The best of public-access golf in Maine combines old and new, as well as private club-style amenities with resort accommodations.
Golfweek ranks courses by compiling the average ratings – on a points basis of 1 to 10 – of its more than 750 raters to create several industry-leading lists of courses. That includes the popular Best Courses You Can Play list for courses that allow non-member tee times. These generally are defined as layouts accessible to resort guests or regular daily-fee players.
No. 1 on that list in the Pine Tree State is Boothbay Harbor Country Club (pictured atop this story), which dates back to 1921 with a nine-hole layout designed by Wayne Styles and John Van Kleek. The course was expanded to 18 holes in 1999 and more recently underwent a renovation by Bruce Hepner. The course is open to guests of the accompanying Boothbay Harbor Oceanside Golf Resort, and the club has other accommodations as well.
No. 2 among public-access courses in Maine is the Walter Travis-designed Cape Arundel in Kennebunkport. Founded in 1896, Cape Arundel was among the first 100 golf clubs in the United States. The club’s original layout was redesigned by Travis and opened in 1921.
No. 3 among Maine’s Best Courses You Can Play is Sunday River Golf Club in Newry, followed by No. 4 Belgrade Lakes Golf Club in Belgrade Lakes and No. 5. Ledges Golf Club in York.