Birdie

Belgrade Lakes Golf Club is not only one of the most beautiful courses in the United States, but also one steeped in history. What started as a place for factories due to the water power generated by the area’s many lakes and ponds, quickly developed into a tourist resort of fishing, boating and lakeside cottages once the railroad arrived. The Belgrade Hotel, designed by renowned Portland architect John Calvin Stevens, served as the hub of the area, and played host to many writers, including E.B. White and Ernest Thompson. The latter’s sojourns at Great Pond inspired his 1979 play On Golden Pond, which was made into the Academy Award–winning 1981 movie by the same name.

Opened to the public in 1998, Belgrade Lakes Golf Club provides travelers with yet another reason to visit the region. The course has quickly become the gold standard for golf courses in the northeast, even securing a coveted a No. 1 state ranking (2009) and five-star ranking (2002) by Golf Digest, the latter of which places it in the same category as Pebble Beach, Pinehurst No. 2 and the Black Course at Bethpage. A majestic mountaintop course, it is laid out on a 240-acre swath of land and is the brainchild of the late Harold Alfond, a brilliant businessman and benevolent philanthropist best known for founding the Dexter Shoe Company and creating the concept of the factory outlet store.

Belgrade Lakes was designed by Clive Clark, a golf course architect who at the time was widely known in Europe as a master at his craft, but had yet to sink his teeth into a project in the States. It’s safe to say that Clark’s first attempt has been wildly successful, even helping him secure the title of one of Golf World’s “25 Hottest Architects of the Year” in 2001. The course naturally fits the landscape, brilliantly flowing along the rocky contours of the property. And, although the course features bold elevation shifts, players enjoy mostly level or downhill approach shots into the undulating greens.

Brilliantly colored stands of timber alongside white granite boulders line many of the rolling fairways at Belgrade Lakes, which features a rating of 72.2 and a slope rating of 135. The course, which runs a challenging 6,723 yards from the back tees, is much kinder from the front tees and has been praised by female golfers for being very fair. What’s more, course management continues to make improvements to the course each summer, including new and improved tee boxes and greens on several holes.

The rustic vistas of woods and lakes of the Par-71 course commence immediately with the 1st hole, a 430-yard Par 4 that features an elevated tee box with the lakes painting a beautiful backdrop. Due to the elevation, the hole plays much shorter and boasts an oversized fairway to assist golfers in getting off to a clean start.

But a brief look at the course’s layout would not be complete without touching on both homeward holes: 9 and 18. Running parallel, the two Par 4s play 439 and 400 yards respectively. The 9th hole consistently ranks as many golfers’ favorite hole on the front nine and its extremely challenging layout twists between rocks along the left, and trees along the right. Because of the hole’s length and location, golfers must beware of a prevailing left-to-right wind on their second shot.

Golfers who hit the fairway on the 18th are rewarded with spectacular views on the right of the lakes, trees and mountains. Although the fairway is relatively wide, an errant shot—particularly to the right—can ruin a scorecard. The downhill approach to the green is a welcome sight to golfers as they close out their round.

But what joins these holes is the sprawling 20,000-square-foot double green with the clubhouse perched some 100 feet above providing a magnificent backdrop¬—a golfers paradise to say the least.

In addition to its challenging layout and beautiful vistas, Belgrade Lakes Golf Club takes pride in providing superior service to all guests. Several amenities that make the course truly special and a must-visit destination also exist. Very much walkable, even with its elevation changes, Belgrade Lakes provides ample time in between each tee time (12-15 minutes) and all players have access to caddies equipped with GPS range finders. To reserve a caddy, golfers must simply call ahead to reserve. The course also provides access to pull carts and electric golf carts as needed.

When it comes to travel amenities for guests arriving at the course, Belgrade Lakes Golf Club provides visitors with multiple options, depending on their mode of transportation. Valet parking and shuttle service are available to those who arrive by car, and slips are available for guests arriving by boat or seaplane. Those arriving via helicopter have access to a landing pad able to accommodate a helicopter up to the size of an EC-155B. Guests are asked to call 207-495-4653 to secure permission to land.

Finally, for golfers looking to make their trip to the region¬ a golfing getaway, Belgrade Lakes and Sugarloaf Golf Club, a highly acclaimed course located just one hour away, have entered into a stay-and-play arrangement. Through this partnership, visitors can play each course on consecutive days and spend the night at Sugarloaf USA, which features exceptional lodging and dining. To round out the stay, The Maine Golf & Tennis Academy (golfcamp.com) provides access to top golf school instructors and the latest and most sophisticated training available.

So, what are you waiting for? If playing one of the nation’s most acclaimed golf courses located in one of the most picturesque regions of the world is on your to-do list, contact Belgrade Lakes Golf Club now to reserve your spot. In-season rates are $125 and golfers looking to reserve a tee time during leaf-peeping season are encouraged to call soon as reservations fill up fast. And who knows, you may just bump into one of the many celebrities who visit the course each year!