9 Courses to Visit in Eastern New England
On top of all my other end-of-year tasks I promised a disc golfing chum of mine a dossier on my favorite courses back east. He's traveling for a couple of weeks and has a heap of tee times to reap. If we could all be so lucky. Being the double dipper I am, why not make a post...so here you go, my favorites from the other side:
1.) Borderland, Easton, MA- I have two homes and two home courses. When I'm east, Borderland is where I play my dailies. 25 minutes from my parents house, I know the way blindfolded. Prepare to pay $2 to park and have crisp one's for the finicky ticket machine.
I love everything about this course; from cleanliness to trail maintenance, tee signs to tee pads, layout to pin placement....Borderland is beyond compare.
Borderland is clearly laid out. If you get lost you're a complete dumb ass. The only confusing stretch comes between holes 4 and five where you have to cross the park on a pedesttrian trail...just follow the signs.
Most holes feature three settings; family, amateur, and pro. If one dared, he could throw near 70 unique holes (white to white, blue to blue, blue to white, white to blue) here in one afternoon..that doesn't even factor in family tee.
The Blue course is completely badass. Hole #2 is crazy sick at 910ft in length. It's a par 5 but I've never done better than 7 shots to get there. I love the setting on Hole #3. It's wedged in a rock cropping and stands like a monument. #17 is the signature hole. Stay out of the swamp and watch the wind factor in the PM.
The White course is special too. It's the course I play the most in NE and my PB stands at 1 over. The White course is forgiving yet challenging. Some great ace runs on the backside (14, 15, 16) so if you have ground to make up do it here!
Borderland is a very special place. Although it's a public park the disc golf weaves around all other activities so don't worry about throwing on pedestrians. Do watch your contra band however as the ranger will take to the trails at completely random times.
2.) Maple Hill/Pyramids/Newton Hill, Leicester (pronounced Lester)/Worcester (pronounced wusster) , MA- MMM MMMM MMMM....freakin' wow!!! Now, if I lived closer to it, this trio of courses would be my east coast disc golf mecca. An hour car ride outside of Boston, this is the site of the state championships each year. A trip to this disc golf epicenter is something of a pilgramage and don't leave the state without checking it out!!
Maple Hill is situated on a X-mas tree farm. There are two courses that run parallel to one another, Elements and Airplanes. Elements is the easier of the two and the one I've always played. Although the baskets are a bit closer to tee on Elements, it's fantastically challenging. No less than four holes that host tricky water hazards with two holes where you drive directly over water. In fact the first hole is shot from a hill, over a lake (bring a Dragon if you have one).
The topography changes quite a bit throughout this long, long course. #11 is a brutal 818ft. shot over a X-mas tree field. Totally mesmerizing so keep a great eye on where that disc falls.
The farm is like a sanctuary and the course twists and turns throughout it. Great balance of wood holes, open field shots, and dog legs. Difficult to pin a signiature hole on this course as many stand out. Hole 10 is an uphill and the basket and rests atop of a built up, castle-like structure.
In summer the flies and mosquitos are awful so bring protection!!
You may want to start your day across the street at Pyramids, why you ask? The Course features a proshop that is second to none. Imagine an entire basement filled with racks and racks of discs arranged not by manufacturer, but by speed and stability. This place is just freakin amazing and alothough I've been there many a time, my jaw still drops and I get a giddy feeling everytime I open the door.
Pyramids also features two courses that run parallel to each other. Both are less challenging than Maple Hill but don't get me wrong...they challenge! The front half plays shorter with more ace run opportunities but there are plenty of technical shots to make throughout. Just a sweet, fun, well-maintained place. In fact all the courses I've listed so far are so maintained I would prefer to call them disc golf sanctuaries (puts Dela's course hygene to shame!!!)
The Newton Hill course is new and in downtown Worcester and I almost got to play it this winter but didn't. I've heard great things so far.
