Charlestown, RI

Ninigret Park

2.435(based on 34 reviews)
Filter course reviews

Filter reviews

Filter reviews

Ninigret Park reviews

Filter
11 0
HyooMac
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 6.7 years 415 played 382 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Nature is Winning

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 25, 2022 Played the course:once

Pros:

+ Very pretty course combining open and wooded holes


+ Three tees on every hole. Although the Blues aren't particularly long (6000') they offer some variety from the Whites - like sharper angles on doglegs. The Reds are very short (3500') suitable for newbies and families


+ Old Mach 2's that still catch, signage on every hole


Cons:

- Playing it in late June, the course suffered from lack of upkeep. A few fairways were mowed but others were covered in almost knee-high grass. The throwing lines felt crowded by trees that have grown in the 20 years since the course was opened; thick underbrush borders most fairways. A lot of the holes are doglegs, so you're throwing blind and will likely spend a lot of time looking for your disc


- Tee surfaces are inconsistent: there are a lot of dirt tees, but then you reach a hole like #7 to find three poured concrete tees all in a neat row. Concrete tees scattered across other holes, but most often I was teeing from the dirt


- Hole #4 is in bad enough shape to merit being called out: Trees have grown in to completely obscure the basket, so much that I was sure it was a basket for a different hole. From the looks of it, the hole was originally designed with a "buttonhook:" throw past the basket, then turn around and chip back toward the tee up a narrow fairway



Other Thoughts:

~ Layout is split into three sections divided by park roads. There's a fair amount of extra walking as you transition between the sections. You cross over later holes several times to get to your next hole, although none of the holes interfere with one another. The navigation includes arrows affixed to the baskets, and a good number of signs leading to the next hole, with additional signs if the tees are in different directions


~ No elevation to speak of; a lake is near several holes but doesn't come into play


~ Somebody put effort in to get this course laid out twenty years ago, and to try to improve it later with some poured tees. But Nature is winning. Ninigret might be better to bag in the winter when the growth is down, but there's still a lot of thorny rough to fight through. There's a decent course in a very pretty setting here, but it feels like its been left to fend for itself




Was this review helpful? Yes No
13 0
knobby325
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 8.7 years 323 played 248 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Nice Course Along the Coast 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 3, 2020 Played the course:once

Pros:

-3 Tee Pads on every hole, good for a wide variety of skill levels
-Baskets OK
-Good Signage, excellent next tee signage (on basket and other signage as well)
-Good mix of long/short, a few mandos to keep the longer tees interesting
-Long Bamboo Poles left near several disc eating trees
-Some really nice tee boxes in concrete and color coded
-Plenty of benches, even color coded with tee

Cons:

-Red (Rec) Tees are really short on many holes (Including 99 feet on 18)
-Some natural or gravel tee boxes, still color coded well
-17 is oddly long, mando in the middle, and a huge hook to the right

Other Thoughts:

Ninigret Park DGC is located in the sprawling park along the ocean near Charlestown, RI. The course is set up for almost any level of player with 3 tees per hole, all at the same basket. There is a good mix of left/right, long/short, but really no open holes to boom one out. You do get near a pond, but it doesn't come into play. The red tees run really short with several under 200' and the last at 99'.#17 runs really long (over 800 from the blue, over 500 from the red) with an odd mando in the middle and a long 180 degree hook to the right at the end. Overall this course is in good shape, especially with its age. The course sits in a mostly disc golf only part of the park. A walking/biking train runs near the middle of the course, but really only comes into play on #11. I enjoyed my round while on vacation half a country away from home. Worth a play if you're in the area, but I will probably not get a chance to play again.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
2 0
Chopper1
Experience: 38.1 years 106 played 9 reviews
2.50 star(s)

No Ticks On Me! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 20, 2019 Played the course:once

Pros:

3 tee pads per hole, I played mix of Blue/White. Signs were simple but informative. I generally like to navigate by link map, but hole #s are mislabeled. If this was the original layout, whoever redesigned it did the course a great service! Map was not needed as there are many signs showing you the right way to go. Many blind holes, which added a challenge. Some holes had no discernible lines, which added frustration. (A 400+ft hole should at least give you something other than close your eyes pray?) Mandos come into on several holes & are clearly marked. Baskets caught well & some had tall flag on top to make location easier to spot. Good mix of lengths.

