[Ran Morrissett]

http://golfclubatlas.com/courses-by-country/usa/maidstone/

Brother Bill and I visited Palmetto Golf Club in Aiken, South Carolina two weekends ago and had a delightful day. Our member friend was unable to join us on the course but noted, 'Palmetto isn't the best course I have played but it's my favorite. I played a tournament there when I was 16 years old and was hooked.'

What a great perspective! Clearly, some courses simply make us happier than others. Maidstone is one of those for me and has been since the early 1990s when I first saw it. Like Palmetto, it has been materially improved but the bones are so darn good that I became 'hooked ‘ last century. Now after Coore & Crenshaw's slow, thorough overhaul, the course is far superior to the one I originally held in such high esteem.  That's a rarity. When was the last time a favorite place blew away your recollections? Perhaps, I should have known as I had had dinner with Bill Coore two weeks before going to Long Island and he stated that their work there was even more transformational than what they accomplished at Old Town. I didn't think that possible.

The east end of Long Island reigns supreme; that's a fact. I now have four courses in a 36-mile area that are either 9 or 10 on the Doak scale. No other place in the world can make the same claim - the Sandbelt, East Lothian, Bandon, St. Andrews, Monterey Peninsula, London, the Channel coast, nowhere.  Some may harrumph and not place Maidstone as lofty as its neighbors but it’s my perception that none of the others have driving lines affected so much by the wind. One day it is at X but the next 70 yards away. That challenge off the tee promotes both heroics and disaster, which, if you think about it, is very close to a design ideal. Put another way, if you love ½ par holes, then you love Maidstone.

Also, the greens are world class. They have been expanded by Coore & Crenshaw by nearly 50%, a staggering amount. If, like me, you haven't seen the course in the past decade, don't even pretend to understand the consequences of what Coore & Crenshaw accomplished. It is something you need to behold. Fortunately, I did just that for five hours with a very patient member. We didn't have clubs and didn't play but we walked and walked, circling back around and inspecting things several times over.  I could not have had a better time or learned more. As the photographs attest, we had sublime lighting, always a plus for appreciating contour. I took close to 300 (!) until my device died and they will surface on the GolfClubAtlas Instagram account for years to come.

As far as I am concerned, if a course is compelling off the tee and possesses great greens, then it is class dismissed as that is all you need to know. I’ve recently seen a bunch of spectacular greens - Macrihanish, Ballybunion, WFW, Cabot's pair - and Maidstone's are right with the best. Throw in the coastal setting and what it encompasses (wind, fast running fairways if Mother Nature decrees) and I hark back to my friend's wise words from South Carolina. For favorite places to find oneself, Maidstone is near the top and it’s only my former ignorance of its recent improvements that resulted in a measly #44 on the 147 Custodians. Happily, that's fixable.

My friend David Normoyle nicely sums things up when he states, ‘For years, Maidstone’s reputation exceeded the actual presentation of the course. Now it’s the opposite. Maidstone’s architectural merit is suddenly underrated.’

[jeffwarne]

Stunning. Well done Ran.


For years the acid test on eastern Long Island(for me)was the huge chasm in opinion between charming,rustic/chabby-chic and compact Maidstone vs. the other Big Guns of Long Island.
The addition of fairway irrigation has no doubt changed the minds of the conditioning police, and the additional scorecard yardage will tick the boxes of the statistically minded as well.


The best changes for those who previously passed the original test are the greens expansion, and the rediscovery of lost playing corridors and overgrown bunkers.


The comparisons Ran uses with Palmetto are apropos with Maidstone as both once had similar "shortcomings"(according to would be critics) with a lack of fairway irrigation and scorecard length.


Maidstone was perfect before-it's now better.

[John Sabino]

Bravo!


I too love Maidstone and have been fortunate enough to play it more than any "Custodian" course, and each time I learn something new. The 2nd hole is a great 'orphan' hole sitting almost off property to the rest of the course, but is delightful to play and forces the golfer to have to think through strategic options early in the round.


The 8th, 9th and 10th are as good as any three hole stretch on any course in the world, wholeheartedly agree. Just don't hit to the back of the 10th green atop the hill and then try to get a respectable score. You're done unless you're below the hole.


The 14th is as beautiful as any hole on the planet.

