Ranked the 7th most beautiful in America by Golf Digest. The Samoset golf course has been rated by my golfing buddies as one of the top five courses in the state of Maine. They include it with the likes of Sugarloaf, Boothbay Country Club, Belgrade Country Club, and Point Sebago. What sets it apart from these other excellent courses is the unmatched and unsurpassed views on nearly every hole of the landscape and Atlantic Ocean. The course is always groomed to perfection which is evident when you tee off on the first hole until you putt in on the 18th. The course was chosen to host the 2002 PGA Junior Event on the courses 100 year anniversary. Before you start your round, practice for free on their full length driving range or multi terraced 10,000sq. ft. putting green.

Their phone number is 207 594-1431 and for tee times call 207 593-1511

Greens fees including cart for 18 holes are:

$70 from Opening to June 4th,

$105 from June 5th to September 24th

$75 from September 25th to Closing.

These fees apply to people staying at the resort, slightly higher fees apply to off property golfers.

They have several ESPN golf schools scheduled throughout the summer.

Hole by Hole Description

Hole #1 Par 4 360 yards

This hole is a tester right from the start. As intimidating as it looks with a pond on the right side and a tree line running the entire left side, a well placed long iron off the tee leaves you with 150-175 yards out from the downward sloping green. The green is protected by flanking sand bunkers and a small stream short of the green which swallows any weak shots and prevents you from rolling one up to the pin. The back of the green is surrounded by pine trees giving golfers a good feel of depth perception on their approach shots and putts.

Hole #2 Par 4 388 yards

The par four second hole allows a golfer to let one fly with the driver. Aim just left of the large oak tree on the right side of the fairway. Long hitters will be several yards beyond the hardwood leaving a short pitch shot in and short hitters will have a short or medium iron in. Anything past the cart path leaves a shot under 170 yards to the severely sloping green. This green is guarded by three sand bunkers in front of the pin encased with high sea grass and a long narrow bunker sits behind the green waiting to swallow balls from golfers scared of the front three. The ocean runs the left side of this hole offering great views and smells.

Hole #3 Par 3 190 Yards My Signature Hole

This hole is what I consider their signature hole because of its combined beauty and difficulty. It is one of the most difficult holes I have played anywhere. It is a long par three forcing club selection to the forefront. It is just around 200 yards, uphill and over the ocean. Steep cliffs separate the two holed green from the ocean. Anything left off this tee is swimming with the fishies and anything right will be dry but not always good. Three sand bunkers protect the front of the green along with several trees on the right bail out side. The wind is always a factor on this hole which usually knocks balls down into the ocean, make sure you take enough club, but not too much or you could go over the back edge and into the ocean there. One tough hole.

Hole #4 Par 5 481 Yards Courses Signature hole

Samoset considers this hole their signature hole. You will not find one more beautiful or representative of Maine’s rugged coast than this 500 yard par five. Hitting from an elevated tee box along the ocean, you must keep your drive straight or right, anything left is in the sea grass or the sea. Once you turn the dogleg towards the hole you are shooting directly towards the middle of the sea with Rockland’s famous breakwater Lighthouse running away from the hole. Following protocol, bunkers guard the front of the multi-leveled green while a cliff to the ocean guards the left and rear.

Hole #5 Par 3 165 Yards

Finally a golfer is given a small break with this hole and has time to teak a breath of the fresh ocean air. This par three is uphill and towards the Samoset’s famous resort. Anything long is good on this hole but short will land you in the tall grass or sand bunkers. Make sure to score on this hole because they don’t get any easier than this one.

Hole #6 Par 4 380 Yards

This par 4 brings you back to the great or horrible memories from the third green as it shares the green with the difficult third hole. Let one fly with the driver and chip uphill to this huge green. The hole is open and forgiving on a bad drive but a will take a nice iron or chip shot to score on this hole.

Hole #7 Par 3 176 yards

This hole is another difficult par 3. No one ever seems to bring enough club on this uphill hole. They might be afraid of hitting too far into the open dining area where folks are dining and enjoying watching you struggle to finish this hole. The green slopes toward the tee area severely.

Hole #8 Par 4 330 Yards

The par 4 eight offers long hitters the chance to go to the pin with a slight draw for right handers around the tall oak trees and the resort. At 330 yards it is reachable but a risk because anything short will roll across the cart path into a stream. Any decent drive straight down the fairway will leave about 100 yards in to a down sloping green protected on each flank by sand bunkers. This seems to be one of the easier par 4s on the course.

Hole #9 Par 4 312 Yards

Depending on where you tee off from this hole can be easy or difficult. Anyone with a water complex will hope the tee off area is not behind the pond where it sometimes is. If there a drive will have to carry the length of the pond and over the centered pond fountain. The green is reachable with a nice drive at an uphill 312 yards. This is a nice hole to finish up the front nine on because it is easier than most if you can get past the pond.

Hole #10 Par 4 338Yards

Away from the ocean the resort still manages to bring water into the equation with a fairly large pond guarding the severely sloped green on this par four tenth hole. A well placed tee shot landed somewhere near the lone fairway birch leaves a golfer with a nice 100 yard approach shot. Aim for the back of the green as it slopes toward the pond and anything short will be nothing short of being wet! A nice way to start the back nine would be a par on this hole.