Cons:

Some of the multiple pads add nothing to the hole. Signs say ticks & skeeters are a problem but not on this cool fall day. Didn't really care for the multiple hard left & right turns. More luck than skill. The same can be said on some of the holes with no discernible lines.

Other Thoughts:

With a few key trees removed on some holes I would rate this higher. Liked #17 with Green Monster Mando. Tough, long but fair hole. Don't think I would go out of my way to play it during the buggy season, but it was nice diversion in October.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
6 0
tjb22
Premium Member
Experience: 17.9 years 23 played 2 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Enjoyable round 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 29, 2019 Played the course:once

Pros:

Threw a few rounds here on Saturday morning 7/25/2019. Found the course to be well maintained and the layout very challenging but not impossible. Played the 1st round from the Blue tees and the 2nd from the Red tees. Both rounds were enjoyable and most holes really challenge your shot selection to stay in the mostly tight fairways. I have not played here in 8 years and I found the course in excellent shape with mowed fairways, better signage and improved tee boxes. Much nicer than I remembered and if the amount of players when I was there is any indication, the course is much more popular because in the past I would be the only person on the course.

Cons:

There are the usual tick and mosquito issues but it wasn't a dealbreaker for me and the reason I carry bug spray. Not too much you can do in a public park about that. The signs warning of tick and mosquitos were a nice touch. The poison ivy and sumac in the fairways noted in past reviews was noticed but it wasn't the issue I thought it was going to be.

Other Thoughts:

I enjoyed the rounds that I threw (not the scores so much lol) and if you are on the fence about playing here don't be, go there and throw! It is a tight course for the most part but short enough that most will like it.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
2 2
Mochachinos
Experience: 4 played 4 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Great area and well groomed 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 20, 2017 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

The layout of the holes and the three levels of play are very good. Holes that are not in the thick woods are very playable. From white and blue tees.

Cons:

Holes 1-5 and 17 are completely hit or miss. With most of the time tree density too high to pick lines. Very frustrating.

Other Thoughts:

Great job on the grounds crew.... takes a lot of effort to keep this looking great.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
6 1
gabereif
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 13 years 57 played 37 reviews
1.50 star(s)

I didn't have fun. 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 4, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

-18 holes of free disc golf in an accessible park with lots of other great amenities (playground, swimming, etc.)
-Three tees per hole
-Good baskets
-Some concrete tee pads
-Some nice flora and fauna in the park

Cons:

-The fairways are extremely tight and the rough is very unforgiving with thorns and poison ivy. Heck, there's even some poison ivy in the fairways. And ticks are a problem on the course according to the signs, although I didn't see any.
-Most of the holes are heavily wooded. My home course is a wooded course, but Ninigret was so wooded, the disc golf wasn't fun. On a good wooded course, the trees pose a challenge, but you can spot a line and go for it. That's not the case at Ninigret. There are so many trees that you can't do anything but throw and pray. Even on 250-500 foot holes, the best tactic is to throw a putter 150 feet off the tee and try to land at the foot of a tree. If you throw a driver, you're going to inevitably ricochet off of something and end up deep in the rough, which probably means poison ivy. I'm an intermediate player and perhaps better players would enjoy the challenge, but I am highly skeptical.
-Most of the wooded holes have fairways that turn very sharply to the right or left, so you cannot see the pin from the tee. Given the narrow fairways and bad rough, this makes for a round with too much disc-hunting. Plus, it's nice to be able to see the pin on most of the holes, so you can plan your approach and watch your disc soar. That's definitely not how the golf works at Ninigret.
-The few open shots are too open, making them boring and without challenge.
-No topographical changes.
-Some of the holes are just sad. Hole 17 is a par 5 with a very narrow fairway where you play around an ugly fence/wall, throwing 150 foot shots again and again around a sharp curve. If you throw a driver, your disc will be gone in the rough. This is not what enjoyable disc golf feels like.

Other Thoughts:

I played about 7 holes on this course 3 years ago and was unimpressed. I read on this site that the course was "new and improved" since 2016 so I went back feeling excited.

I found that while more signs have been added to enhance navigation and a few concrete tee pads have been put in, the course had not changed in a meaningful way. If I were giving a rating to each hole, there are a couple I would give a 3.0. But the vast majority would get a 1.0 or 1.5. I suppose course regulars who have memorized where the pins are might not be bothered as much by all of the blind pin placements, but they would probably lose a lot of plastic regardless.

I'm sorry I don't have something more positive to say, especially because I visit the area regularly. It's clear people are devoted to the course's upkeep, but the shapes of the fairways greatly limits the potential for this course to be fun. For those of you looking to play in the area, the South Kingstown course is 15 minutes away and a much more enjoyably experience.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
4 0
Reginailedit
Experience: 8.2 years 23 played 4 reviews
3.50 star(s)

The New and Improved Ninigret 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Apr 28, 2016 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

1. Defined fairways - The fairways here are really great. They are obvious varying from mildly wooded to quite open. The course has been really cleaned up in the past few years and is tended to religiously.
2. Great use of space - The holes aren't forced. Holes make sense. Mandos and OB places are not silly and use mostly pre-existing marks to be the mandos and OBs.
3. Tees - Every hole has three different tee locations with about half of them being concrete pads.
4. Signage - Walking this course is quite easy with signs on trees, on baskets, and on trails. Only one awkward transition from hole 3's basket to the tee of hole 4.

Cons:

1. Tees - Also as a con, only half of the tees have concrete and the other half are dirt. The designer, TM, is slowly but surely converting every tee to concrete.
2. Placement of holes 4 through 6 - These three holes are separated from the course by a thirty second walk going from 3's basket to 4's tee and 6's basket to 7's tee. It makes sense once you do it but can be awkward the first time.
3. Potential wind - Since this course is in Charlestown somewhat near a beach, the wind can pick up and potentially play a role in your shot.

Other Thoughts:

The reviews from past years were deserved at the time but the course as a whole has been cleaned up so much since 2014. Fairways are mowed, weeds and trees cut way back, wonderful baskets, and a good flow of the course. Many complaints of course design are correct because of holes 4-6 being awkward but to me it didn't take much away from the course and understandably, the designer only had so much room to use. This course was designed to make the player achieve par, not play birdie golf, but there are definitely holes that are easily birdied if the line is hit well. There is not a favoring of RH or LH and the course requires all throws from all players. Hole 17 is a monster, literally, it has a funny Green Monster inspired mando and is a crazy long par 5 but definitely one of the signature holes on the course. This course overall is challenging, fun, and easy to walk. I definitely recommend it to everyone!!!
Was this review helpful? Yes No
8 1
TBabb
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 18.7 years 65 played 56 reviews
3.00 star(s)

The Only 18er in Rhode Island 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 26, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

Ninigret Park is one of only two (as of the time of this review) disc golf courses in the state of Rhode Island, and the only one with 18 holes at that! The course is located conveniently off the "Post Road" (US-1, the old postal route between Boston and New York before the Interstate Highway system was built). It was an easy pitstop on my way from New Haven to Newport. Each hole sports 3 different tees and they're color coded with red, white, and blue. The Red Tees make a short pitch & putt layout for beginners and kids. The White Tees make a good recreational layout and the Blue Tees will likely give many top pros a run for their money. Many of the multiple tees give a different perspective on a hole instead of making a longer version of the same hole. The baskets are in decent condition and detailed signage at each hole gives hole number, par, distance for each tee, and a color map. navigating the course is mostly easy and signage does help in trickier spots. The pacing of the course is well thought-out. A couple long holes at the start give way to shorter holes for most the rest of the front 9, while distances gradually increase to the climax at the mammoth hole 17. The style of golf here is very different from many other places I've played. The curves are much sharper on many holes and the fairways are tight. There is a lot of variety in in the types of shots here with a wide mix of left, right, and straight shots. Increased challenge comes from well protected baskets, bunkers, out of bounds, and mandatories. While there is little elevation here (Rhode Island is pretty flat) the designer has used the terrain very effectively for a challenging course.There is plenty of parking here and the locals are quite friendly.

