Golfing at Province Lake is a scenic outing

By Sean Fitzpatrick

The Conway Daily Sun 

- Golf is a strange game. Whether it's the physical or mental woes that plague or glorify us, seldom is a perfect round achieved in a golfer's own mind. Sometimes, very rarely, but sometimes, none of it matters. The mis-hits, blown putts, and lost balls don't matter. It sounds crazy, but it happens.

I know the former all too well, trust me. But there is hope. I know, because I experienced it. I played golf in an environment so serene and tranquil that not even my worst shots affected me. I've driven by it for about 10 years on miscellaneous vacations to North Conway, and after getting a chance to play on it, realized I waited about 10 years too long. 

I'm talking about Province Lake Golf Course in Parsonsfield, Maine (http://www.provincelakegolf.com/). It's about 35 minutes south of Conway on scenic Route 153. You'll snake around Crystal Lake, past the beautiful Purity Spring Resort and through Freedom and Effingham. The whole day, from the drive to the golf, is filled with rustic charm. It's probably the calmest I've been around a course lately, thus proving that golf is cheaper than therapy; especially a trip to Province Lake.

From the moment I got out of the car, I was blown away by the layout and sheer beauty of the clubhouse and Mulligan's restaurant. Overlooking the seventh tee are two cottages where you can "stay and play" from one night to a full week. Each cottage has full bedrooms, kitchens, dining areas, living rooms, and patio deck that overlook the course. If that weren't enough, you can walk to the lakeside beach or jump in your golf cart (included) with a cup of coffee and hit the course before anyone. There are a couple of beautifully manicured putting greens as well as a full driving range located within earshot of a fully-stocked pro-shop, making Province Lake a nice mix of form and function. 

They even have a day-care facility named the Birdie's Nest where you can leave the kids ($4/hour) while you enjoy a breathtaking front nine that cascades around one side of the lake, followed by a challenging back nine through the woods. 

One can easily tell that every detail was taken care of when designing Province Lake. Course superintendent Michael Foster takes pride in the course's aesthetic beauty and is working hard to improve the course's already challenging layout. Foster hopes to extend the course to 6400 yards (from 6277) with the moving of a couple tee boxes. The most notable renovation when I visited was the 40-yard extension to the already intimidating par-4, 17th hole. A dogleg left with a blind tee shot and pond that guards the left side of the green, the 17th at Province Lake alone makes it worth the voyage. 

I wish I had more room on these pages to write about each hole in detail, but that wouldn't even come close to doing it justice. Province Lake eases you into your round with an opening par 4 in which the lake provides the backdrop for a stunning vista. Holes two through five are pretty nonchalant, letting you feel out your game with minor nuisances to keep you focused before the challenge really sets in. Hole six, aptly named "Lakeside" is a monster of a par five that Province Lake borders to the right the whole way. Your drive and second shot are blind as it makes its way over two decent sized hills. After that you meander through the woods bordered by birch, maple, and oak trees. It's so well designed a course that I played until the sun went down (29 holes later!) Not only was the course in great shape, the courtesy of the greenskeepers was something I found amazing, yet nerve wracking. Every time a grounds member noticed a player, they shut off their equipment or stopped what they're doing to pay respect to the players. Personally, I was just glad they didn't laugh after they witnessed what they were stopping for.

Whenever I'm visiting a new course, I like to bring a couple golfers of mixed abilities so that I can get the best feedback. That way, you can find a course that fits your ability, budget, and personality. I don't believe everyone plays for the competitive aspect, so it's nice to know which courses offer scenery versus playability. With Province Lake, there are no sacrifices. With five tees on each hole, the course can play around 2,000 yards for a child to the aforementioned 6,277 yards for the experienced player. Take your shot at the course record, which is par (71) from the tips. Province Lake was also named the number one rated woman-friendly course in New England by Golf Digest's 2005, 2006 and 2007 Golf for Women magazine. Golfing at Province Lake on such a gorgeous day was quite an experience. Even if it hadn't been a 50-center though, the result would've have been the same. I still would've fallen in love with the lady Province Lake. For more information, visit their new Web site at http://www.provincelakegolf.comwww.provincelakegolf.com/.

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Sean Fitzpatrick of RSN TV16 and Delaney's has been hacking up courses from Florida to Maine for as long as he can remember. He may be reached at (508) 737-3720 or via email to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .