Cape Arundel Golf Club
A Walter Travis gem in Kennebunkport, a short, strategic par 69 of small greens and tidal creeks, long the summer course of the Bush family and one of the finest short courses in the country.
Photo: Cape Arundel Golf Club via Google.
The verdict
Cape Arundel proves that a great course does not need length. Founded in 1896 and redesigned by the legendary Walter Travis in the early 1920s, this links style layout in Kennebunkport runs to a par 69 of under 6,000 yards, yet it is one of the most admired short courses in America. The genius is in the green complexes and the angles, and Travis, the finest putter of his era, built greens that demand a deft touch and reward the thinking player.
It is also a course steeped in history. Cape Arundel was the summer course of the Bush family for decades, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2009, and it remains a low key, members first club that welcomes daily fee golfers on a limited basis. For a traveling golfer who values shotmaking and atmosphere over raw yardage, it is a pilgrimage round on the southern Maine coast.
Cape Arundel Golf Club at a glance
- Opened
- 1896, Travis redesign 1920s
- Designer
- Walter Travis
- Type
- Classic links style
- Par
- 69
- Yardage
- About 5,900 yards
- Green fee
- Confirm with the club
Designer and details verified June 2026: Cape Arundel was founded in 1896 and redesigned by Walter Travis in the early 1920s, a links style par 69 of roughly 5,900 yards in Kennebunkport, Maine, added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2009. The club is members first and admits daily fee golfers on a limited basis; it does not publish standard visitor green fees, so always confirm access and current rates directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
Cape Arundel is all about the short game and the second shot. Travis built small, firm, cleverly contoured greens, and a player who misses in the wrong spot faces a fiendish little recovery rather than a routine chip. Tidal creeks wind through the property and come into play on several holes, demanding placement off the tee on a course where the driver often stays in the bag.
The rolling, treeless terrain gives the round its links character, with the wind off the Atlantic adding a variable that changes the holes day to day. There is no length to hide behind: every shot is a question of angle, flight and touch, which is exactly why architecture enthusiasts hold the course in such high regard. It is a masterclass in how to defend par without yardage.
For traveling golfers, Cape Arundel is the connoisseur's round of a southern Maine trip: short, strategic, historic, and unlike the modern resort courses elsewhere in New England.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Members first club; admits daily fee golfers and outings on a limited basis |
| Green fee | Not publicly published; confirm visitor access and current rates directly with the club |
| Booking | Contact the club in advance; visitor play is limited and not guaranteed |
| On the day | Walking friendly; classic golf dress; arrive prepared for coastal wind |
| Getting there | In Kennebunkport on the southern Maine coast, about 30 minutes from Portland and its airport |
| Best months | Roughly May to October; high summer is busiest along the coast |
Access and details verified June 2026; this is a members first club with limited visitor play and no standard published green fee, so always confirm access and current rates directly with the club before planning a visit.
Where to stay nearby
Kennebunkport is one of New England's loveliest summer towns, with inns, resorts and harborside hotels within minutes of the course, so a base is easy and the off course time is a genuine part of the trip. Portland, with its airport and restaurant scene, is a short drive south.
For a wider Maine golf trip, Cape Arundel pairs beautifully with the dramatic mountain and lake round at Belgrade Lakes Golf Club in the central lakes region, balancing a historic short course with a modern highland test.
Looking for a base nearby? See our recommended hotels and resorts.
Build a Maine golf trip
We help arrange access where possible at Cape Arundel, pair it with the best golf on the Maine coast and in the lakes region and book the lodging around them. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Cape Arundel questions
Who designed Cape Arundel Golf Club?
Cape Arundel was founded in 1896 and redesigned by Walter Travis in the early 1920s. The links style layout plays a par 69 of roughly 5,900 yards in Kennebunkport, Maine.
Can visitors play Cape Arundel?
Cape Arundel is a members first club that admits daily fee golfers and outings on a limited basis. Visitor play is not guaranteed, so contact the club well in advance to confirm access.
Why is Cape Arundel famous?
It is one of the most admired short courses in America, a Walter Travis design known for its small, strategic greens, and it was the summer course of the Bush family for decades. It joined the National Register of Historic Places in 2009.
How long is Cape Arundel?
Cape Arundel is a par 69 of roughly 5,900 yards, short by modern standards, with the difficulty built into the green complexes, the tidal creeks and the coastal wind rather than length.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, history and historic listing verified June 2026; par, yardage and access policy verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.