Cons:

The tees are not ideal. Several are constructed of sheet metal which does not have the same amount of give as traditional tee materials. The layout is wonky, as an be seen from looking at a map. Navigation between holes 11 and 12 is especially tough. Some walks between holes also put the player in the path of other player's discs. The course could greatly benefit from more tree trimming and probably a few trees could make the fairways a little fairer. Word on the street is that the course gets buggy and overgrown in the summer, but late fall early winter is probably an ideal time to play here. Many other nice amenities are lacking here (restrooms, running water, benches, trash bins, etc). Additionally the course is pretty tricky to find. The part of the Post Road where this course is is a weird stretch of divided highway without exits on both sides.

Other Thoughts:

My sense is that this course has improved immensely over the years. Additionally, time of year can make a big difference in the playing experience here. Don't believe the negative reviews; this course is worth seeking out. Plus it's a good way to check the union's smallest state off your list. Hopefully, the state of Rhode Island will continue to grow the sport and develop more courses. I like the style of golf on this course and it would be great to see more courses like it with sharp curves, tight fairways. and low ceilings.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
6 0
mierze
Experience: 54 played 6 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Much Improved! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 27, 2014 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-3 tee locations (blues, whites, reds)
-Course has been much improved over the previous year.
-Unique scenery with low oddly branched trees and large boulders.
-Great diversity from hole to hole.
-Tight yet open fairways, trees and foliage are heavy on each side, but down the center is generally open field. Makes for a challenging yet fun route to the basket.

Cons:

-A few teepads are still unfinished and have small boulders / roots that make it difficult to get a solid approach when driving.
-From the blues, several holes are nearly impossible to birdie. Makes for a pretty frustrating round. Whites are much more enjoyable.
-Chains are a little soft, they don't quite catch as good as they should.

Other Thoughts:

I am very happy with the work that has been put into the course. Many of the tee pads for blues, whites, and reds alike have been redone with cement. Granted it is currently winter, I could still tell there has been work put in to thin out some of the fairways. I look forward to seeing how well it is maintained throughout this coming summer.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
12 2
Stardoggy
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 12.7 years 1003 played 214 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Poor Rhode Island 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 18, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

Nice baskets. 16 chain DGA baskets caught better than I thought they would.

There are some interesting shots on this course, for sure. The first 2 holes are very nice.

Decent navigational tools on the course, which is good. More about this below.

Cons:

Where to start.

The tee pads on the course are a mess, outside of a couple holes. You'll find tee pads that are painted on roads, natural tee pads with large rocks and roots in them, a few concrete pads (which were nice, to be fair, with one huge trapezoid that felt completely out of place), and even large chunks of sheet metal for tee pads, which is quite possibly the worst idea in the history of tee pads.

Calling this course scruffy would be a slap in the face to all dirty hippies that pride themselves on being scruffy. Seriously, this course has potential, but a boatload of work needs to be done. Even on the "signature hole" (#17 with its craptastic Green Monster remake), it feels slapped together. I wonder if somebody wasn't just wandering around a junkyard looking for stuff to stick in a disc golf course.

The layout of this course is below average, to be generous about it. Holes seem to be just slapped in wherever they could possibly find any space. Several hole transitions lead you directly across other fairways. It's just a mess, especially since there seems to be ton of unused space in this park.

Several holes have ridiculously low canopies. Several other offer no line, even from the short tees. Cleanup and pruning would go a LONG way towards helping this.

Other Thoughts:

The first thing I noticed when I walked up to the course was the course designer's name scratched off the information sign. That should have been a red flag...either somebody else was that mad, or the guy felt that bad about having designed this course.

If I lived in Rhode Island, and this was my only option to play, I'd probably quit. I genuinely feel bad for the locals that have to call this place their home course.

I'm rating this as a 2.0 solely on it having the novelty of being the only course in a state, and the untapped potential...although it would take a ton of work.

If you're like me, and HAVE to bag a state when the option affords itself, then go play it. Just remember, it's also at the southern end of the state...so you'll have to drive a bit to get there.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
6 0
swatso
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 15.7 years 755 played 414 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Unique 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 11, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

Three tee locations per hole, averaging under 200' from the reds, ~275' from the whites, and ~350' from the blues. Teesigns at the blue and red (except #8, white and red) locations.

