Wannamoisett Country Club leaves me saying “Wanna More Of It!”
I love playing these courses. They all have a tremendous amount of history and most of them are true golfing gems, ranking up high on the national or state golf course rankings. Of course, there’s a subtle pressure to play well, knowing that I’m unlikely to play these top notch courses again. When I pulled into the parking lot at Wannamoisett Country Club in Rumford, Rhode Island, the pressure became more intense as I was greeted by a fantastic view of the 3rd hole; perhaps Donald Ross’ best par 3 and the inspiration behind the Donald Ross Society’s logo. Wannamoisett hosted the 1931 PGA Championship and remains quite the championship layout, serving as the annual host of the prestigious Northeast Amateur. Past winners of that event include Dustin Johnson, David Duval, Luke Donald, among a number of other well-known professionals.
The other pressure that I inadvertently place on myself is the desire to break 80. I’ve gotten close before but can’t seem to close the deal. When I saw that Wannamoisett was a par 69, I couldn’t help but think I might be able to shoot a 10 over and achieve that magical mark. However, a short internet search on the layout and this fabulous golf article from golfclubatlas.com quickly eased that pressure, as I know from past experience that going low on ANY Donald Ross design is not to be expected, even on a good day.
Having never played the course before, I asked for a caddie that knew the layout. After a quick warmup on the short range and some chips and putts, my caddie Jack and I started out. Jack is a rising freshman and has only been caddying for about 4 months, but I couldn’t have asked for a harder working assistant. He had my clubs sparkling before the start and very quickly after each shot. Unfortunately, his inexperience got me into trouble a couple of times early on this intimidating layout and I finished the front 9 about 3-4 strokes higher than it should have been. The highlight, though, was on the famous 3rd, a 140 yard one-shotter. I was able to get my 8-iron over the front bunker for an 18 foot birdie putt. I missed but was thrilled to get out of there with my first par of the day.
At the turn Jack and I caught up to a lady’s golf outing. Unlike most times, slowing us down caused me to play a bit better. It also allowed a twosome, Sean and Tom, to join me for the final 6 holes. Having some members to walk with and chat about the history of the course made for an even more enjoyable back nine. The highlight of the day happened on the par 5 17th when I sunk a 60+ foot putt for my lone birdie of the day. I haven’t been keeping track, but I’m quite sure it’s the longest birdie putt I’ve ever made. Unfortunately, the dreaded birdie curse struck me on the final hole. Had I made a par on 18, I would have broken 40 coming in, but a flub near the green costs me dearly. One of these days I’ll stop leaving strokes out on these amazing courses!
Wannamoisett Country Club, the 53rd course on my list that I’ve played, is a true test of golf and really showcases the genius of Donald Ross. I’d love to have another shot at it, having learned some of the nuances of this layout and without the pressure of the first time out. However, I’m thrilled to have started the “back 9” of my Major Bucket List on such a fine course.
MajorBucketList.com 