Stonebridge at Newport

Played this course many times in the past but it’s been several months. Tee time was 11:18 on a Sunday, and booked as a single. Started the round as a 4 some in my own cart, (a single had his own cart and a twosome had 1 cart, so 3 carts in a foursome total) rightfully so, as there were plenty, counted 15-20 carts in the staging area. There was no starter, and no Marshall. Started on hole #1 and just finished #8, just under 2 hours and Headed to the tee box on #9, and the first Marshall ever seen, tells the guy behind me in the our foursome with his own cart, that HE needs to pair up in my cart at the turn. We Get through #9 and the same Marshall tracks the same golfer down and tells him to pair up in my cart or else he was charging $16 extra. The other single in my foursome that was asked to pair up said he had a cold and didn’t want to pair up as caution due to maybe contagious. Then a golf personnel came out of the clubhouse, to tell him that he had to, and actually went and tried to hold our group up for another 10 min, so he could get some sort of plastic divider for the cart, never seen this before. When the golf personnel returns with some sort of plastic cover, I ask him WHAT is the reason for all this at the turn? He simply states (Club Policy) and there are signs posted in the clubhouse. Ok…..first off, who reads signs in the clubhouse, second WHY, WHY are you trying to do this at the turn, and hold up an entire foursome at the turn, for ONE Simple cart? I proceed to tell the golf personnel that “look you have 18 carts sitting right there, 1 cart is NOT going to kill your club for 9 more holes! So WHY? Again I get “sir, it’s club policy! Understand this, I personally, have NO problem pairing up in a cart when I book as a single, I totally get it, especially on the weekend rounds, it’s also policy at my own home course, and I follow it all the time…however, Stonebridge at Newport Golf Club, I HAVE NEWS for you, “Do Not try to do this policy act mid-way through a round when the pace of play is going well, and serious golfers have momentum in play at the turn!” Your club policy is to be stated and done, AT at time of check in at the counter, AND on the #1 tee box (with a starter) like all other courses who run a professional leisure Golf Club!!!! Not some backwoods operation like you are trying to run, with disregarding course etiquette for a foursome, let alone the others behind us! I play 75-100 rounds a year and WONT EVER be back, and WILL be telling all in the golf community of the other clubs around you! Have some common sense, course etiquette of your own, and professionalism to your paying golfers! Unbelievable!

No waiting and great price! Generally well maintained with greens decent though extremely wet the day I played.

Changing golf course enviorment because of new home developing.

Greens and bunkers in good condition, but fairways and tee boxes are deteriorating.

High School tournament in progress turned our round into a 5¿ hour waiting game.

No beverage cart, no grill-food service today because the course had another "event".

If this overall situation doesn't improve, I will not return and will not recommend the course.

Course layout was pretty nice, but challenging with the trees, tight fairways, and many doglegs. 18th hole is a picturesque signature hole, a short-ish par 4 with a lake running up the right side and a bridge connecting the golfers to a peninsula green. But overall the course could use some work. Tee boxes were pretty beaten up and quite a few patches of fairway in need of grass. Greens were quite fast, but surprisingly soggy considering no recent heavy rains. Perhaps it will start looking better as spring arrives.

One other thing... the course wasn't particularly easy to find due to lack of clear signage. Even the clubhouse wasn't easy to find once we did arrive because there are multiple buildings and, again, lack of signage. That's something that could easily be fixed if they care to make the effort.

I would like to have a refund for one of those tee times if possible.