Navigational aids: excellent online map to help guide you about the course (however, white tee-14 is closer to blue tee-2 than the map indicates). Good signs and directions.

Cons:

You'll need the map as, at times, you pass by some tees, or backtrack, to find the next tee.

Omnipresent warning of ticks and mosquitoes.

Number-16's "fairway" has a tremendous amount of ankle-to-knee high groundcover, perfect for hiding discs - have a spotter, if possible.

Other Thoughts:

Course is set amidst a near-ocean public park Quite flat, with fairways defined by (mostly short and/or thin) scattered trees and thick brush - you'll see sky overhead at all times. Unused roads serve as out-of-bounds on some of the holes, and also provide tee locations for others.

The majority of the holes, the exceptions being number-2 and "Green Monster" #17, are relatively short. Challenges primarily come from needing sharp turns (both lefts and rights), nearby out-of-bounds, mandos, and, at times, a (too) thick line of random trees just prior to reaching the green.

Overall, an okay course, where you'll mainly be working your control/creative-shot game. If you want to add Rhode Island to your States-played list, then this course is a must play!
Was this review helpful? Yes No
2 4
wentzl
Experience: 52 played 15 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Not Much Fun 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 18, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

The sign at the start of the course says "Only Course in Rhode Island". Well marked with signs to follow the course.

Cons:

Illogical course layout has you walking back and forth over the same ground more often than you want. Thick brush make the longer holes just a crap shot to see if you can find your disc.

Other Thoughts:

Scrubby and uninteresting
Was this review helpful? Yes No
3 6
Leftist
Experience: 15 years 191 played 5 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Good Rep for Rhody 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 25, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

Excellent assortment of long and short baskets with the shorties bunched in the middle. Nice setting in a scrub oak / shrubby littoral woodland split by old paved roads from an abandoned airfield training community. Signage is now primo! Apparently this is a recent development and it certainly made my solo first time a breeze. If you can't find the next tee or get turned around then you're an idiot:)

Cons:

Heavy metal sheet tee pads on a bunch of (blue) tees. When they weren't puddling water they were eliciting ginger f'''ed up footwork that kinda pissed me off occasionally. Nice local found object distinctiveness but functionally suspect for this tosser.

Other Thoughts:

Pleased to finally play this only permanent course in my home state! I can recommend it unequivocally and look forward to attacking it on my next visit...
Was this review helpful? Yes No
8 0
HomemadeBasket
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 11.5 years 64 played 39 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Tight and tough 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:May 17, 2013 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

3 sets of tees to challenge all skill levels.
Concrete tee pads installed on most of the course.
New tee signs and next tee signs have improved course feel and flow.
A blend of brutally long, and birdie run holes.
Baskets are in great shape.
Course will test your placement, putting and power (in that order).
Good mix of shots needed on this one.
Color coordinated benches throughout the course.
Lots of space to warm up.
Port-a-potties around park.
Lots of parking.

Cons:

Thick tree lines can eat discs up.
Ticks and mosquitoes rule the summer months.
Grass gets thick between mows.

Other Thoughts:

Place will beat you down.
First two holes are long and unforgiving.
Almost all of the baskets here are heavily protected by trees and bushes.
There is a nice birdie run you need to capitalize on from 3-10.
The back nine has limited birdie chances for the average or even advanced player.
The addition of concrete tee pads have improved the course greatly.
The new benches look awesome and add a great deal to the look and feel of the course.
The build out for the White # 2 tee is great.
Seems like there is an improvement in upkeep.
Place gets a bad rap from past years, but it's worth checking out especially during the fall and spring time.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
2 0
DNewq
Experience: 23.5 years 383 played 15 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Call me a Homer! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 19, 2013 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

- Challenging course, especially the back Nine
- A tremendous amount of improvement since the last time I played.
- Great creativity on many holes with use of Mandos.
- Still remains the best course for miles.
- Ninigret Park is near the coast and beach, so plenty of places to check out nearby.
- If it ever reached its full potential, the Park has plenty of parking and amenities to host a solid tournament.

Cons:

- Tough during summer- vegetation grows like crazy
- the whole area is prone to ticks, so be careful.
- The course will perpetually need more maintenance than most, due to the vegetation growth on most holes

Other Thoughts:

- I have a tremendous amount of sentimental attachment to this course. It was one of the first ones I regularly started playing when I got into disc golf over 10 years ago.
- The course is challenging and has made me a better player as a result.
- Hole #17 is a classic. I would love to see how pro level players fair on this one. One of the toughest Par 5s I have ever come across.
- Glad to see some of the upgrades with tee signs around the course. It is currently in great shape and it is definitely worth a stop if you are passing through the area. Will always remain one of my top fav courses, wish there were more in my home state of Rhode Island.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
12 0
culinarywiz
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 35.6 years 305 played 66 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Pleasant surprise! 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:May 1, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

Challenging lines with nice distance. You will need accuracy and some big throws to score well here.The course felt very even for right-left-dart shots. I had to flick more than a couple from the funk to get back on track. The longer holes call for drivers but I recommend caution. There are some nice ace runs as well.

There wasn't much elevation and no water to speak of but the course was balanced. I don't believe in knocking a course hard for not having certain natural effects. For the land and terrain available, I feel this is a very well designed course from tee to pin (from pin to tee is another story).

The apparently new tee signs were quite nice. They illustrated distances and lines for each of the three tee's. FYI for this review, we played the blue/long layout.

I read in the other reviews commenting on how terrible the rough and insects are, however, I played in early spring. The rough was just beginning to green and there were very few pests. I found the rough to be a bit thick but nothing too terrible. Perhaps my opinion of this would change on a humid July afternoon. Regardless, it seems this course is best suited for early spring and late fall play.

Cons:

I was fortunate enough to join a couple locals on the first tee. During the round, it was obvious that navigation would have been tough without their lead. There is a lot of wandering, sometimes it seemed in circles, to get to the next tee.

Not much in the amenities department but no big deal. Pack it in - pack it out, use the john before you get there and byo bev.

Other Thoughts:

I seriously enjoyed this course. It was challenging yet fair. A lot of the gripes folks have had about this course have seemingly been addressed recently. The signage was sweet and the tees were solid. I tip my hat to the individuals maintaining this course. The growth and brush here must take considerable effort to keep at bay.

Due to the low overall rating of this course, I almost past it by on this trip. Very glad I stopped. Good time had by all.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
8 0
adlacro
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 17.8 years 149 played 125 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Ninigret 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Feb 14, 2015 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

18 hole course with three tees to each basket. Baskets in fair shape. Each course offers a mix of must get birdies with some tough par 3's, a tough 4, and a tough 5. Many holes technical, but some offer more open shots. Good mix of righty and lefty holes.

Cons:

In the summer, being so close to the ocean, it is a mosquito and tick fiesta. Poison ivy can also be a concern. Many brushes are thorny so take care. The white tees could also benefit from signage as there are some that are much different throws from the other layouts.

Other Thoughts:

Course designer T.M. Dyer and others have really made the effort in putting together a worthy challenge. The goal is to have all concrete pads down sooner than later, and they have a few down now. A couple of holes have asphalt pads to still allow for a run up so they are good. It is the only 18 holer in RI. Again, not a destination course, but at the right time of year, it is a fun place to stretch out the legs and have some fun at Ninigret.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
5 0
starwhale
Experience: 12.7 years 1 played 1 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Don't sleep on Ninigret 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 1, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

- Ninigret is a course that makes you think about every shot you throw, you can't just say ill just throw it hard and far and ill be fine because you'll end up in 3 feet deep bushes. It forces you decide what you want to do before you throw your shot which will come in handy playing all courses.
- New tee signs have now been put in which tell you par, distance, and the interesting out of bounds rules that spice up many holes.
- Fall is the perfect time to try Ninigret, all the overgrowth is dying all as well as all the bugs that can make playing here in the summer time almost not worth it.
- great variety of hyzer, straight, and anhyzer holes.

Cons:

- overgrowth on some holes still but it is only one guy who takes care of the course so considering, he is doing a pretty good job.
- no tee pads on many holes which can cause trips and falls on a wooded course, but I've heard this is the next step on revamping Ninigret.
- no leagues which is a shame since this is the only course in Rhode Island.