3.) Amesbury Pines, Amesbury, MA This is a really sweet course but in the years I've played it I've seen a noticeable difference in how it's being maintained....starting to look run down in the front nine especially. Too bad too cuz the front nine is set in a pine forest/ park-like area that reminds me of Bijiou up in Tahoe. Open runs but plenty of giant pines that can come into play. The back nine are more situated in an open park setting and pedestrians can be a factor although the course just skirts around a playground (where most of the park lovers hang.) The lake is a factor for at least two holes and I do recall some multiple pin/pad locations thrown in but I wouldn't worry about the water hazard too much. I've made it every time. Great park course...I always want two rounds when I go!
4.) Devens, Devens, MA This is a course that was built from the love of one man, John Borelli. He took a year of his life to get it done and has made beautiful improvements since. Located in the woods of an old military base, this is a technical course with a few ace runs thrown in. Lots of climbing up and down hills. Couple of heavy dog leg holes too. It's desolate and you probably won't see a soul out there but it's pretty well marked once you find Hole 1. Has a blair witch sort of feel to it so don't you dare throw the map in the river!
5.) Pinnacle, Newport, NH Just checked out this course behind a middle school last summer. I feel like it's Black Mouse's sister. It's an eastcoast black mouse! Plenty of challenge offered with this well designed course that weaves through the backwoods of school property. Elevation shifts and blind shots abound. Some multi-use/all-purpose implications; this course features a ski jump run (imagine!) and a ropes course, but we didn't see anybody while we were there. Super buggy in summer!!
6.) Woods at Beauty Hill, Barnstead, NH Only played this beaut once. But I will be going back. This is a private, out of the way course on a converted family farm. Features a little bit of everything....super quiet and very beautiful. A couple of killer ace runs but your score is in hazard on the backside. One near impossible alley hole you could easily bust a 7 on!!
7.) Pye Brook, Topsfield MA Built by an eagle scout on and around a capped landfill, this could be the most toxic course in New England (do the Simpson's imitate life or does life imitate the Simpson's?) It's a fun one though with many open field shots. You can usually see the basket from each tee box. There is a section of woods but the best part is the signature hole 15 where you huck it from on top of a hill, out and over a lake. Plenty of discs in the drink so plan appropriately.
1.) Borderland, Easton, MA- I have two homes and two home courses. When I'm east, Borderland is where I play my dailies. 25 minutes from my parents house, I know the way blindfolded. Prepare to pay $2 to park and have crisp one's for the finicky ticket machine.
I love everything about this course; from cleanliness to trail maintenance, tee signs to tee pads, layout to pin placement....Borderland is beyond compare.
Borderland is clearly laid out. If you get lost you're a complete dumb ass. The only confusing stretch comes between holes 4 and five where you have to cross the park on a pedesttrian trail...just follow the signs.
Most holes feature three settings; family, amateur, and pro. If one dared, he could throw near 70 unique holes (white to white, blue to blue, blue to white, white to blue) here in one afternoon..that doesn't even factor in family tee.
The Blue course is completely badass. Hole #2 is crazy sick at 910ft in length. It's a par 5 but I've never done better than 7 shots to get there. I love the setting on Hole #3. It's wedged in a rock cropping and stands like a monument. #17 is the signature hole. Stay out of the swamp and watch the wind factor in the PM.
The White course is special too. It's the course I play the most in NE and my PB stands at 1 over. The White course is forgiving yet challenging. Some great ace runs on the backside (14, 15, 16) so if you have ground to make up do it here!
Borderland is a very special place. Although it's a public park the disc golf weaves around all other activities so don't worry about throwing on pedestrians. Do watch your contra band however as the ranger will take to the trails at completely random times.
2.) Maple Hill/Pyramids/Newton Hill, Leicester (pronounced Lester)/Worcester (pronounced wusster) , MA- MMM MMMM MMMM....freakin' wow!!! Now, if I lived closer to it, this trio of courses would be my east coast disc golf mecca. An hour car ride outside of Boston, this is the site of the state championships each year. A trip to this disc golf epicenter is something of a pilgramage and don't leave the state without checking it out!!