[Jeff Schley]

Played there my first time this year and really thought it was right up there with the top 25. It is hampered IMO in ratings because of it's proximity to the other stalwarts, however it should not be discounted at all. I really loved the temperature drop on this late July day when we got to hole 5 with the cool wind off the water and it was instantly 10-15 degrees cooler in that spot on 5 tee. BTW I really loved 18 as our match was tied (best ball) and I asked the host can I use the 1 fairway, which gives you a great angle to this green especially with the wind we played which was straight into us from that angle. Stuck the approach to 20 feet for an easy 2 putt and one up W!    Best 93 I think I have ever shot, haha.


Clubhouse was understated and quaint, there was a foursome in the lockeroom bar area talking about their trip to Pine Valley the previous weekend and then one guy said, "I'm going to have to invite him down to Augusta to play next time I go." I don't think I quite got whiplash, but it was probably close.

[Thomas Dai]

Pretty cool.
Looks like some rather expensive real estate nearby.

Many thanks for sharing.
atb

[Ian Andrew]

I've been there quite a few times. It was always really good long before this.
I can't get over how much better it is without all the vegetation that had overwhelmed the property.
Bunker work and green expansions look great.

[Eric LeFante]

I've been fortunate to play the course with no wind and with some wind. With no wind the course is incredibly forgiving off the tee. You really need to play with some wind to fully appreciate how great the course is. 6 and 7 play in the same direction and I played them with an into and right to left wind and they were incredibly challenging. As Ran points out, the best line on both holes is down the right but both have hazards down the right. I didn't have the courage to start my tee ball over the hazards or hit a cut into the wind and I ended up in terrible positions left of the fairways. Also as Ran points out, 9 was downwind and I hit less than driver off the tee and had a short iron into the green. 10 was into the wind and I hit driver and had 3 iron into that fantastic green.


You quickly see why the fairways are so wide when the wind kicks up off the ocean.

[Joe Bausch]

For those desiring more photos, these from an October 2017 glorious visit:

http://www80.homepage.villanova.edu/joseph.bausch/images/albums/Maidstone/index.html

[Mike Hendren]

While I have not played Maidstone I would cite the photographs as Exhibit 1 for why I think The Ocean Course at Kiawah is highly overrated.

Bogey

[John Mayhugh]

What a difference when I compare to my photos from 2008.

There was a lot of brush back then. How about this dedicated caddie searching for a ball to the left of 11 fairway?


ms 11 caddie dedication by john mayhugh, on Flickr

[James Brown]

What a great course review.  I especially appreciated the observations about how many decisions must be made at Maidstone. The one time I played it I was very much overwhelmed by the array of choices you have to make on each and every hole.  Not sure I have played many courses where you have to make a similar number of judgements with each shot.  That tee shot on 1 just baits you into thinking aggressively.


I think the analogy with Pine Valley and by extension other maximum tests is that they require any thinking golfer to avoid risks.  Maidstone is a succubus!

[Terry Lavin]

What a great course review.  I especially appreciated the observations about how many decisions must be made at Maidstone. The one time I played it I was very much overwhelmed by the array of choices you have to make on each and every hole.  Not sure I have played many courses where you have to make a similar number of judgements with each shot.  That tee shot on 1 just baits you into thinking aggressively.


I think the analogy with Pine Valley and by extension other maximum tests is that they require any thinking golfer to avoid risks.  Maidstone is a succubus!

Brilliant analysis of a brilliant analysis. I gotta get to Maidstone.

[JC Jones]

What a great course review.  I especially appreciated the observations about how many decisions must be made at Maidstone. The one time I played it I was very much overwhelmed by the array of choices you have to make on each and every hole.  Not sure I have played many courses where you have to make a similar number of judgements with each shot.  That tee shot on 1 just baits you into thinking aggressively.


I think the analogy with Pine Valley and by extension other maximum tests is that they require any thinking golfer to avoid risks.  Maidstone is a succubus!

Brilliant analysis of a brilliant analysis. I gotta get to Maidstone.

that would require you leaving Cook county

[Tommy Williamsen]

Thanks, Ran, I do need to return. It has been twenty years since my one and only play. I was one who agreed that the "reputation exceeded the presentation." The renovated course looks stunning.

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