While many residential and commercial projects are presently underway and Warwick continues to offer a variety of opportunities for development and redevelopment, some of our most precious and valuable properties are those reserved for open space and recreation. For those who enjoy hitting the links, there are three public courses in our community that provide a great way to relax and enjoy the great outdoors!
For the past 60 years, Valley Country Club was a popular private facility, boasting beautiful, mature trees and stone walls along the outskirts of the property, and it’s now open to the public. Its 18-hole, par 72, tree-lined course with 51 bunkers and three water holes make for a challenging experience. After your round, enjoy a meal and a drink in their Victorian-style dining room or their deck overlooking the course, or pull up a chair and relax on their bluestone patio, which features a bar and firepit.
Prefer to golf with a bay breeze to keep you cool? Harbor Lights Marina and Golf’s 9-hole, par 36 layout was designed by renowned golf course architect Geoffrey Cornish in 1965, and provides enough tee choices to suit those of all ages and skill levels. The course, like Harbor Light’s restaurant and outdoor bar, has recently been refurbished, with a quality fitting its beautiful seaside backdrop. Their Par & Tackle, a post-and-beam restaurant, features a farm-to-table menu, a full bar, a stone fireplace sitting area and views of the golf course and bay. The poolside Drift Bar offers a great place for shareable bites to eat and a thirst-quenching beer or cocktail after your round is complete.
The 9-hole golf course at Goddard Memorial State Park first opened in 1939 and features 3,021 yards of golf from the longest tees for a par of 36. The course rating is 40.0 and it has a slope rating of 90. The park itself offers spacious lawns, fields, a number of woodsy trails with trees from all over the world, including 19 evergreen and 62 deciduous species, miles of bridle trails, an equestrian show area, and C & L tables, as well as a beach and 11 game fields. Pack a lunch to enjoy at one of their 355 picnic tables after golf, or stop by the appropriately-named The Trap restaurant on your way home – it’s at the intersection of the road leading to the park, and offers a creative twist on traditional American pub fare, a full bar, an outdoor, pet-friendly patio, and plenty of televisions!
With the warm weather now upon us, it’s a great time to visit Warwick, enjoy the great outdoors, and explore all the reasons why so many residents and businesses are choosing to make our community home.
Frank Picozzi is the mayor of the city of Warwick, R.I.