The nine-hole golf course had been closed for several months before local attorney Robert Rainville took over ownership in April. Rainville is overseeing a number of renovations on the property, including a revamp of Bistro 9, now known as 401 Kitchen and Wine Bar.
Residents were pleased to find out earlier this year that the East Greenwich (R.I.) Golf Club had come under new ownership after being closed for several months, the Wakefield, R.I., Coventry Courier reported.
The business was purchased by local attorney Robert Rainville, and the West Warwick native plans to spend the summer restoring the property—all of its 40 acres—to its former glory, the Courier reported.
An avid-golfer himself, Rainville took over the nine-hole course in April and has been overseeing a number of renovations on the property, which he leases from the New England Institute of Technology. Among the upgrades will be the revamping of Bistro 9, the once-popular former restaurant that is now being transformed into the 401 Kitchen and Wine Bar, the Courier reported.
“I wanted something classic, cool and high end but still comfortable,” Rainville said of his vision for the restaurant. “That’s the whole concept we’re going for here. You can come in here and say I’m going to get the best service, the best food and I’ll be comfortable and won’t have to deal with obnoxious prices.”
The 401 will be open 365 days a year and will feature a selection of unique wines from different regions of the country and the world. “We will have wines that you won’t be able to get anywhere else,” he said.
Bistro 9 had a reputation for good food and drink, Rainville said, so expectations are high. They are currently in the process of choosing an executive chef, so the menu has not yet been finalized. However, Rainville said the food will be much like that of Bistro 9—classic American fare cooked fresh with a reasonable price tag, the Courier reported.
Rainville also has years of experience with Kova Golf Management, LLC, the business he owns with his brother, Rick, and which is overseeing the management of the club. “It’s sort of a passion project now,” he said of running the club. “I’m in so involved in it.”
Although today he is a resident of East Greenwich, Rainville grew up in West Warwick and even played on the same green he now manages. “One of the first rounds of golf I played was here,” he said. “I used to come with my buddies. Forty years later we bought the place.”
Rainville wasn’t looking to purchase a property when the opportunity come along, he said, but it seemed like a good investment with real potential. His goal now is to bring together the high quality service and atmosphere of a private country club and the affordable, laid back atmosphere of a public course, the Courier reported.
“When you have good food and a good location it’s sort of a no brainer,” said Rainville. “I think people should be treated well. If you’re a member at a private club you get a certain level of service. I tell my employees ‘it doesn’t cost anything to be nice.’”
The club offers memberships with perks like preferred tee times for members, but can also be used by any golfer looking to take a few swings. The restaurant will be formally opened in early August, mid-September just in time for Labor Day, but the rest of the club is unofficially open for golfing, the Courier reported.
“It’s a great layout and people really like the course and the way it’s designed,” he continued. “The greens are beautiful, they look nice and they play nice.”
When Rainville took over, the property had been sitting dormant for several months and the grass had endured a tough winter of wear and tear. Now, about six people are out every morning performing maintenance like cutting and treating the grass, the Courier reported.
“It needed a decent amount of work,” he said, noting that the property’s former superintendent had tried to take care of it right through to the end, the Courier reported.
The club plans to host tournaments and leagues for men and women, as well as a children’s golf camp starting this summer. Soon the space will also be available to rent for events and functions like bridal or baby showers, small weddings and brunches, the Courier reported
“When you come here you’re going to get a great level of service plus the food and the view,” said Rainville.
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