Maine Island Golf Tour - Stiles, Findlay, photos

[Malcolm Mckinnon]

I love Penobscot Bay!!!!

Try Castine Golf  Club on your next foray! A Willy Park Jr. nine holer  on the east side of the bay. Great views of the Camden Hills and Islesboro from the Dyces Head rocks at the end of the peninsula.

[BDuryee]

That looks an aweful lot like Gritty's in Portland.

[Mike Sweeney]

The Maine Island Golf Tour was extended to Mount Desert Island, Maine this weekend. With Akadia National Park as a backdrop:



and the quaint shops and restaurants of Bar Harbor for apres-golf activities:



This was a trip with special promise.

Courses included:

Kebo Valley Golf Club - 1888

Northeast Harbor Golf Club - 1895

Causeway Club - 1920

There is no great golf in Maine in terms of Doak Scale, but in terms of "Vibe" it really is a special place for golf.

While Kebo offered up perfect conditioning, especially on the greens:



there are places that offer up the rough and wild look that you expect from courses built in another era:



The manufactured areas of the courses often seem to line up with the mountainous backdrop of Akadia:



Some of the vistas at Northeast Harbor and Kebo go on and on:







Some greens are tucked away behind corners and crevices:





Some small greens at Kebo create some incredible challenge to scoring:



Causeway Club will never be confused for a great golf course, but for a 9 holer at the end of the day before dinner, it is the perfect location:



With many thanks to my Maine Guides, Mr Moore and Hal Phillips:



It was sad to drive back to the mainland this morning and say goodbye to Mount Desert Island:

[Dan Herrmann]

I'm probably heading up to Maine for a vacation this summer.   Other than North Haven, what are some other must-plays?

(We'll be hitting Belgrade Lakes for sure - I've been there twice and really enjoy it.)

[Phil McDade]

Kebo Valley is arguably the second-most famous course of Herbert Leeds, and given that his most famous one (Myopia) can be difficult to access, it probably merits a look. Dates back to the turn of the century (the one before the last turn of the century )

[Brad Tufts]

Hi Dan,

There are lots of options...none truly great, but a ton that are seriously charming.

Penobscot Valley is a Ross in Orono about 80-90m north of Belgrade, a recently reno/resto course that is pretty neat.  Augusta CC is a part Ross private that might be willing to host a private club visitor.  Down towards the coast (and this encompasses a large area), you have from North to South...Grindstone Neck (9), Kebo Valley (really cool), Northeast Harbor is private but might be worth a pro call, Castine (9), Wawenock (9), Samoset (great views, not great golf), Boothbay, then some neat ones in Southern Maine like Webhannet and Cape Arundel.

As you know, it's not a huge state, but it plays big with all the nooks and crannies involved!

Let us know the areas you plan to visit, and we can potentially be more specific...maybe we can wake up Mr. Moore as well...

[Tim Pitner]

According to its website, Bruce Hepner "recently" redesigned Boothbay Harbor Country Club--any reports?

[Brad Tufts]

Hi Tim,


I have not played it since the redo, but it looks much improved, if not over-upscaled.


Looks to me like they are waiting for the moment to go fully-private, which given Maine's economy and relatively low # of fully-private courses, is curious!

[Mike Sweeney]

Looks to me like they are waiting for the moment to go fully-private, which given Maine's economy and relatively low # of fully-private courses, is curious!

BT,


Mr Moore and I just penciled in a late late October trip, let figure out a date.

[Kevin Mendik]

There's a good reason Bob and I chose North Haven Island to grace the cover of The Life and Work of Wayne Stiles; its a wonderful and authentic Stiles course, complete with a cove par 3. He also did another next to the ferry landing on Great Chebeague Island, which I was informed of after the book's publication. Documents are up on the Stiles website www.waynestilessociety.org. Another wonderful cove par 3 is at Blue Hill. Don't miss Wawenock (Stiles), Blink Bonnie and Grindstone Neck if you venture that far east. All worth a visit in their own right.

[Anthony Butler]

I'm staying in Camden, ME for a couple of days next week and - inspired by Michael Moore's initial travelogue - then considering the very reasonable Maine DOT ferry rates, I've decided to take a day trip to North Haven Golf Club on Thursday, August 1st.

If any other GCAer finds themselves  'Down East' next week they are welcome to join me for nine holes.. If you need transport on the island, I'll be taking my car over for the day accompanied by my wife and Vizsla, so we have a spare seat (or two if you don't mind a dog sitting on your lap.)  I think a return ticket on the ferry is about $11. Ferry leaves from the Rockland Terminal at 9;30am.

Would love a recommendation on another nine holer within 30 mins drive of Camden.

[Tim Pitner]

Hi Tim,


I have not played it since the redo, but it looks much improved, if not over-upscaled.


Looks to me like they are waiting for the moment to go fully-private, which given Maine's economy and relatively low # of fully-private courses, is curious!

I enjoyed Boothbay, it's worth playing. It doesn't have much Maine character though. It's thoroughly modern and neither quaint nor quirky. Over-upscaled is probably an accurate description. 

[Mike Sweeney]

Would love a recommendation on another nine holer within 30 mins drive of Camden.

Wawenock is probably 45 minutes from Camden, and it is 100% Maine 9holer by Stiles - https://wawenockgolfclub.com

I did not play golf last week, but we visited a friend in the area and Pemaquid Point Lighthouse is on the same peninsula for the wifey and dog. My guess is they would enjoy it too, with the standard lobster shacks in the area too:

[PCCraig]

Would love a recommendation on another nine holer within 30 mins drive of Camden.

Wawenock is probably 45 minutes from Camden, and it is 100% Maine 9holer by Stiles - https://wawenockgolfclub.com

I did not play golf last week, but we visited a friend in the area and Pemaquid Point Lighthouse is on the same peninsula for the wifey and dog. My guess is they would enjoy it too, with the standard lobster shacks in the area too:

I was just in Camden. I played Wawenock and liked it, however the course just down the road in Megunticook CC is much more interesting. Private but a polite phone call may score you a tee time. A terrific little 9-holer on the ocean, with a few blind shots and a rocky setting. A can't miss if you can get on.

[Anthony Butler]

Mike/Pat,


Thanks for your suggestions... I'd like to think I will get out for more than nine holes while I'm in Maine, but since our day trip to North Haven involved more negotiations than the Camp David Accords, I'm not optimistic.


I did get a return phone call from North Haven Golf Club this morning.. According to the gentleman on the other end of the line, the first tee is only "Two par 4's from the ferry terminal" so we're going to leave the car in Rockland.


The odds of reserving a same day return trip for your car on the North Haven ferry in July/August are apparently the same as winning the Master's ticket lottery.