be experienced for sure...and now, replaces the prior course, that was, in the #1 position of experiences...scratch golfers beware!...LOL

Great shape keep the ball below the pin

#10 drive is tough into the wind

This was a beautiful piece of property on a hill near I-95. The course was in very good condition, and the greens were in tremendous shape.

I benefited from playing with some other folks who had played the course before - otherwise, the number of blind tee shots and blind shots into the green would have been unmanageable.

All that said, it's a great course if you can find a weekday fee under $50 or weekend fee under $75..

Love the par 5 holes. The greens were very fast and very challenging.

Played Fenner for the 1st time. Golf now has rated courses 4 stars that are more like 1 star. In this case it’s definitely 4+. Thoroughly enjoyable experience although it did slow down substantially on the back 9. Still great experience .

This course was incredibly well-kept. It offered a lot of technical challenges. Very friendly staff. Weekday pace was quick.

Gotta say, very impressed with this course, layout was challenging from the blues, fairways were in great condition, and the greens will mess with your head!

Interesting layout. Kind of a tough course the first time around. Have to be dialed in with short game

What stood out most was the staff. Very friendly and kind. They actually appreciated your business. I enjoyed my experience at Fenner Hill! I will

Play this course again. For sure!

Every hole was challenging in their own way but also very fun to play.

Fenner Hill, a handsome links-like layout, can be found just off I-95 in the quiet, southern Rhode Island town of Hope Valley. The championship-caliber course was built by the Levesque Construction Company in 1999 and has played host to important state tournaments. Over the first four holes, the eighteen opens a bit quietly, although the tricky par-5 third must be negotiated with caution. What follows is a fantastic stretch of holes all the way through the tenth, with one beautiful and interesting hole after another to be conquered–if your game is up to it. The majority of these holes on the outward half certainly recalled, for me, the essence of some of the great links holes I played this summer in Scotland, including some of those at Southerness, the premier course in the Southwest.

By the end of Fenner Hill’s long and uphill tenth, the course has shifted gears to a more New England/woodland feel. Yet over the back nine, the hybrid nature is retained: there are still several open holes that primarily use the natural terrain, as do Scottish links. This is not, however, the kind of golf where leaving the fairway will leave you in the heather, the gorse, or the tall fescue, even though tall grass was once favored in the roughs on many of these holes. Long ago the club wisely discontinued this variation when rounds were verging on six hours. Also contributing to playability here are fairways that are generally of average width or somewhat wider. But this is a tough track overall, as its slope is a hearty 132 and a scratch rating of 72, which equals its par. Accordingly, the design features many challenging aspects, along with some others that increase interest and add innovation. Here is what I think sets Fenner Hill apart from the average layout:

--Fairway bunkers, twenty of them. Many average courses use them sparingly, if at all. Here appear on some two-thirds of the holes. Most are large; at the first, for example, the right-side trap measures 38 yards in length.

--Woe to those golfers whose sand game does not measure up: there are also thirty-five greenside bunkers. Many are deep, most large; they hug the edges of greens. You’ll need to use the loft on your sand wedge.

--Fairway design. Over the course of the eighteen, these fairways bend, twist, dogleg, and curve to their greens. Three of them even funnel down into semi-hourglass shapes. Some of them are narrow, others wider; some end abruptly, and a few are offset from the direct line of play. Ten, twelve, thirteen, and fourteen demand forced carries off the tees, and, while they’re not mean ones, they can pose problems. Many of the fairways also run uphill, making for both a heavy walk and tougher tee shots. Other slide erratically in places, their slopes shunting your ball into the rough if you’re unfortunate. The brutish eighteenth fairway runs straight uphill, jogs a bit left around a prominent tree, then climbs further uphill to a perched, well-guarded green. Almost as tough, fairway nine sweeps uphill, yet it may seem a picnic compared to the eighteenth.

