Samoset Resort Golf Club, Rockport, Maine - Ranked by Golf Digest as the 7th-Most-Beautiful Golf Course in America

The Samoset Golf Club is part of Samoset Resort, located along the Mid-Coast of Maine just south of Camdem. The 18-hole championship course is set amid some beautiful scenery as it winds through seaside vistas, lush, green hills, woodlands and gardens. Seven of the 18 holes play along the ocean, while 14 holes features ocean views, including Penobscot Bay.

The course has a long history, opening for play in 1902. It got a redesign in the 1970s, followed by some recent upgrades by Maine golf architect Bradley Booth to freshen and strengthen the course layout. Renovations were made to holes four and five, the 18th hole is new, and a new practice facility was added. A granite seawall was also added to provide golfers some protection from the ocean.

The par-70 course plays to 6,548 from the longest tees, with a USGA rating of 70.8 and a slope rating of 129 on Bent grass. On such a scenic course, just about every hole is noteworthy, beginning with Hole No. 1. This par-4 plays to only 388 yards from the back tee, but golfers immediately come face-to-face with the first of many intimidating shots. The tee shot must navigate water hazards left and right and find the landing area, while approach shots must carry another small water hazard to a long, narrow green guarded on either side by bunkers.

Hole No. 3 is a breathtaking par-3 that plays to a challening 227 yards from the Gold tees. From the tee, shots must contend with rough, steep cliffs and the ocean as it pushes into the mid-point of the hole to find a double green. If that's not challenge enough, ocean crosswinds will often force golfers to compensate for the added drift.

Hole No. 4 is one of the holes that received extensive enhancements, including the addition of a seawall. This legendary signature hole plays to 503 yards alongside Penobscot Bay and the tee shot dares golfers to cross the Atlantic. The more conservative play is to a landing area that doglegs left as the hole curves around the water. The next shot plays to a newly constructed, contoured green with added elevation and bunkers guarding the front, sides and back.

Finishing out the round, golfers will tackle the completely new 18th hole, a par-4/5 depending on the choice of tees. The hole plays to 478 yards from the Gold Tees, with the left side of the fairway guarded by water and out-of-bounds, and the right tree-lined and guarded by a string of four bunkers. Approach shots must then take aim at a tiered green that's guarded by bunkers on all sides, a pond short and right and water farther to the left.

Throughout the long history of the course, it has received numerous awards and honors. Golf Digest ranked Samoset Resort Golf Club as its "Top-Ranked Resort Course in New England,'' as No. 52 on its list of "Best Upscale Courses in the U.S.,'' and as the "7th Most Beautiful Course in America.'' The course also played host to the 2001 New England PGA Section Championship and has been a qualifying event on the Nike Tour.

Practice facilities include a driving range and putting green with practice bunker. There's also a clubhouse with a full-service pro shop, which also offers club rental and storage. Lessons are available as well, including scoring schools.

For dining the resort offers several options, from the elegance of Marcel's to the casual atmosphere of the Breakwater Caf, or Clubhouse Grille.