Maidstone Club---Easthampton, NY
Ratings as of 10/23/2010…
37th best US course, 65th best course in the world (Golf Magazine)
31st best classic US course (Golfweek)
86th best US course, 11th best course in NY (Golf Digest)
Maidstone is one of the “Old Guard” courses. It was founded in 1891 and the course was designed by Willie Park,
Jr. It is located on the very eastern tip of Long Island and the course itself is a “Unanimous Gem.” It seems all the
golf course rating entities regard Maidstone as the best of the best.
Frankly, I don’t know if I agree. I know people will think I am off my rocker, but really…the best in the world? I
simply don’t know about that. It is good…VERY good…I’d love to play this course day in and day out…it is fun, it is
pretty easy, and it is beautiful. But it simply has too many issues to be regarded among the greatest courses in the
entire world.
For starters, the opening holes at Maidstone are very awkwardly routed. You tee off right by the road that leads
around the clubhouse. This is a bit distracting and doesn’t lend itself to the isolated serenity that I seek in “great”
courses. But the hole itself is solid and the type of opening hole I like, not too demanding with an interesting green
complex.
Finishing hole one, you have to wait for traffic to clear a fairly busy road before you cross to the second tee box.
As you tee it up, cars will be whizzing by and again you do not have the peaceful, “get away from it all” feeling that I
cherish in a golf course. Upon finishing two, you cross that same busy road again and you are off to hole #3. That
is the last time you cross that road and you, in fact, are heading towards the spectacular part of the golf course.
But you are not there yet.
Hole 6 finally gives you a taste of the greatness that Maidstone has to offer with its truly phenomenal green. I call
this a “Case of Beer” green as I could take a case of beer and a few friends out there on any given night and simply
hit putt after putt and we could enjoy ourselves for hours. Frankly, one of the best greens I’ve ever seen.
Once you make it to hole #8, you are there. This is where the magic of Maidstone comes alive. 8 is a wonderful
semi-blind par 3 that plays right into the dunes. This is where the golf course begins to show why it is regards as
amazing.
Then comes hole 9. A truly world class par 4 that plays down through the dunes and requires sharp and precise
golf shots and a cool calculating brain.
This magical dune run at Maidstone last for quite some time and when you reach the 14th tee box and look around,
you will be stunned. The beauty is intense and the great golf holes seem to all come to a head here as you can
see them all.
I suppose I’d call Maidstone a slow starter with a mundane finish. But the middle/meat of the course is as good as
golf gets. But again, to me that isn’t the sign of a “great” course. Rather that is the sign of a good course that is a
ton of fun to play. Maybe I am off my rocker, I’ll leave that for each individual golfer to decide. Play Maidstone, you
will have fun, and you can make up your own mind if it is good or great.
From the tips, it measures 6,423 and is rated 71.9/133.