WARWICK — Goddard Park Golf Course is exactly what it says it is.
The state’s only true municipal golf course doesn’t offer the frills and benefits other courses provide and while there are plenty available, getting a tee time isn’t easy. The greens are cut closer to fairway length, calling the rough ‘rough’ would be a stretch and the bunkers, are, well, there.
But for all the perceived negatives, Goddard provides something few courses in this state don’t – golf, in its purest form.
I’d seen Goddard only by driving past it. I’d heard stories about the course, but I never experienced it. On the last Monday in June that changed and in nine holes I realize how important Goddard Park is to the Rhode Island golf scene.
More: Not up for a full round? Here are 5 9-hole golf courses in RI you should play this summer
More: ‘They’re the lifeblood of what we do’: The people who made the U.S. Senior Open happen
My decision to play Goddard was very much a last-minute choice, but I was nervous after checking out the Rhode Island State Parks website about playing the course. No walk-ins. A phone number that doesn’t connect to anything. A strict warning about exact change and a three percent credit card fee. A final tee time that seemed a little ridiculous.
What I failed to remember was the website was written by someone employed by the State of Rhode Island so nothing posted was close inaccurate.
The parking lot told me all I needed to know. There weren’t enough cars to fill multiple foursomes, so I knew getting on the course wasn’t going to be easy.
Walking into the trailer, I explained to the women inside that I read the “no walk-ins” warning on the website and tried to call the number listed, but it didn’t connect. One of them laughed and said it wouldn’t be a problem. When I asked about the exact change, they also said it wouldn’t be an issue.
With players booked ahead for the next hour, they told me I’d be paired with “Gino,” a regular at the course, and could head directly to the first tee. This was exactly what I thought I needed – someone who could direct me around the course and offer advice.
It ended up being so much more than that.
I met Gino Saccoccio on the practice green just left of the first tee, we exchanged pleasantries, and then went off to play. We both went down the left side of the fairway, making it easy for some introductory stories as we pushed our carts toward our balls.
Gino’s swing was butter. He laughed off his lack of distance, but for a 75-year old, it was pretty solid. He was the former owner and operator of Abilene Oil, a family business, and played to a single-digit handicap when he was a member at Alpine Country Club.
He was also the perfect tour guide. When I had questions, Gino had answers. When I hit a good shot, Gino made me feel like I was about to win the U.S. Open. I’d hit a 3-wood or hybrid off the tee and Gino joked that if he couldn’t see where it finished, it must be way out there.
With so many options in Rhode Island, I asked Gino why he played Goddard Park so often. He said it was the cost – there’s a discount for seniors. The $15 weekday price for me was incredible to start and $10 for a senior ($12 on weekends) was even better.
As far as the course went, Goddard Park was exactly what you’d expect at that price point. The greens were green but incredibly slow. The fairways existed, but were hardly cut tight and it wasn’t hard to figure out where most drives ended up by the bare batches of turf in the surrounding areas.
None of that mattered. The golf did. It was fun to go out and play a stress-free nine holes. Coming to No. 6, Gino sat on a bench – I think my walking pace was a little rushed – and explained I needed to hit a big draw or layup to get in a good spot. I hit a five-iron off the tee, it ended up in a good spot and while I missed the green, I still managed a par.
Eight is listed as the No. 1 handicap hole, a 390-yard par 4. I hit a driver that left me with 110 yards in to a left pin, which I missed left by 10 yards. Then I saw why it’s the No. 1 handicap – the green is maybe the smallest in the state.
Goddard didn’t have a ton of distance. The tips played just a hair over 3,000 yards and while Gino bemoanded the lack of a “senior tee” – and laughed when I reminded him the front tees are front tees, not ‘Ladies Tees’ – players of any level and distance can play the course.
But if you’re playing Goddard, it’s not for golf. It’s for experience. There was a twosome on a cart behind us with neither player in a polo shirt and the familiar skunky smell that would waft in our direction when we were downwind. They played at a pace they were comfortable at and, from what I could tell from a distance, didn’t mind a single bad shot they hit.
If you’re taking the first steps in your golf journey, Goddard is your course. Golf has seen so many new participants, but many of those players are afraid to take their game to a big course for the first time.
Goddard offers the perfect opportunity for any level. If you’re a Button Hole kid who is looking to graduated from the short course there to a big nine, Goddard is the place. If you started playing during COVID and want to test your game in a judgment free location, go to Goddard. Want to kill two hours quick without breaking the bank? Goddard is right there waiting for you.
And if you’re lucky, Gino will be too.