Thompson, Conn. - Quinnatisset Country Club, a private, member owned golf club, opened nine new holes with a ribbon cutting ceremony June 27, 2004.
Designed and constructed by The Roger Rulewich Group, the new holes were built on the site of the original nine-hole golf course that opened in 1903. This original nine-hole course was only 2,634 yards and crammed onto 33 acres. Club members purchased a contiguous 42 acre land parcel in 2001 for expansion. None of the old holes or routing were used in the design. The Rulewich Group started construction in July of 2003, and the course opened in June 2004.
The new nine-hole course measures 3,247 yards and incorporates the 25 acre Reams Pond on four holes. Two holes play adjacent to the pond and two play over it. An impressive hole is the par-3, 196-yard 3rd hole that's all carry over the water to a green fronted by a four-foot-high stone wall.
The Rulewich nine will play, at least for this year, as the back nine. The front nine, designed by Geoffrey Cornish, opened in 1968 and measures 3,254 yards, bringing the new total yardage to 6,503. The Rulewich Group rebuilt the 10th green on the Cornish nine and added a new practice tee.
The Roger Rulewich Group is comprised of former members of the Robert Trent Jones, Sr company. Veteran golf course architect Roger Rulewich was the chief design associate for Trent Jones from 1961 until he opened his own practice in 1995.
Rulewich has been involved in the design and renovation of over 150 golf courses worldwide including many major championship venues, the entire Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail in Alabama and the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Manassas, Va., site of the President's Cup matches.
