
Poland Spring Course
The Links at Poland Spring




About this course
The Links at Poland Spring occupies a distinctive place in American golf history as one of the early resort courses in New England. Situated in the hills of western Maine, the course served the Poland Spring House, a grand hotel that drew visitors to the area's natural spring waters in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The course evolved through contributions from several notable architects of the era: Arthur Fenn laid out the original nine holes in 1896, making it one of Maine's oldest courses, while Alex Findlay, Walter Travis, and Donald Ross each made subsequent modifications and additions during the resort's peak years. The routing takes advantage of rolling terrain characteristic of Maine's interior landscape, with elevation changes and views across the surrounding countryside. The course reflects design principles from golf's formative American period, when architects were adapting Scottish links concepts to inland settings. Ross's involvement, likely in the 1910s or 1920s, brought his characteristic strategic bunkering and green contouring to several holes. The Poland Spring resort declined in the mid-20th century, and the course's prominence faded accordingly. The property has undergone various ownership changes over the decades. While it no longer operates as part of a grand resort destination, the course remains as a testament to Maine's early golf heritage and the collaborative work of several architects who helped establish American golf course design as a profession.
Rankings
Ranked by CV ratings from golfers who've played this course. Positions are shown worldwide, by country, and by state; the Public column compares courses anyone can play.
Best in World
Best in USA
Best in ME
Quick facts
- Location
- Poland Spring, ME, USA
- Access
- Public
- Year built
- 1895
- Holes
- 18
- Designer(s)
- Arthur Fenn, Donald Ross, Walter Travis, Alex Findlay
- Par
- 71
- Length
- 6,156 yards
- Difficulty
- 69.3/120
- Course Vaults score
- 7.1
Getting there
The journey to The Links at Poland Spring begins at Portland International Jetport, roughly forty-five minutes to the southwest, where the drive north trades coastal proximity for the rolling, forested interior of western Maine. The route winds through small mill towns and past glacial lakes, the landscape growing quieter and more pastoral as you climb into the foothills that cradle this historic resort enclave. Poland Spring itself has long been synonymous with restorative retreat - first as a 19th-century spa destination, now as home to a classic Donald Ross design - and the final approach along tree-canopied country roads feels less like arrival than gentle withdrawal from the everyday world.

FAQ
Common questions about Poland Spring
Ratings, design, and course details pulled from Course Vaults.
Poland Spring has a Course Vaults score of 7.1 out of 10 based on 13 logged golfers.
Poland Spring was designed by Arthur Fenn, Donald Ross, Walter Travis, and Alex Findlay.
Yes. Poland Spring is listed as welcoming public or guest play on Course Vaults.
Par at Poland Spring is 71.
Poland Spring plays 6,156 yards from the back tees on Course Vaults.
The slope rating at Poland Spring is 120.



