June, 2014
Southern and Mid-Coast Maine, less than a two hour drive from Boston, offers scenic shoreline, sandy beaches, lodging worthy of a sea captain and golf courses that would please a captain of industry
Leading the pack is a trio of fine new courses. The Ledges, in York, designed by the Maine-based architect Brad Booth, is a rugged 6,981-yard course carved from birch forest (207/262-8256; www.ledgesgolf.com). The link at Outlook, in nearby South Berwick, is a 6,500-yard Brian Silba design (207/384-4653; www.outlookgolf.com). And Dunegrass Golf Club, in Old Orchard Beach (800/521-1029; www.unegrass.com), laid out by North Carolina-based architect Dan Maples, wears its Carolina-feel well, with tall pines lining pristine fairways. The elder statesman in the area is Cape Arundel Golf CLub, in Kennebunkport, established in 1897 and counting among its devotees former President George H. W. Bush (207/967-2222; www.capearundel.com).
The historic village of Kennebunkport, with its collection of period mansions that have been restored and converted into splendid inns and bed-and-breakfasts, makes an ideal base for exploring the area. The 1802 House (800/932-5632; www.1802inn.com) is a delightful farmhouse nestled along the 15th fairway of Cape Arundel. Other comfortable inns include The Captain Jefferds Inn (800/839-6844; www.captainjefferdsinn.com) and the luxurious White Barn Inn (207/967-2321; www/whitebarninn.com), which has lodged travelers since the 1800s. Th White Barn’s restaurant enjoys a well-deserved reputation for its imaginative New England cuisines, and the whine list is the equal of any in Manhattan or San Francisco.
After visiting the Kennebunkport area, head north to Portland, Maine’s biggest city and home to a well-preservd historic waterfront. Just outside the downtown and minutes from the main shopping distract are two of the best layouts in the state. Sable Oaks, designed by Geoffrey Cornish and Brian Silva, has a tournament tought slope of 138 from the tips, and target golf is the order of the day (207/775-6257; www.sableoaks-golf.com). The nearby 6,300-yard Nonesuch River Golf Club, built in 1997 and designed by Florida architect Tom Walker, incorporates both links-style holes and woodland holes, and position off the tee is essential (207/883-0007; www.nonesuchgolf.com).
About 80 miles further up Route 1, overlooking a stunning stretch of rocky Atlantic shoreline sits the Samoset, the top golf resort in Maine. (207/593-1589; www.samoset.com). The Samoset Golf Club, traversing from the sea to the woods, has been polished through recent upgrades by Brad Booth, and this gem shines most brightly under the smoky pink sunlight of a Maine sunrise.