Hole #11 Par 3 120 Yards

This hole is picturesque and is the first hole you see when entering the resort by motor vehicle. A very short par three, but you still need to clear the pond. Anything close to the pond will die off in the thick rough, be careful around the edges of this green as some sides have a severe slope. The large green slopes from left to right.

Hole # 12 Par 5 494Yards

This hole is extremely difficult. It encompasses an extreme dogleg left. Your second shot will need to travel more than your first in order to score on this hole. A tee shot iron to a safe landing area will be a wise choice on this hole. Just make sure you carry enough distance to make the corner of the dogleg setting yourself up for a tight second shot as the oak trees run each side of the fairway seemingly getting narrower towards the hole. A flat fairway leads to a bumpy and hilly fringe area with the standard Samoset sand bunkers guarding the green. Not much room on this green for error so make sure your approach shot lands softly on the green for the thick rough around the edges makes for a very difficult chip.

Hole # 13 Par 3 190 Yards

Carrying this tee shot over water is a must, you must be able to carry at least 175 in the air or your ball will join the many others on the bottom of the pond. The first four holes on the back nine are more wooded and away from the ocean than the entire first nine and this hole is no exception. A good tee shot on this hole makes all the difference in the world. A very large green and mostly flat as well invites golfers to go for it!

Hole # 14 Par 5 500 Yards

This hole offers a blind tee shot, golfers should attempt to reach the top of the hill in view allowing the ball extra carry down the sloped fairway leading towards the ocean edge green. After a nice tee shot the hole still appears to be a mile away as you stare at the vast ocean behind directly behind the pin. The fairway tightens up as well but this hole offers golfers a feature unlike any other hole on the course, a chance to roll the ball onto the green. There is a steep downhill ravine just in front of the green that is mowed very short. Be very careful on this green for it slopes quickly off the back side towards the ocean.

Hole # 15 Par 4 355 Yards

Running parallel to the ocean, this hole is a straight shot to the green. The ocean runs the entire left side. Lobster pot buoys are visible along with the lobster boats hauling traps when playing this hole. Woods run the right side so accuracy is key on the 15th. Golfers should take every advantage to score on this hole. Don’t be distracted by Samoset’s famous Flume cottage which appears to be hovering over the ocean on this hole.

Hole # 16 Par 4 375 Yards

A nice tee shot is a must for this dogleg left hole. Even after a nice drive golfers face a tough second shot into a narrow sloping green guarded by bunkers and hills with thick rough.

Hole #17 Par 4 400 Yards

Another blind tee shot from a wooded tee box, the 17th is a fairly easy hole comparatively on this course. Aim to the left side of the large fairway boulders in view from the tee box and let it fly. A down hill hole, the second shot leaves golfers with a full view of the pin and green, Be short rather than long as the tight fringe extends several feet into the fairway before the green. Plenty of ups and down on this green, take careful consideration of pin placement on this hole.

Hole # 18 Par 4 446 Yards

What more could you expect from this golf course other than a fabulous and challenging finishing hole? Accuracy off the tee is a must with fairway bunkers lining the tight fairway, a tree line on the left and scattered hardwood trees on the right. A second shot must be contemplated with a tighter fairway in front of a pond which guards the green, along with the customary sand bunkers. This hole has a little bit of everything, sand, water, trees hills, a rock wall, a tiered green and a pond, all adding up to a challenging hole, have fun with this one.

Samoset had this to say: Begin your golf vacation with a course offering breathtaking ocean vistas and complete your round on one of the most challenging finishing holes in New England. With the completion of our 474 yard, par four 18th the Samoset Resort continues to be ranked one of New England's premier resort golf destinations and was chosen as the site of the 2002 PGA Junior Series Event, the first time this event has ever been held in New England. In 2002, the Samoset Resort Golf Club celebrated 100 years of golf.

Samoset's 18-hole championship golf course will delight both the serious and recreational player. The course meanders along the coast and through the woods, boasting seven oceanside holes and ocean vistas from 14 holes. The golf complex includes a clubhouse with an indoor/outdoor grille, golf range, practice green and bunker and private or group instruction.

Samoset Resort Golf Club has been named by Golf Digest as the "Top Ranked Resort Golf Course in New England," and also was the magazine's choice as the No. 52 "Best Upscale Golf Course in the U.S." Designed by Robert Elder in 1902, Samoset Resort celebrated its centennial year in 2002. The course features some of the most spectacular views of Penobscot Bay, with a granite seawall separating the golfer from the Atlantic Ocean. Samoset Resort was host to the 2001 New England PGA Section Championship and was a qualifying event on the former Nike Tour. Recent upgrades by Maine architect Bradley Booth have strengthened the resort's reputation of having a premier championship layout.

In addition to the new 18th, the par-five 4th, Samoset's legendary signature hole that plays alongside Penobscot Bay, has undergone extensive enhancements to the green and surrounding area. The hole now boasts an impressive stone seawall that encompasses the contoured green with added bunkers and elevation. Coupled with the redesigned 185-yard par-three 5th hole (formally a par-four), featuring a demanding uphill slope and a tee box located directly above the seawall on Penobscot Bay, playing to a heavily bunkered bank to front sloping green, the golf course has certainly increased its ability to challenge golfers.


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Samoset Golf Course




Recommended: Yes

Green Fees Paid (US$): 100
Speed of Play (typical weekend): 3 to 4 Hours
Look Out For: Water