The club derives its name from the original name for East Hampton, which was
Maidstone, named after
Maidstone in England. It was founded as a 7-hole course in 1894 and expanded to 18 holes in 1899. The club was the summer retreat of New York City’s most wealthy and socially connected families. Maidstone is considered to be among the five most elite, prestigious and difficult to get into among private clubs in the Hamptons, alongside the Bathing Corporation of Southampton, the Meadow Club, the National Golf Links of America and the Shinnecock Hills Golf Club. Jews were not admitted as members until the late 1970s. Through the 1990s and early 2000s, journalists reported that there were no Black members. Several notable people have inquired about membership over the years and were summarily prevented from joining the club. In the 1950s,
Groucho Marx was able to play as a member guest but was turned down as a potential member.
George Plimpton and
Diana Ross were also shunned. Ross was married to billionaire Norwegian shipping magnate
Arne Næss, Jr., a member at Maidstone, however he resigned when his wife was denied membership.
Willie Dunn laid out the first course in 1894; it was but a rudimentary seven-hole layout. The expansion resulted in the club having two 18-hole courses, but this was reduced to the current 27-hole layout by the
hurricane of 1938. ==West Course scorecard==