By Design - Special Edition

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14 | By Design
When the owners of the
Foxwoods Country Club
in the village of Wyoming,
Rhode Island, decided to build a
new 36-hole complex closer to their
casino resort, the course was closed
and lay fallow for six years.
It was then bought by the
developers of The Preserve at
Boulder Hills, whose vision was to
create a four-season sporting retreat
and game reserve. This was to
incorporate numerous recreational
elements, including fly fishing,
rock climbing, off-road biking, bird
hunting fields and a range of cabin
accommodations.
Once these elements had been
designed into the rugged property,
60 acres remained for golf. The
owner hired Robert McNeil, ASGCA,
to provide a solution that would
complement their vision for the resort.
Having considered a number of
executive and nine-hole layouts,
McNeil proposed an 18-hole par-three
championship course. “It fit perfectly
with the varying elevations of the
property,” says McNeil, “embracing
the natural rock outcroppings and
flowing meadows of the site. Each
hole would be memorable and rest
within its own setting—with no two
holes having remotely the same look.”
Although some of the logistical
elements of the previous routing
were utilized, all the course work was
new, with construction developed
from hand-drawn sketches and field
directives moving the work towards
the final product.
In order to achieve the design
objectives to produce a sustainable,
indigenous golf course, all materials
were generated from the existing
site. Rootzone mix from the existing
tees and greens was harvested,
screened and reused. Bunker sand
was obtained from a large sand vein
within the property where a new
fishing pond would be located. And
gravel from the site provided all green
and course drainage material.
The result is a course that
completely embraces the sporting
character of the property. To get to
the first tee, golfers embark on a
10-minute cart ride that encounters
rock climbing faces, natural
meadows, a roaming range and fly
fishing ponds. These other uses
were deeply integrated into the golf
course development. For example,
vegetation was introduced to create
big game feeding meadows and
small game fields which are part of
the golf experience as players travel
through the property, while fly
fishing ponds also serve a function as
strategic features on golf holes and
a self-sustaining water resource for
irrigation of the course.
In its first few months of operation
The Preserve at Boulder Hills attracted
a healthy membership and much local
and national attention. It hosted the
Benrus Open in 2015 and is set to
welcome the PGA Seniors Legends
event in 2017.
Location: Wyoming, Rhode Island
Golf course architect: Robert McNeil,
ASGCA, The Northeast Golf Company
Project summary: With developers
wanting to incorporate a wide range
of leisure and sporting activities on
their property, an existing golf course
was converted to an 18-hole par
three course, constructed entirely from
materials that existed on site.
Partners: NMP Golf Construction
The Preserve at Boulder Hills
A unique experience
Rhode Island resort celebrates outdoor life
Photo: The Preserve at Boulder Hills