Construction is under way on Gardner’s first disc golf course, and officials said the first nine holes should be available for public play by midsummer. The course is located off of Leo Drive at the Bailey Brook Park and Conservation Area.
The course was designed by disc golf enthusiast Benjamin Tucker, who is also a firefighter with the Gardner Fire Department. Tucker, who has been playing the sport for nearly a decade and helped design the Hillside Disc Golf Course in Boylston, said he jumped at the chance when asked if he would like to create a public course in Gardner.
The course was designed to appeal to players at all levels, he said.
“The course was designed as an intermediate course, somewhere where beginners can have a little bit more of a challenge while they improve on their skills, where intermediate players will have obstacles that they have to navigate that might be little more difficult, and of course where pros can go and have a good time,” Tucker said.
The park, which was officially unveiled last year, also offers the city’s first public pickleball courts and a playground constructed specifically for children ages 5 and under. Tucker said the spot, which also featured basketball courts, made it an ideal location for a disc golf course.
“The front nine was designed so you could start and finish right near the playground, so players can bring their kids with them,” he said. “It’s a place where the entire community can go and find something to do besides just playing disc golf.”
Park topography to make for unique challenges
The topography of the land would also make course somewhat unique, he said.
“A lot of courses tend to be kind of flat and long, and they don’t really have the elevation or space to create unique shots that you might not see in other places,” he said.
And because most course are right-hand-friendly, Tucker said he tried to incorporate challenges that might make the game more even for all players.
“That’s something you don’t see at a lot of courses,” he said.
Even though there are still tee pads to install, trails to clear, and signage to be erected, players have already been seen testing out their disc-throwing skills on the courses “holes,” which are actually baskets.
“I posted about the course (online) and people have been going up there and playing it, even without all the holes, and people have really liked it,” he said. “Hole 1 is in an open field right near the parking lot, so it’s a good place to warm up and practice.”
Popularity of disc golf soared during Covid
The popularity of disc golf was on the upswing, according to Tucker, who called Central Massachusetts a “mecca” for the sport. He said the sport’s appeal spiked up dramatically during the Covid pandemic.
“When no one could go out and do anything, disc golf courses were still open, so people started to get into it because it was something they could do outside,” he said. “So in the last three years, it blew up like crazy. There are a lot of people playing it.”
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