Adventureland
of Narragansett Return
to Rhode Island
page
118 Point Judith
Rd.
(RT 108- Across
from Stop & Shop)
Narragansett , RI 02882
(401) 789-0030
Cost: $7 Other
Activities: Batting Cages, Go-Carts
Par: 43
2002 Ratings 2011
Ratings
Difficulty: 5 Difficulty: 7
Creativity: 7 Creativity: 7
Atmosphere: 5 Atmosphere: 6
I really wanted to review this course well. When we first saw the course, it looked like it had a lot of potential to it. We were very excited when we saw the hole where you putted down the hill right through the boat. We were less excited when we got to the front of the booth and saw all the disclaimers posted there. (In particular, there was one about how there were a lot of bees on the course and if you didn’t agree with bees, not to play. This lead us to ask the question, “Why do you put so many bee attracting plants on a miniature golf course, where there will be a lot of children? Or, why don’t you move them further away from the holes so that the bees won’t bother anyone?”) We became even less excited when the indifferent high school kid working the booth didn’t even let us choose our own color ball. I became extremely unexcited when I sat on the bench before the first hole (directly in the line of sight of the employee at the booth, who could have taken five minutes to clean the bench) and proceeded to sit in gum. Other than that the course was decent and here’s the highlights.
The course made good use of a nautical theme, incorporating several boats throughout the holes and having one hole jut out onto an island in the middle of the bumper boats. The water that ran throughout was clean and added to the theme of the course. The carpeting was somewhat worn and in sections it had been replaced with indoor/outdoor carpeting instead of miniature golf carpeting. The course incorporated a few different hole designs, including the boats and a half-pipe hole, which helped to bring up the creativity score.
The course charges 50 cents for a lost ball and only allows one person per group to win a free game. (I also don’t know how they keep track of who wins a free game. They post at the front of the course which hole you need to ace to win a free game, but it didn’t look like anyone was watching the hole. I guess they’re counting on honesty.) It’s the little things like that and the above mentioned general attitude of the course, which brings the overall rating down. At a price of $6, one would expect a little more from the course, but it is part of a complex of activities, which means its not the central focus of the owners. The course on its own is good and is worth playing if you can ignore the atmosphere around you and focus on the holes themselves.
2011 Update
This course has changed a little bit (for the better) in the 9 years since we last played it. First the cost has only gone up $1 over the past 9 years which isn’t bad. Our experience at the booth was more pleasant this time around as we got to pick our own color ball and there seemed to be less disclaimer posters. The course also changed some of the holes, adding some pieces here and there and actually change the boat down the hill hole to a plinko style hole (see our YouTube video on that hole). The carpeting also seemed to be in better shape than when we previously played and the water remained nice and clean.
The course does continue to have a few drawbacks. While it is nautical themed in places, it is only on a couple of holes and doesn’t play very well through the whole course. In addition the course is very “bouncy” as the ball tends to take off as soon as it hits the bricks. The bricks also are a little thinner than normal and the combination of these items leads to the ball going out of bounds a little more often than normal. This makes the first few holes tricky as they wrap around the bumper boats. As that area is only surrounded by a chain link fence, it’s almost too easy to lose the ball into the bumper boat pond. The cups are also inconsistent in depth, type and condition making each hole play a little differently.
Overall the changes made to the course did improve our rating. Given its location and still reasonable price it is worth the play if you are down by the RI beaches or on your way back from the Block Island ferry, but it is not a destination course.
Reviewed by: Pat, Mandy and Putt
Reviewed in: 2002
Reviewed by Pat, Liz, Will, Katie and Putt
Reviewed in: 2011
Course Pictures (click to enlarge)
Putt would like to note that
this hole has since changed!
2011 Pictures
Map
Cost: $6 Other
Activities: Batting Cages, Go-Carts
Par: 43
Difficulty: 7
Creativity: 9
Atmosphere: 7
I LOVE Adventureland.
It is a difficult course, especially the boat one. I wish they let you pick
your own color ball, that’s half the fun. I go to
Narragansett every year for a week in August and my family and friends go one
night a week to do the course. It really is a lot of fun and the atmosphere is
really nice. They also have bumper boats, go karts, and ice cream. I was happy
to see that you reviewed this course. I was going to suggest it! You guys
should go again!!
Reviewed by: Jessi Luth
Reviewed in: 2007
Cost: $6 Other
Activities: Batting Cages, Go-Carts
Par: 43
Difficulty: 6
Creativity: 7
Atmosphere: 8
Contrary to the 2002 review, I think this is one
of the better courses in the CT RI region. In 2007 they revised the
sloped hole and added obstacles making the hole even
more fun. We travel out here to go putt from CT and think the
opposite of the previous review. I
recommend the course, the grass is nice, the atmosphere it great, and the holes
are quite fun. It's not the hardest
course but overall it's nice.
Reviewed by: John
Reviewed in: 2007