Fore!

With all there is to do in Maine, it is important not to overlook the truly impressive choices that exist for golf.

by Michael McGuire

One of America’s fastest growing “life sports,” golf is alive and well in Vacationland.

From seaside courses that afford glorious views of windjammers under full sail, to courses built in mountain valleys where moose and deer typically wander across fairways, Maine golf is, indeed, a treasure. There are more than 120 public golf courses in Maine and the Brunswick to Searsport region is home to 14 of them. Another three — Megunticook in Rockport, Tarratine on the island of Islesboro and Union Country Club — are private but can be played by invitation.

The heart of Midcoast Maine (Boothbay to Searsport) offers some great golf, including the beautiful shoreside Samoset Resort, newly expanded Boothbay Country Club, Rockland Golf Club, Goose River, Northport Golf Club and recently opened Searsport Pines Golf Club.

Golf is a tremendously popular three-season sport in this part of the state. In addition to regular play, there are weekend pro-ams, twilight leagues, member/guest tourneys and a large number of benefit tournaments utilizing an array of play formats. There is also a late summer Knox County Amateur competition played over three days at Rockland, Goose River and the Samoset courses. The tournament showcases top local amateur talent but is played in three or four flights so players of all abilities can compete. There is also a women’s division.

As many fans of the sport know, golf is something that attracts the attention of youngsters. The appeal of young PGA superstar Tiger Woods has put the word “golf” on the lips of tens of thousands of children. It is no surprise, then, that the region’s golf courses attract a lot of young play. There are junior programs at most local courses as well as an active Midcoast Junior Golf Association, which conducts age appropriate tournament play throughout the summer.

DRESS WITH CARE

Considering the vagaries of weather along coastal Maine, you need to be prepared to play the game of golf under a variety of conditions. Even in July and August, summer heat can be accompanied by strong gusty winds that quickly add another level of challenge to the game. During the hotter months, players should always wear hats and liberally apply sunscreen to protect against the effects of the sun. Just because it is Maine does not mean you cannot come up with sun-damaged skin.

Throughout spring and into late autumn, golf enthusiasts need to carry with them at least one extra layer of clothing (two layers is even better) as temperatures can get downright cold as the sun sinks lower on the horizon.

People new to Maine don’t always realize just how late the sun sets through the early part of summer. Through the early days of summer, it is possible to tee off at 5 p.m. (5:30 or 6 p.m. if courses are not crowded) and still complete a round of 18 holes before darkness sets in. In fact, it is in evening when many parents get together with their children to enjoy some quality time on the links.

The popularity of golf has grown to the point where tee times are a virtual must all season long so call ahead by at least a day or two whenever possible.

Most courses are open through the end of October, though unseasonably warm weather can extend play well into November.

LOCAL GOLF OPTIONS

At Rockland Golf Club, players are greeted with a relatively wide open field of play which can quickly lull the uninitiated into a false sense of security. A hook on most tee shots on the front nine spells danger for out-of-bounds, while careful tree and shrub plantings over the past 10 years has created a variety of ways to roll “pushed” drives into the “jail” of a low-growing shrub.
A succession of four holes (8, 9, 10, 11) can quickly derail the game of an inattentive golfer as the course features a long par 4 with an extremely tough green followed by three par 3’s, two of which are more than 200 yards long.

Rockland’s original nine holes was designed by Wayne Stiles, with long-time greens keeper Roger Sorrent detailing the newer nine. The relatively small greens require accurate reading.

There is a large membership but ample tee times are available for transient play most days.

If you can swing the island day trip, the 9-hole course at North Haven promises to leave memories that will last for many years. The course — among the oldest 9-hole courses in the United States and ranked among the Top 100 by Golf Digest magazine — has a second set of tees for the second nine holes. These tees provide an entirely different set of challenges to the golfer.
Among the course’s jewels is the par 3 sixth hole which plays to about 185 yards from an elevated tee (almost all carry over tidal shoreline) the first time around and only about 100 yards the second time.

The island course, designed by Wayne Stiles and John Van Kleek, is marked by small greens that are a challenge to putt.
At the Samoset Resort, meticulous landscaping and course maintenance come together to offer golfers of varying abilities the opportunity to be challenged, especially by the four tee marker settings on most holes. The course, as it presently exists, dates from 1984, designed by Bob Elder. The original 9-hole layout, no longer in use, however, dates back to the days (1920s, 30s) when the original stately wood hotel structure was the destination of choice for many of society’s most well-heeled summer travelers. And many are the golfers of today around Knox County who cut their teeth on the sport as caddies at the old Samoset.

A relatively open front nine holes that forgives the not-too-severe slice, gives way to a back nine that narrows and demands good target control. The mostly large putting greens, however, are where the golfer will mostly realize success or failure. Slick, slippery and hard to hold on approach shots, par putts can easily result in double-bogeys if you don’t concentrate.

Another distraction to what is billed as the “Pebble Beach of the East” is the incredible scenery along those holes that border Penobscot Bay. And the view along the Samoset’s signature 4th hole is worth bringing along a camera to capture a photo of you and your group with the Rockland Breakwater and lighthouse in the background.

As a destination resort, the Samoset golf course is much in demand. Call ahead for information on available tee times.
The Boothbay Country Club now offers 18 holes (nine new opened a year ago) and is a great links-style course set near one of Maine’s most beautiful peninsula towns, Boothbay Harbor. The course offers a challenging variety of holes, with downhill tee shots followed by uphill approach shots and greens that bend.

This is a comfortable course to play, and the addition of the new nine holes is certain to up the ante on challenges.

In Rockport, Goose River Golf Course (nine holes) welcomes golfers with a challenging 581-yard first hole which is full of trouble on the left side. There isn’t a great deal of level footing to be found on the course, thus requiring golfers to constantly adjust. The course’s signature small greens can be held on high approach shots and they putt beautifully thanks to a good maintenance program.

The uphill, 495-yard par 5 fifth hole will leave you winded if you’re walking and has a green that is as wide as the fairway but only about 20-feet deep. Fly the green and you’re in trouble.

There is a second set of tees for the back nine that provide golfers with mostly new challenges compared to the front nine.
The course can be crowded on weekend mornings; call for tee time availability.

Just south of Belfast is the Northport Golf Club, a 9-hole track that dates back to 1916. The greatest asset of this course is that it is a mostly flat course that provides great access to older players and those just learning the game. This doesn’t mean the course is without challenges, one of which is the 530-yard seventh, which has an elevated green.

Northport is a fun course that is well worth the trip.

In Searsport, just beyond Belfast, you can try out one of Maine’s newest courses, Searsport Pines. This labor of love was crafted by Bert Whitten, a retired university professor who turned his family farm into his dream course.

Only opened since 1999, this 9-hole course is filled with challenges.

If you are traveling to other parts of Maine, consider playing at Sugarloaf, Bethel Inn and Country Club, Kebo Valley Golf Course (Bar Harbor), or Belgrade Lakes Golf Club. These four particular courses can be compared to some of the best in the country. Indeed, Belgrade, which only opened in 1998, was ranked #1 among players in several categories in this year’s poll by readers of Golf Digest magazine.

Whether you are visiting or live here year round, if you enjoy the game of golf you are going to enjoy the possibilities that can be found in Maine