Courtesy of the club
Courtesy of the club
LC Lambrecht
Courtesy of the club
LC Lambrecht
LC Lambrecht
LC Lambrecht
Courtesy of Maidstone Club
Courtesy of Maidstone Club
Picasa
Courtesy of the club
Overview
Not only one of America’s earliest links courses, Maidstone is also one of the country’s earliest golf residential communities. Legend has it that Bobby Jones felt that Maidstone’s final three holes made it one of the great match-play courses in America. If so, that’s because the 17th has one of the tightest greensites in America, the green sitting just in front of a major street intersection, with roads right and left less than 12 paces off each collar. As befitting a seaside course, Coore and Crenshaw cleared out brush and restored many sand dunes areas and removed turf in some spots of rough to expose the sand beneath, while shaper Jeff Bradley returned the jagged, windswept edges to the bunkers. The result: ensuring Maidstone Club remains one of the greatest courses in the U.S.—a standout even in golf-rich Long Island.
About
Awards
Ranking history:
100 Greatest: Ranked since 1969.
2023-'24 ranking: 52nd.
Previous Ranking: 64th.
Highest Ranking: 34th, 1997-1998.
Best in State: Ranked Top 10 in New York from 1983-2007; Top 15 since 2009. 2023-'24 ranking: 9th.
Previous ranking: 12th.
Panelists
Ratings from our panel of 1,900 course-ranking panelists
100 GREATEST/BEST IN STATE SCORES
Shot Options
Character
Challenge
Layout Variety
Fun
Aesthetics
Conditioning
Reviews
Review
“A day of golf you will never forget"
Read More2024
Review
“Exceptional golf experience along the coast. Fantastic routing with some of the most beautifully contoured and strategic greens I have encountered."
Read More2024
Review
“Exclusive Classic Era golf course carefully preserved and expertly maintain to highlight its architecture. Well-bunkered, numerous ponds, the Atlantic Ocean adjacent to a few holes, sand dunes, native vegetation await the errant shot. Excellent variety of holes on a mostly flat site. Challenging without being overbearing. A course where FUN rules!"
Read More2023
Review
“Scenic Willie Park, Jr. design on the east side of Long Island. This Golden Age classic offers great views throughout but the ocean adjacent holes in the dunes are the stars of the show. The course has a wonderful set of short holes. Private course, but if offered the opportunity, make sure you make every effort to play it."
Read More2023
Review
“If you find yourself with an elusive invite to Maidstone you will not be disappointed. Stunning piece of propoerty right on the southern coastline of Long Island, not too far from other standouts such as Shinnecock Hills, National, and Sebonack. The golf course is spectacular, and you can easily see the gentle touch of Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, while retaining the strategy and charm of the classic Willie Park design. The 14th is one of the best par 3s in the U.S."
Read More2023
Review
“A wonderful walk by the ocean! The hole layout makes for an easy and enjoyable walking round. Not long by modern standards, but that just serves to make you think off of the tee box, rather than reflexively take your driver to every tee box. Green complexes are interesting, fun, and fair."
Read More2023
Review
“One of the best walks in golf. Phenomenal green complexes and great mix of short, medium, and longish holes. Easily walkable course that can play very different depending on wind, tee, and pin locations."
Read More2023
Review
“Maidstone offers an overall great experience, with a course that offers a unique links style and an ocean side venue that adds to the fun. The course starts a little "ordinary" but the golfer is in for a treat in the middle section, with a blind Par 3 (#8), forced carries over the tributary, an incredibly deep greenside bunker tucked in the dunes (#9), and an ocean side tee box (#10). The greens are fast and the contouring makes the accuracy of the approach a must."
Read More2023
Review
“One-of-a-kind classic American seaside golf course with outstanding architectural features"
Read More2023
Review
“This is an exceptional course - no argument. But the feel was off. Some courses are filled with friendly members and staff who are welcoming to all guests, but that wasn't the case here. Maybe it was just an off day all around. I'd love to visit again and see if I have a different experience."
Read More2022
