History of the Northeast Harbor Golf Club

The Northeast Harbor Golf Club is historically significant in part because it is more than 100 years old, and most importantly because two famous architects designed the course. Originally built in 1895 on leased land, the course was first designed by J.G. Thorpe from Massachusetts. Much of the course lay on what was Corson's Farm, with the clubhouse sited approximately where Millbrook and Manchester Roads intersect. Some of the holes lay along Somes Sound, the only fjord on the North American east coast.

 

Eventually, the need for a more permanent location presented itself, and a corporation was formed to acquire property. Designed by Donald Ross, the new 9-hole course opened in 1916. As golf became more and more popular, the corporation offered another stock sale and raised the money to buy more land for an additional 9 holes. Herbert Strong, another prominent architect, designed the second 9, which opened in 1925.

 

At some point during World War II, the president of the Northeast Harbor Golf Club, William Rodman Fay, allowed the second 9 holes to return to nature due to a lack of finances and/or manpower. The holes remained in disuse until the mid-1970s, when six of the 9 were cleaned up. For many years, the course featured only 15 holes. Eventually, the other three holes were restored through the generous donations of some of the summer residents and the hard work of some year-round residents — the 17th hole is dedicated to those who helped restore those holes and allowed the Club to finish the project.

 

About the Logo...

The spruce tree shown on the club's coat of arms and scorecard had its origins in the first ever international match held at Hoy Lake, near Edinburgh, Scotland. This 1682 match was between two English noblemen on one side and the Duke of York and a local shoemaker, John Patersone, on the other. The match, won by the Scotsmen, settled a debate about whether golf originated in England or Scotland. Patersone won enough on the match to purchase a home and placed a coat of arms on the door reading "Far and Sure." That motto appears on the club's logo.
Click here to read more about "Far and Sure."

 

Trivia...

The golf ball pictured, right, was patented April 11, 1899. Originally made by the St. Mungo Golf Company in Glasgow, Scotland, it was later manufactured after the turn of the century in the United States. This ball was found during excavation on the 15th fairway approximately in 1990 by Dennis Smith and donated to the Club.