South Shore Golf Club, located in Kingston, RI is part of a 55+ community called South Shore Village. Within the southern coast of Rhode Island this new hidden gem opened in October 2023. The course is private, and currently only available to members of the community and their guests.
The course was designed by Ronald Stuart Cutlip, but the final touches and overall details were designed by General Manager Doug Long. Doug put in meticulous effort to design every aspect of the course and it does not disappoint. From tee to green, the course is in incredible shape and offers a challenge unlike other courses in the area. With perfect tee boxes, lush fairways and quick greens, it is an amazing course.
Hole 3
The quality of the course is obvious on every hole, even starting at the practice area. They have a chipping green with a bunker, a huge putting green with multiple targets, and an expansive all-grass driving range. The hitting area for the range is enormous so you will never have to worry about hitting off a mat, and the range is full size so you can hit every club from wedge to driver to warm up for your round.
The course was designed for playability, challenge, and fun. Doug wants every golfer to have a good experience so that every time you play you can create your own challenges. There are five sets of tees so it’s playable for all levels of golfers. South Shore plays at just over 6200 yards from the black tees with a par of 35. The layout has two par-3s, a par-5, and the rest are par-4s.
South Shore also has the genius and unique option to play every hole as a par-3. That’s because every hole has a legit tee box from 65-199 yards available. This genius idea was developed to ensure that a golfer can play a quick round, but also challenge themselves. These tees have their own manicured boxes almost hidden on the fairways of the par 4s and 5s.
Another genius concept at the course is that they recommend playing the course from whatever tee you feel like on each hole, so you have the freedom to create your own layout and par. If you play 18 holes then you can play the front as the designed par-35, but on the back you can get creative and play a variety of tee boxes to make it interesting!
The course provides golfers with a high quality layout which requires you to use every club, as well as use your golf IQ to be successful. The fairways are wide, but from the tee boxes you can only see a small landing area. This little trick makes you feel the pressure to hit an accurate shot. The rough is thick so approach shots can be tricky if you don’t find the short grass off the tee.
Hole 9
The real challenge and genius of the course is the greens. From tee to fairway you should be able to play a normal round as long as you keep it consistently close to your aim point. However, the greens are diabolical with their shapes, hills, and tiers. Most regulation greens are around 4500 square feet but the greens at South Shore are around 8000. This means every green has either a huge hill or multiple tiers to deal with. The slopes and breaks are insane…in a good way, and this presents a challenge each time you play. I wouldn’t say I had a favorite signature hole because the greens on 1 through 9 were just that cool and unique that I liked them all!
South Shore GC is currently a private course, but hopefully it goes public at some point so the golfers of New England have a chance to play at one of the premier courses in the area.
FOOD
After a challenging round at South Shore GC, you’ve probably worked up an appetite. Luckily, there are some incredible restaurants in the area. These restaurants represent the best of the South Shore of Rhode Island.
The closest restaurant is The Charlestown Rathskeller. This is an old speakeasy that has evolved into an all-in-one place for food, drinks, and entertainment. The menu is full of options that include seafood, steaks, burgers, salads, and sandwiches. The bar has over 20 beers on tap, specialty drinks, and wines. There are both indoor and outdoor bars and seating, as well as a venue for live entertainment. My suggestion? Try the truffle fries for an appetizer then enjoy a delicious, perfectly cooked ribeye for your meal.
Another food option that perfectly captures the charm of coastal Rhode Island is The Matunuck Oyster Bar. Located on the water in Wakefield, RI, The Matunuck Oyster Bar is a quick 10 minutes from the course. Their slogan is “Farm to Table and Pond to Plate” because they use locally sourced ingredients to make unbelievably delicious meals. The seafood options include a raw bar, sushi, and traditional items like blackened tuna, grilled salmon, and stuffed lobster. The bar has a variety of beers on tap that come from New England breweries, and a full list of wines and mixed drinks. It can get pretty crowded in the summer months, so be sure to reserve a table in advance. When we went, we ordered oysters, a few appetizers and sushi rolls for the table. The food was exceptional and we enjoyed getting to try a few options while overlooking the water.
The final restaurant is only if you really build up an appetite while playing golf. Seriously, be prepared to eat a ton at The Nordic Lodge. Located in Charlestown, The Nordic Lodge provides a unique experience as a high-end surf and turf buffet. Yes, all-you-can-eat prime rib, shrimp, oysters, scallops, filet mignon, king crab legs, and even lobster! Also included in the price is a salad and dessert bar, which brings the total food options to over 100. This is the ultimate place to satisfy your hunger after a day of golf.