--The links-like nature of the course. This works to the advantage of those players who apply their driving skill with a touch of imagination. On many of the 4 and 5-pars, a tree-line runs down only one side of the hole. What does this imply? As Johnny Miller advocated, play away from the trouble and curve the ball back into the fairway. Fades or draws, then, will come in handy at Fenner Hill if you have them in your bag.

--Hole variety, especially on the par-4s and 5s. Lots of elevation changes. Greens set upon rises or hills. A big variance in length on the par-4s. Many flat and open holes, but a good number, too, that are hewn from forestland. A quartet of par-5s that vary widely in character. Dynamic green shape and positioning, with several set at angles to the fairways, and several cleverly positioned in relation to the frontal bunkers. And, for good measure, four water hazards which form part of the mix. Still, these ponds hardly recall Pete Dye’s older work from his iconic, pre-2000 courses, even though one of them is large; I never felt all that threatened by any of them (all right, maybe a bit at the sixteenth). Since this is links-style design, the restrained use of water seems appropriate.

Toughest Hole: Eight, par-5, 579. Gargantuan from the deep tees, this is a brilliant hole. While sixteen fits the the signature mold, I’d call eight (#1 index) the top hole. A three-shotter for most, this favors a draw off the tee with the fairway slightly offset. The second shot may be nerve ranking, and the third only ups the ante further: you’ll likely need an ultra-precise wedge into a long and narrow green. What makes the shot especially difficult is how the hole nearly forces you to play right–away from the trees–leaving you to come in at an awkward angle, across the green’s shorter dimension. Miss right and you’re down a fiendishly steep embankment. A hole that takes no prisoners.

Favorite Hole: Seven, par-4. 429 yards, index 5. A classic driving hole with a curving fairway that leads to a perfectly classical green complex. It’s a traditional hole but still a great one; I felt as if I was playing a British links, tee to cup.

Conditions: Most aspects were good or better, which to be expected for this time of year. The fairways and roughs were strong and greenside areas excellent. Aerated greens, though, meant unpredictable on putts if under ten feet. Bunkers are being reconditioned; players are allowed to take a lift from any of them until the job is finished (sometime soon). Still, I can see how this course would receive mostly excellent ratings for conditioning during summertime.

Other: After the round, almost by chance I met and chatted with the owner, Mr. Ron Levesque, whose insights about his course impressed me greatly. Also terrific was the gentleman at check-in, Bob; he clearly welcomes customers, treating them well. Was this among the best customer service experiences I’ve had in 2024? Oh, yes. Already I look forward to returning here next spring.

Some Conclusions:

Golf course conditions are only temporal. In light of that, my rating seems slightly irrelevant today, as I see Fenner Hill as the best course that I’ve played so far in Rhode Island. It is heads and shoulders above the rest. In terms of overall quality and design, the layout is comparable to–although very different from–Mark Mungeam’s outstanding Connecticut National GC, which is less than an hour north of here. In truth, this first visit knocked my socks off. Not that I’m jaded, but I’ve played too many golf courses for that to happen often. The thing that shocked me most: this high-quality layout was essentially created by Mr. Levesque and his brother, and it seems their only work. That in itself has to be considered an outstanding achievement.

Played this course recently and was impressed as usual. I saw a couple negative reviews about only nine holes being open. I found out the reason is because they are doing a complete bunker renovation. This has been the one area of the course that has needed work and I'm excited to see the finished product. Always in pristine condition and a great challenge. Especially the greens. Fast and undulating. Absolutely recommend to anyone looking for a great round of golf.

They should’ve posted that nine holes were open and they had to play the same nine twice they only reduced the cost by al lousy 10 bucks

Front nine was closed. Had taken a friend because e normally the course is nice and challenging. However, with no notice and have already paid for the three rounds ended up playing the back twice. Was told if I had called the course they would have told me but why would I call the course when I booked on GolfNow?

Course was in very good condition considering the recent drought. Pins were in challenging positions. Unfortunately due to course maintenance, we were only able to play the front nine. After we went into the pub/restaurant. The food was good, with ice cold draft beers. The service was fantastic.