In the heart of Bristol

The coastal course is literally in the middle of the city. A road runs through the course, and principal Robert McNeil says, “You can’t go through Bristol without driving by Bristol Golf Park.” Bristol is home to a major deepwater seaport and the Bristol Waterfront Historic District, featuring colonial and 19th-century architecture.

Before Bristol Golf Park’s opening, the property had a previous golf history. The land was used as an 18-hole course back in the 1980s and later operated as a 9-hole layout for nearly 30 years. Water flowing through the property was getting contaminated and entering the nearby oceans. To solve water quality issues, the land was reimagined as a 9-hole par-3 course atop an environmentally friendly stormwater management system.

The opportunity to manage the course fell into Northeast Golf Company’s lap. McNeil, who owns National Golf Company and is an architect himself, and the company are responsible for operating three other New England 9-hole courses: The Orchards (Connecticut) Golf Club, Met Links (Rhode Island) and Kings Crossing (Rhode Island) Golf Club. Even more are in the works. 

When his team took over the project, in partnership with Vigilant Brewing, the stormwater project was complete. His team grew in the turf and made some minor adjustments to the Tim Gerrish-designed layout. From there, Northeast Golf Company has built the culture and environment from nothing into something special. McNeil operates as the course’s superintendent, and his son, Billy, is the director of operations. 

“If we can put golf courses in markets where there’s a lot of people, and they’re very visible and they’re very playable, that’s going to go a long way,” McNeil says.

The reimagination resulted in a compact, quick-to-play golf course and a new course partner for First Tee Rhode Island. Holes are located close together to make for smoother rounds. McNeil and his team have incorporated ways for golfers to adjust their tee shot length. “I’ll call them informal tees. They’re just huge areas of fairway where you can put the tees anywhere on the golf course,” McNeil says.

McNeil and his team aimed for playability, adaptable to both the experienced golfer and those newer to the game. “I think the best part about the whole golf course is everything is playable,” McNeil says. “We have a set of tees that we set up called the white tees that you can literally putt yourself around the golf course if you want to.”

The course plays at 1,277 yards from the back tees and 1,204 from the front. Golfers start their round on a downhill 207-yard shot and cross the street to play holes 2, 3 and 4. They also play over water sources on three separate holes, providing aquatic challenges. Greens are small, encouraging target-oriented play. One of the course’s notable holes is No. 8, a 115-yard shot over water to a triple-tiered green.  

On the maintenance side, the property is “difficult,” according to McNeil. When the course was built, the ground was wet and there’s very little irrigation on the layout. “But the beauty is that there’s a water source on the property, a spring-fed pond that feeds the golf course efficiently,” he says. 

When the company took over the property, McNeil says it didn’t resemble much of a golf course. “It looked like little tees and little greens. That’s all,” he says. Through agronomic practices, the maintenance team has created visual fairways that flow and blend through the course. Due to precise mowing, players can now see the difference between the fairways and rough. “We took it to another level, agronomically, in the way we maintain it, so players could see what they’re playing,” McNeil says. “And that turned out really well.”

The course is environmentally focused in numerous ways. The clubhouse is a small mobile building powered by solar. Everything on the course, in fact, runs on solar, reducing the property’s carbon footprint. The onsite stormwater management program is positively impacting the course’s water.

McNeil believes 9-hole short courses with relaxed, enjoyable environments are the kinds of facilities that will keep the game growing.

“I think these are the types of projects that will move the golf industry forward, which will grow the population of golfers out there, or at least sustain what we’ve created following COVID,” he says.

Bristol Golf Park is already succeeding in growing the golf population. Young couples and families visit the course often, and the facility is located near Roger Williams University, which attracts students. Unique events like glow golf and holiday-themed scrambles dot the calendar. Food trucks and music are staples, providing an inviting atmosphere. “We’ve created a vibe there where it’s just fun to play,” McNeil says. “I could sit there all day and just watch people play and listen to what they say.

“We’ve got a lot of positive responses. I think with the young people and these young families — we’re most proud of that.”