Other Thoughts:

I was going to give this course a 3 but the new tee signs bumped it up for me. (No tee signs has been a common complaint of mine since I first played here). But some holes and tee pads are still missing tee signs but I assume it is on going to put them on all holes. Once again it would be great to have some leagues here since it is the only course in Rhode Island but good job Ninigret it is worlds from where it was as a 8 hole course!
Was this review helpful? Yes No
11 0
DSCJNKY
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 22.6 years 682 played 129 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Way Better than its Disc Score 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 17, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

- New Directional Signage. According to the other reviews below... and the courses disc score... navigation used to be a bitch at this course - and I can see how. However, the new directional signs that must have been installed recently made navigation a near breeze (I did have to consult the map 2 times). With the additions of the tee-signs, I think the course is considerably better than its disc score might indicate.
- Play Golf. Ninigret makes you "play golf". The ruff is brutal, the fairways are tight, and the ceilings are low... these three things force you concentrate on your shot, or else! If you're trying to throw spike hyzers over everything, or out there playing willy-nilly, you're bound to lose some plastic and get scratched up trying to retrieve it. However, if you look at the holes (I'm speaking of the more difficult holes) for what they are (holes designed to force you to link shots), then the course is fantastic.
- The Green Monster. I loved Hole 17... a 500+' long, extremely roughed corridor, with a green painted bamboo wall (i.e. The Green Monster) at about 400' out with a mandatory around the "foul ball" side of the left "Foul Pole".
- That it's There. Ninigret is the only course listed for Rhode Island... so I guess that it's a good thing that the course even exists. Plus, if you bag it... you get to play 100% of the courses in that state!

Cons:

- Crossover Confuses Navigation. There are several areas where the course figure 8's on itself, and it's easy to get turned around... especially if you don't trust the NEW directional signs. TRUST the new directional signs, they will take you to the next hole.
- Un-Numbered Tee-Pads. It would have been helpful if the tee-pads had tee-signs. Nothing helps aid navigation better than seeing a 4x4 post sticking up... especially if the course has natural tee-pads!!! It would have been nice to know the pars and distances of the holes too.
- Hole 18. After so many interesting holes, it was a letdown to finish the course out on a more regular, just get me back to the car, type of hole... especially after the build-up of playing the extremely legit, championship caliber, Hole 17.

Other Thoughts:

- USE A SPOTTER. I played the course with my girlfriend spotting for me. I had her stand near where I wanted to throw the disc so she could get right on top of them as soon as they landed. This allowed me to open up a little more on shots that I might otherwise have laid up on.
- Better than its Disc Score. I think the cumulative total of bad scores (all probably well-deserved at the time of their writing) have forced this awesome little course to be ranked poorly. However, with the recent improvements (9 new holes and directional signage) and continued maintenance, this course could become pretty solid. I was expecting an atrocity of a course and was pleasantly surprised by the great golf at Ninigret.
- Overall... Ninigret has a bad rap. I would gladly play here again if I was in Rhode Island. The rough is BRUTAL and the shots demanding... but I like that! The use of a spotter is highly recommended if you want to go big and not lose plastic. Navigation was enhanced with the new directional signs and linked course map. It was pouring rain while I played the course (by myself, with the Girlfriend as a spotter) and I still had a blast. It's definitely better than its disc score indicates and well worth the effort to play it if you want to bag Rhode Island and get that "100% in a state played" mark hit.
Was this review helpful? Yes No
1 3
StringPeachIncident
Experience: 18.7 years 26 played 22 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Donde estan los Tee Signs Mando? 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 20, 2012 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

*Good Distance
*Thick Terrain
*Many Blind Shots
*Beachside Bombs
*Mellow and Quick

Cons:

*NO TEE SIGNS
*Poorly Marked Boxes
*Overgrown
*Poison Ivy!
*Jenky Ass Benches

Other Thoughts:

All in all not a bad course, but it deff needs some TLC. You can see that the baskets are fresh and nice, but it has you wondering who is Mando and why hasnt he broken out the weed whacker and found out whoever stole the signs haha
Was this review helpful? Yes No
Top