Representative image Photo: ristok from Helsinki, Finland · CC BY-SA 2.0
Maidstone Club
East Hampton, New York, United States
27 Holes · Private club — no published green fee; play is by member invitation · Coastal
— About
About Maidstone Club
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Maidstone Club occupies a strip of dune land in East Hampton, New York, on the Atlantic side of Long Island near Hook Pond. The club was founded in 1891 as a summer retreat for wealthy New Yorkers, and golf followed in the 1890s with a rudimentary seven-hole layout that reached eighteen holes by 1899. The foundation of the course played today dates to the 1920s. After the club bought about 80 acres of dunes on the Gardiner Peninsula, Willie Park Jr. and his brother Jack designed a much larger course across the new ground. Sandy soil and dunes by the ocean shape every round. For a time Maidstone had two 18-hole courses. The hurricane of 1938 changed that, and the club now has 27 holes. In 2012 Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw restored the layout, and much of their work went into the bunkering. The clubhouse was designed by Roger Bullard. Caddies are available. Maidstone is a private club with a long-standing social vetting process, so the practical way onto the course is an invitation from a member. There are no public tee times and no published green fee.
- The club was founded in 1891 as a summer retreat for wealthy New Yorkers and reached its first 18 holes in 1899.
- The club bought about 80 acres of dunes on the Gardiner Peninsula, where Willie Park Jr. and his brother Jack laid out the larger course.
- The 1938 hurricane cut Maidstone from two 18-hole courses to the 27 holes it has today.
- Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw restored the course in 2012, and much of that work went into the bunkers.
- The course sits on a sandy strip of dunes in East Hampton, beside Hook Pond and the Atlantic Ocean.
History of Maidstone Club
Maidstone was founded in 1891 by well-to-do New Yorkers who summered in East Hampton. Golf arrived in the 1890s, first as a rudimentary seven-hole course and then as eighteen holes by 1899. Seth Raynor drew up re-design plans in 1921, but the larger change came when the club bought roughly 80 acres of dunes on the Gardiner Peninsula. Willie Park Jr. and his brother Jack designed the new course on that ground. For a time the club offered two 18-hole courses. That ended with the hurricane of 1938, which left the 27 holes in use today. Perry Maxwell carried out renovations on the course in 1939. In 2012 Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw carried out a restoration, and Roger Bullard's clubhouse remains the club's architectural anchor.
Signature holes at Maidstone Club
Maidstone's main 18-hole course is a routing where sandy ground and dunes matter more than any one gimmick. Writers who have played it tend to name the 14th and 17th on the back nine when they talk about the round. Elsewhere the course crosses sand dunes by the ocean, and the bunkering is a large part of the test, which is why Coore and Crenshaw spent so much of their 2012 restoration on it. With 27 holes on the property, ask your host which holes make up the round you will play.
When to play Maidstone Club
Maidstone began in 1891 as a summer retreat, so summer is the season the club was built around. Because Maidstone is private, the practical question is not when to go but whether a member has invited you. There are no public tee times and no published green fee, so plan around your host's schedule rather than the calendar. Ask your host about dress, arrival time and caddie arrangements before you travel.
Playing Maidstone Club: tips
Maidstone is a private members' club, and there is no public or unaccompanied play. You will need to be a member's guest, and it is best to ask your host about dress, arrival time and how to arrange a caddie. Caddies are available at the club. The club sits in East Hampton on Long Island, with Hook Pond and the Atlantic Ocean beside the course. Ask your host about the 14th and 17th holes, which writers single out, and about which holes make up your round.
— Facilities
Practical Information
— FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions about Maidstone Club
Can the public play Maidstone Club?
No. Maidstone is a private club and there are no public tee times or green fees. The only route onto the course is as the guest of a member, arranged through the member.
How many holes does Maidstone have?
Maidstone has 27 holes. It once had two 18-hole courses, but the hurricane of 1938 reduced the club to the 27-hole configuration that it has today.
Who designed Maidstone's course?
Willie Park Jr. and his brother Jack designed the course on the dune land the club bought on the Gardiner Peninsula. Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw restored it in 2012.
Are caddies available at Maidstone?
Yes, caddies are available at the club. Guests should confirm caddie arrangements with their host before arriving, since the club publishes no visitor guidance for outside players.