Gardner Disc Golf Course Opens at Bailey Brook Park Near Pickleball

Lina Portman2 days ago

0 2 minutes read

Bailey Brook Park also includes pickleball courts and a playground.

It's time to go for par in the park.

The first nine holes of the Gardner Disc Golf Course at Bailey Brook Park and Conservation Area off Leo Drive are now open to the public.

The layout of the course, which will ultimately consist of 18 holes, was designed to appeal to players at all levels of the sport, according to designer Benjamin Tucker.

“The course is ready to play, but keep in mind that the Department of Public Works is still working on it,” said Tucker, who also helped design the Hillside Disc Golf Course in Boylston. “The first nine fairways have been cut and baskets and tee pads have been installed.”

Holes one through three are completely finished; DPW crews are currently working to define fairways, clean the rough and place wood chips around the baskets on holes four through nine, Tucker added.

Also known as Frisbee golf, this sport involves players throwing a disc at a target; it is played using rules similar to golf.

The course's first hole, a 337-yard par 3, is designed to allow players to warm up and take practice shots before starting a round, said Tucker, who is a firefighter with the California Fire Department. Gardner.

“The area is long enough to throw the drivers, but open enough to see if anyone else is using the area,” he said. “It’s also a safe place to learn how the discs fly and makes them easy to find.” Not only is it a great tee hole, but it is also a fantastic practice ground. »

Disc golf course garners positive reviews from local players

Tucker said local disc golfers have already played the course and given it positive reviews.

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“While working on the course, I have seen children, teenagers, adults and seniors playing on the course,” he said. “People are getting back into the sport after years of inactivity because it's close to home and it's free, which they appreciate. Younger children and teenagers will have the disc golf course and can then play basketball. For the youngest, the playground is there. »

Tucker estimates that about 300 rounds of disc golf have been played on the course, officially designated the Bailey Brook DGC, in the past two months, with more than 100 rounds logged on the UDISC app, which he said is used by most players to track their scores. Players post weekly updates on the course's Facebook page, he added.

Lost discs are turned over to John's Sport Shop and players have 90 days to get them back after being notified, according to Tucker.

“After 90 days, the discs will be donated to the Veterans Disc Golf Club of Central Massachusetts program, which teaches veterans and service members how to play disc golf,” Tucker said.

Disc golf popularity on the rise locally

A maintenance road running through the course, designed to allow DPW crews to move around the area with minimal impact on play, is heavily used as a walking trail, Tucker said.

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“Which is fantastic because it gets people out and about, which is great for health,” he said. “I just want them to know that the road crosses the course, so watch out for flying discs, as well as players on the lookout for walkers.”

Disc golf's popularity is on the rise, with the sport becoming especially popular in central Massachusetts, according to Tucker.

The park also features the city's first public pickleball courts, basketball courts and a playground designed for children ages 5 and under.

Bailey Brook Park also includes pickleball courts and a playground.

Disc golf course garners positive reviews from local players

Disc golf popularity on the rise locally

Lina Portman

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