Passing the halfway mark might have been a bit sweeter with a better round, but the fact that the weather has made it possible to play 16 different courses already this year more than makes up for it.

The 15th course on the list, to get me to the halfway mark of my 30-course summer, was Willowdale in Scarborough, and No. 16 to put me over the edge was Poland Spring. Both courses were in phenomenal shape, although that’s starting to sound like a broken record this season. Heck, we haven’t even reached summer (technically not for another five or so days), and we’ve been playing in summer conditions on most courses for a month or more.

But, since it’s been a while, let’s do a quick recap of where the trip has gone so far. I warn you, this may not be in order. It’s been such a long season already, I have forgotten the exact order in which I played these.

Apple Valley – Classic Lewiston 9-hole track, an excellent course for beginners, children learning the game, seniors and anyone who wants to work extensively on their short game. This year has spawned the best conditions here since I’ve been playing the course (and it was the first course I ever played, when I was four).

Prospect Hill – It may have been the timing that was off here, as they’d just punched the greens when I played, and the sand they used to top-dress the surfaces was full of rocks. Still, for this course to be as green as it was when I went, was a minor miracle. It’s starting to look like July conditions now, at least from a passing glance, I have been told the ball rolls well now and the course is playing well. New pro Kevin Cullen is an asset to the course, and they intend to host a variety of tournaments there this summer, including one affiliated with ESPN and another with a national tournament.

Martindale – Having been a member there in the past, it was strange to be able to play the course as a paying member. But it was worth it. The new greenskeeping staff at Martindale has done a tremendous job with several little things – widening some greens, deepening others, trimming trees and changing approaches. The result, along with better watering patterns and favorable weather, has been some of the best conditions in recent memory there. The course itself is a challenge from the tips (which I’ve played more often than not at these courses), and it is a true test. The 11th hole at Martindale, though, is still my least-favorite par-3 of every par-3 I’ve ever played.

Fox Ridge – I wish I had the cash to play here a bit more. I love the course, the style it forces you to play and the shots it forces you to hit. The summery conditions have dried things out well, and the seemingly constant wind always plays with your shots. My score here was a shade under 90, as it was among the first rounds of the season, and honestly, my game isn’t secure when hitting a lot of mid-to-long irons, as Fox Ridge forces you to do.

Spring Meadows – I play with a variety of people, some of whom swear by this course, and others who are not fans. One thing could not be disputed when we played early in the season: Summer conditions in early May. The course held up well in the easy winter, and the forced-carried defend this course well against longer hitters. The course forces you to be wary of club selection off the tee, though from the tips you find the driver in your hand more often than not (and more often than you probably should).

Fairlawn – An old classic in the Lewiston-Auburn area, and one of the more unique, continues to get better with age. Golf here and you’ll likely run into the only owner the course has ever had. At better than 90-years-old, Frank still walks the course and will play a hole or two. And he inspects the grounds as he does. The greens here have a rare (for the area) mixture of grasses, which makes for true putts and smooth rolls.

Oakdale – One of the better nine-hole tracks in the area, this course has some deceptive length to it, and some tricky shots. The par-3s are no bargain, and there are a couple of doglegs that pose some serious risk-reward questions. A trip to the Rumford area, if you are a golfer, should include a stop here. You can usually get a round of nine in in 1:30 or better.

Maple Lane – This course has come a long way. A bit off the path in Livermore, this nine-hole track has added a couple of greens and an entirely new par-3, and has some enticing shots. There is more being done, and some of the shorter holes could be improved upon, but for the people of the area, your game isn’t going to get worse by playing here. In fact, brush up on your short game if you want to succeed, as many of the greens are smallish and tough to hit.

Point Sebago – I played this place three times at the very beginning of the season, the first three times I’d ever played the course. I wish I lived a bit closer. A great track, and the early-season prices were phenomenal. The course was in immaculate shape, they obviously take great care of the place, and one of the better features is the layout itself. With the exception of a four-hole stretch early, you are almost always alone on the course. Most of the holes do not abut one another, which makes for a very private experience, and a calming one. The greens roll well, they are big and forgiving, yet make it tough to putt.

Toddy Brook – This is the site of my best round to date on an 18-hole track this season, so there is a soft spot for it right now. It is also the site of a Maine Am qualifier, and honestly one of the hidden gems of the Auburn-to-Yarmouth corridor. The course is well laid out, and the construction there continues to improve the clubhouse area. For a course that is less than 10 years old, it looks and feels like it’s been here for a lot longer, and the grass has matured to make you feel that way, too. Great play for the price.

Belgrade Lakes – There is an air of exclusivity here, and there should be. The mid-summer price tag is enough to send you out of your shoes, and very rarely would I ever consider any round of golf to be worth as much as this place charges. But it is one of two courses for which I would make an exception. Belgrade, of the courses I’ve played so far (and likely of all the courses I will play) is far and away the best of the bunch. The layout is spectacular, the views are spectacular and the way they treat you is second-to-none.

Val Halla – For all of the talk about the course, for all of its tremendous value to the Cumberland area, I had never played here until this season. It was damp when I went, but it is a solid track. The home of the MSGA is here, as well, so stop in and say hello to those folks if you get the chance. The course itself is a challenge from the tips, and presents different kinds of shots and challenges for all ability levels as you go along.

The Meadows – In Litchfield, it is a bit out of the way, but not so much so that it’s a hassle. The two nines here are distinct, and though I didn’t make it through the monsoon to the second nine this time, I’ve played here enough before. Built on rolling hills, don’t expect too many flat lies. The longer holes are enough to challenge the best golfers, and the par-3s are deceptive in their depth.

Riverside – For all of the tournaments I have covered at this course, this spin around was my first since playing matches here in high school. It was in great shape, better than at most of tourneys I’d covered, and playing from the tips, this was a good mid-level track. It’s not going to blow you away with length, but the greens can be very tricky here, and when there are a few tight holes, they can jump out and bite you good.

Willowdale – One of the older tracks in southern Maine, we caught a bit of bad luck here as the greens had just been top-dressed. However, if these top-dressed greens were any indication, these have to be some of the best greens in Maine. They rolled true and were fast. The layout is old-school, with some small landing areas and small greens, typical of early courses, which used those features as defenses. The front nine was a big ol’ mess, and took forever to play. Bad timing on our part put us right in the middle of an outing of senior players. Still, a very enjoyable course, and some solid holes here.

Poland Spring – A true classic, this course offers one of the best views in all of Maine golf, and for the price, one of the best bargains out there. The oldest resort-based course in the United States, Poland Spring is classic Donald Ross – you’d better be accurate with your irons and approaches. The greens are rolling true. There is very little break on most of the greens, but with the course perched on the side of a hill, and with the White Mountains in the distance and Range Pond nearby, optical illusions abound. For my money, of any course within a 25-minute drive of Lewiston-Auburn, this is aesthetically the best course available.