The US Senior Open begins Thursday in Newport, but if you’d rather be on the course playing on a beautiful summer day, do yourself a favor and get over to East Providence for the opening of the Met Links.
That’s the new nine-hole, par-34 public course (it used to be the Metacomet Golf Club) that is holding its grand opening Thursday. It’s a reasonable $32 to play nine holes, worth every penny.
The team from Marshall Properties and Met Links have done an amazing job rehabilitating the course, and while the greens are still a little slow, it’s easily poised to become one of the top nine-hole courses in the state.I was lucky enough to play the course on Monday morning ahead of its opening.
Here’s how I did.
Hole 1
Same design as the first hole at Metacomet, but it’s a tad easier because the tees have been pushed up. From the blue tees, it’s a 337-yard, par-4 that slants right to left. A right-hander with a bad slice could find tree trouble, and bad hook left will give players on the second tee box an easy chance to hit you.
How I played it: I drove the ball right, but was short of the sand trap. Hit a great second shot just off the green, and ended up with a five.
+1
Hole 2
It’s identical to the the second at Metacomet, which means you think you’ll have the ability to cut the corner on this 488-yard, par-5, but you’ll probably end up in the water.
How I played it: A smashing 215-yard drive landed just left of the water, and then I hit an easy hybrid over the water to get pretty close in two. Naturally, I shanked a third shot, and end up with a six.
+2
Hole 3
This 359-yard, par-4 has added a large patch of fescue just left of the fairway, and it’s just begging to eat up your ball. But if you hit it too far left, you’ll have tree trouble. Your second shot will likely play longer than expected to an uphill green.
How I played it: I went slightly right, but avoided the trees, which left me with a 150ish-yard second shot. I missed the green short, and then two-putted for bogey.
+3
Hole 4
This is one of the prettiest par-3 holes you’ll find on a public course in Rhode Island. It’s an inviting 161 yards from the blue tees, but do not hit it long over the green.
How I played it: I hit it long over the green... but barely. I thought was I was on track for my first hole-in-one with a seven-iron, but I landed just behind the pin and barely rolled off the green. I made bogey.
+4
Hole 5
Metacomet veterans will remember this hole as a tricky par-5 that forced you to carry a large brush area on your second shot. Met Links has turned it into the short par-4 that every golf course should have. It’s drivable at 261 yards, but totally guarded by bunkers in front of the green.
How I played it: Of course I landed in the front right sand. But I hit a great second shot to about eight feet, then missed my putt, and tapped in for par.
+4
Hole 6
This is a fairly straight forward par-3 where the brush area shouldn’t come into play, but will for a lot of mediocre players (like me). It’s 156 yards to the green.
How I played it: The wind was blowing hard, and somehow a popped up hybrid landed short left in a bunker. The good news is that it’s really fun to be the first person to hit out of any of these bunkers. I ended up with a bogey.
+5
Hole 7
If there’s a “meh” hole on the course, it’s probably this one. It’s a 149-yard, par-3 that Met Links squeezed in before a fun couple of finishing holes.
How I played it: Naturally, I hit my best shot on the worst hole. Center of the green with an 8-iron, and two-putted for par.
+5
Hole 8
This hole is going to give weekend players fits. It’s a blind par-5 that is begging for you to try to cut the corner on the right with a big drive. Beware: Lots of players will lose their ball in the trees here. If you avoid trouble on your first shot, it’s a scorable hole with the best green on the course.
How I played it: I hit a Sam Bell shot, far to the left near the fescue from the third hole. I managed to get back on the fairway with a solid second shot, and made a mess of things with a terrible third shot. I still landed on the green in four, two-putted, and took a bogey.
+6
Hole 9
The course ends with a 172-yard, par-3, that has an inviting uphill green. It’s a fair, but challenging way to finish.
How I played it: I hit a hybrid just short of the green, and got up and down for par. No big deal.
+6
This story first appeared in Rhode Map, our free newsletter about Rhode Island that also contains information about local events, links to interesting stories, and more. If you’d like to receive it via e-mail Monday through Friday, you can sign up here.
Dan McGowan can be reached at dan.mcgowan@globe.com. Follow him @danmcgowan.