Penobscot Valley at Penobscot Valley Country Club

Penobscot Valley Country Club sits in Orono, a small university town in central Maine along the Penobscot River. The course was designed by Donald Ross, the prolific Scottish architect whose work throughout New England in the early twentieth century helped define American golf course architecture. Ross typically routed courses over naturally rolling terrain and incorporated strategic bunkering, elevated greens with subtle contours, and an emphasis on approach shot precision—characteristics that appear throughout his portfolio from Massachusetts to the Carolinas.

The Orono setting places the course in a landscape of moderate elevation changes and mature tree cover typical of inland Maine. The region experiences distinct seasons, with the course playing firm and fast during summer months and closing through the long northern winter. The layout serves a membership drawn largely from the University of Maine community and surrounding towns, giving the club a regional, collegiate-influenced character rather than a resort or destination profile.

Ross designed hundreds of courses during his career, and Penobscot Valley represents his work in a less prominent market compared to his celebrated designs at Pinehurst, Oakland Hills, or Seminole. The course has likely undergone modifications over the decades, as most Ross courses have, though it retains the fundamental routing and design principles he established. The club operates as a traditional member-owned facility, offering golf and social amenities to families in the Bangor-Orono area.