About the Carnegie Abbey Club

Newport's premier private golf and sporting club

The unspoiled woodlands and waters of Carnegie Abbey have a long history as rich as the soil underfoot. These plentiful hunting and fishing grounds nurtured the Narragansett Indians for thousands of years. Narragansett Bay is second only to the Chesapeake in its abundance of shellfish, and its shores were also a source of glass-like quartz and shale used for arrowheads-many of which have been found here during Carnegie Abbey's archaeological surveys and subsequent construction. The Narragansett Indians called this place Aquidneck, "Isle of Peace," and shared it with the osprey, songbirds, deer, raccoon, waterfowl, turtles, and trout that still flourish here.

In time, English settlers arrived and discovered the same wealth of natural resources and temperate climate, and thrived here. In the summer of 1778, as the Revolutionary War raged across the colonies, the terrain that now serves as the Club's golf course was the site of the Battle of Rhode Island. Today, this historic event is commemorated in holes dubbed Bloody Run, Patriots' Stand, and Hessians' Hole.

Over the course of the nineteenth century, America's transformation from pastoral frontier to industrial power brought the splendor of the Gilded Age to nearby Newport, but left the "Isle of Peace" undisturbed. A Benedictine monastery established here in 1900 remains owner and steward of this coastal preserve of unsurpassed beauty.

"Benedictine Monks have traditionally seen stewardship of their land as a serious responsibility given to them by God. In that same spirit, we, the monks, have entrusted a portion of our land to the Carnegie Abbey Club with steadfast confidence that they will respect this beautiful piece of God's creation and make it even more spectacular."

Set 140 feet above Narragansett Bay, the Lookout is a splendid introduction to the estate, providing a 270-degree panoramic view of the golf course, the bay, Mt. Hope Bridge, Warwick Neck, and the hills of Providence in the distance.

The main part of the building is an octagon surrounding a three-story-tall stone chimney created by the Narragansett tribe's stonemasons. The appearance of the Lookout was inspired by the striking church at Portsmouth Abbey, designed in 1958 by Pietro Belluschi, Dean of the School of Architecture at MIT.

The Lookout acts as the welcome area for the Club and houses the Pro Study, ladies' and gentlemen's showers and changing rooms. A wet bar area for serving light breakfast and refreshments is also available.

Carnegie Abbey's magnificent 76,000-square-foot Clubhouse is a place for dining, for playing, for socializing, for relaxing. Dressed in an appealing mixture of shingle and fieldstone, the Adirondack-inspired Clubhouse is an impressive yet casual gathering place.

The Great Hall of the Clubhouse offers a marvelous welcome for guests, or the respite of a quiet afternoon tea beside the hand-built, 35-foot fieldstone fireplace. The octagonal mahogany bar in the Members' Lounge is where friends gather to recount the day's great round, or partake in our bartender's famous "Swing Juice" after a less favorable score!

Children are welcome in the Clubhouse, where a special game-room has been created on the lower level with the latest video games and movies on the big screen, billiards, fooz ball and more! A separate room with cushy chairs, a custom climbing gym and several activity tables for younger children is available as well.

Dining at Carnegie Abbey has been taken to a whole new level, with a kitchen directed by Chef Joe. Members may schedule special "Chef's Table" meals with Chef Joe, and the Club also offers cooking clinics and classes throughout the year. The dining lounges and sweeping verandas take full advantage of spectacular views of the Club's signature 18th hole and its beautiful Narragansett Bay backdrop.

Members and guests enjoy generous locker rooms complete with steam and sauna facilities and spacious lounge areas. Rain showerheads and side body spray jets soothe and revive after a day on the golf course, tennis court or boat deck. The European-style, full-service Elemis Spa offers a menu of superb facial, body and nail treatments, as well as a full array of weight and cardio equipment; personal training is available.

The upper two floors of the Clubhouse are devoted to a unique residential opportunity: the Carnegie Abbey Land Yachts. Each of these distinctive residences is designed to emulate the interior of a super-luxury yacht, incorporating design features and furnishings of the highest quality.