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We picked a bad day to play Riverside in spite of the perfect weather. The front 9 was closed for maintenance (aerification), so the pace of play was unusually slow. The starter(s) did a great job, alternating between those starting their rounds and those finishing their 1st nine. We started just before noon and waited on every tee, other than the 1st, Front 9 took about 2 1/2 hours. After we had a quick adult beverage in their grill room, we were advised that the front 9 was now open. We had the front 9 to ourselves and breezed through in under an hour and a half. In 2 weeks, the course should be in much better condition.

Want to play golf near Portland, ME? Consider Riverside, a municipal golf course that is both challenging, and easy at the same time. Hit the ball straight, and the course is relatively easy. The most difficult hole, in my opinion, is #12, which requires a power fade (if right handed). Long hitters can hit into the hazard without the fade. Lefties have an advantage. A par is like a birdie on this hole. The next 5 holes are birdie holes. 18 is a bear, even for long hitters.

Maine golf courses have suffered from extremely poor weather since November. Riverside is no exception. May has been extremely cool and wet -- most of the golf courses in the area are in very poor condition. The course was pretty wet and had a lot of damage from the winter. That being said, Riverside was well worth the money. The staff are very friendly and the grill is exceptional..

RS is a very nice muni golf course. The staff is friendly, the pace of play average (18 holes in 4 hours is the norm), course condition is above average for a muni golf course., and the layout is interesting.

This is a very nice municipal course. Overall, it isn't very difficult, but it does have some very tough holes, even for very skilled golfers. Course conditions are about average if you're used to private or resort courses, but well above average for muni's. There quite a few short par 4's, even from the tips. Par 3's require some precision, especially on the front 9. The staff, from check-in, starter, grill room, cart "girls", etc., are very friendly. I've been coming to Maine for summers since 1996 and avoided this course because no one recommended it (because of conditions). My guess is that the city of Portland decided to put some money into the course. Golf Now is helping them fill out the empty tee times. Handicap 9, age 71

This was the 1st time playing the course. It turned out to be a very pleasant surprise in several ways: the price was quite affordable, particularly if you walk; the pace of play was very good (under 3 1/2 hours); layout and conditioning were better than expected, especially for a muni; the staff made you feel welcome, and they had a beverage cart. Missing was a driving range to warm up before playing. After the round, we went to the grill room for some craft beers. We didn't try anything on the menu because we had lunch at the nearby Allagash Brewing company (which offers free beer tasting) before our afternoon tee time.

We got a great deal through Golf Now. The front 9 is the older 9 and is fairly flat. The new back 9 is hilly and mostly tree lined. There are some nice views from the higher elevations. The course was well maintained the day that we played. We are going back next week.
The 19 hole was pretty nice and reasonably priced. Pro shop and 19th hole staff were friendly.

Nice golf course in Cumberland, ME. The pace of play was excellent--we finished 18 holes in about 3:20. The golf carts are equipped with GPS giving a graphic display of the holes and hazards. The driving range was short, so hitting the driver, or any other club that you can carry 200 yards, is a no-no. On the day that we played, the range was mats only. We didn't eat so really can't comment on the food other than the cart GPS allows you order food so that it will be ready before you start the back 9.

This is a course for your "rusty" guests from "up north". I've been playing golf for 55 years and I've never played a course that had more generous fairways--they must be nearly 100 yards wide. Par 3's are reasonable in length, even from the tips. Not a whole lot of water or bunkers for Florida course, either. If you get the chance before playing, buy a yardage book, or bring your GPS. Course conditions were superb. Greens are large, very large, with reasonable speed and undulation--held shots well, too.

Played Heron Creek in 20+mph winds the day after Christmas. Lots of water, several blind shots, and several holes with tight fairways. Greens were smooth and quick. If your GPS doesn't have maps, buy a course layout book, otherwise you may hit the perfect shot into a hazard. The course also gets a lot of play, so be prepared for more than a 4 hr round.

River Strand is one of the better conditioned courses in the Sarasota/Bradenton area. Generous fairways, greens that actually hold a shot (plus 10.6 on the stimpmeter), and played right at 4 hours on the Sunday before Christmas made the experience truly wonderful. I couldn't get the slider to work properly, so the ratings are not really reflective of the course and it's conditions. The range and practice area are much better than the average course, too.