Cape Arundel

The Verdict

Walter Travis was an amateur who won three U.S. Amateurs, then became one of the most influential golf course architects most people have never heard of. Cape Arundel is his signature statement — wildly undulating greens, chocolate-drop mounds guarding fairways, and false fronts that send timid approaches rolling back to your feet. The Bush 41 House sits behind the 4th tee, and George H.W. Bush played here for decades. It still feels like his course.

What to Expect

• Travis greens — wildly contoured, some with 4+ feet of elevation change from front to back. You'll three-putt. Accept it.
• Chocolate-drop mounds — Travis's signature hazard: rounded mounds in the fairway that block sightlines and create blind approaches.
• False fronts — come up short and the ball rolls back to you. Travis's way of telling you to commit.
• The Bush 41 House — Walker's Point sits just off the course. The President and First Lady were regulars. The 4th tee feels like it's in their backyard.

Scorecard

Logistics

Private club. Guest access through member introduction. Kennebunkport in summer is worth the trip on its own. Pair with a lobster roll and a walk through town.

← Back to All Courses