Maple Hill is situated on a X-mas tree farm. There are two courses that run parallel to one another, Elements and Airplanes. Elements is the easier of the two and the one I've always played. Although the baskets are a bit closer to tee on Elements, it's fantastically challenging. No less than four holes that host tricky water hazards with two holes where you drive directly over water. In fact the first hole is shot from a hill, over a lake (bring a Dragon if you have one).
The topography changes quite a bit throughout this long, long course. #11 is a brutal 818ft. shot over a X-mas tree field. Totally mesmerizing so keep a great eye on where that disc falls.
The farm is like a sanctuary and the course twists and turns throughout it. Great balance of wood holes, open field shots, and dog legs. Difficult to pin a signiature hole on this course as many stand out. Hole 10 is an uphill and the basket and rests atop of a built up, castle-like structure.
In summer the flies and mosquitos are awful so bring protection!!
You may want to start your day across the street at Pyramids, why you ask? The Course features a proshop that is second to none. Imagine an entire basement filled with racks and racks of discs arranged not by manufacturer, but by speed and stability. This place is just freakin amazing and alothough I've been there many a time, my jaw still drops and I get a giddy feeling everytime I open the door.
Pyramids also features two courses that run parallel to each other. Both are less challenging than Maple Hill but don't get me wrong...they challenge! The front half plays shorter with more ace run opportunities but there are plenty of technical shots to make throughout. Just a sweet, fun, well-maintained place. In fact all the courses I've listed so far are so maintained I would prefer to call them disc golf sanctuaries (puts Dela's course hygene to shame!!!)
The Newton Hill course is new and in downtown Worcester and I almost got to play it this winter but didn't. I've heard great things so far.
3.) Amesbury Pines, Amesbury, MA This is a really sweet course but in the years I've played it I've seen a noticeable difference in how it's being maintained....starting to look run down in the front nine especially. Too bad too cuz the front nine is set in a pine forest/ park-like area that reminds me of Bijiou up in Tahoe. Open runs but plenty of giant pines that can come into play. The back nine are more situated in an open park setting and pedestrians can be a factor although the course just skirts around a playground (where most of the park lovers hang.) The lake is a factor for at least two holes and I do recall some multiple pin/pad locations thrown in but I wouldn't worry about the water hazard too much. I've made it every time. Great park course...I always want two rounds when I go!
4.) Devens, Devens, MA This is a course that was built from the love of one man, John Borelli. He took a year of his life to get it done and has made beautiful improvements since. Located in the woods of an old military base, this is a technical course with a few ace runs thrown in. Lots of climbing up and down hills. Couple of heavy dog leg holes too. It's desolate and you probably won't see a soul out there but it's pretty well marked once you find Hole 1. Has a blair witch sort of feel to it so don't you dare throw the map in the river!5.) Pinnacle, Newport, NH Just checked out this course behind a middle school last summer. I feel like it's Black Mouse's sister. It's an eastcoast black mouse! Plenty of challenge offered with this well designed course that weaves through the backwoods of school property. Elevation shifts and blind shots abound. Some multi-use/all-purpose implications; this course features a ski jump run (imagine!) and a ropes course, but we didn't see anybody while we were there. Super buggy in summer!!
6.) Woods at Beauty Hill, Barnstead, NH Only played this beaut once. But I will be going back. This is a private, out of the way course on a converted family farm. Features a little bit of everything....super quiet and very beautiful. A couple of killer ace runs but your score is in hazard on the backside. One near impossible alley hole you could easily bust a 7 on!!
7.) Pye Brook, Topsfield MA Built by an eagle scout on and around a capped landfill, this could be the most toxic course in New England (do the Simpson's imitate life or does life imitate the Simpson's?) It's a fun one though with many open field shots. You can usually see the basket from each tee box. There is a section of woods but the best part is the signature hole 15 where you huck it from on top of a hill, out and over a lake. Plenty of discs in the drink so plan appropriately.
posted by el Craplastico | 8:17:00 PM
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