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Worcester, MA

Newton Hill

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3.395(based on 33 reviews)
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4 0
MrFrosty
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 31.1 years 764 played 387 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Newton Hill Is Rising Up 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 20, 2020 Played the course:once

Pros:

Newton Hill is a public park course that is ,,, not park style at all. It sits on a wooded to semi wooded giant hill . The course is hard to figure out where the course actually starts and ends . Drive on Highland St until you see a huge hill , then look for a Doherty School , entering the parking lot , stay left and turn left when you run out of room . Park in the far end near the woods ( plenty of parking available ) . Hole 1 will be just inside that woods . A bathroom is near the bottom of the hill under hole #7 if you need to use one .
The Equipment - The tee pads are rubber , but level . The tee signs are okay , but small and on wood posts . They also just show the paths to the original baskets on the course . Newton Hill has since added a 2nd basket for each hole , Red Dynamic Veterans , to go with the present Chainstars that they have . They are positioned either in a longer spot , or set strategically to the left or right of the present baskets .Bricks underneath the baskets , have green painted arrows showing you where the next tee box is ., helps with navigation . There is a putting basket near hole #1 and a nice kiosk with course map between the lot and the course .
The Landscape - The course had some trash on it , but the tree branches looked cut back and the grass was mowed when I was here . much like the Devens courses 20 miles or so north of here , Newton Hill's 18 holes are set on top of or on the side of this huge hill . The course is supposed sit away from the other multi functions of this park , but some stragglers might show up on a fairway or 2 during your round . There is a lot of elevation here , and the paths cut out of the woods are fair . There are no open holes on this course .
The Highlights - Most of the Chainstar Holes are fairly straight .No memorable holes here , but some solid ones . #1 is only 232' , but it bends slightly left and the basket is protected by small trees and a giant rock . Try to kill your midrange off of the lower part of a tree . #3 is 374-' and uphill to the left and a tightening fairway to a basket minus a real green . #7 is a brutal tight 420' hole that goes up a hill that never seems to end . The basket is guarded by a chain of smaller trees around it . #15 is a great narrow downhill drive with heavy rough on the hillside on your right and the descending hill on your left . The basket sits on a small uphill at the end ..
Disc Risk - Moderate . There is some heavy rough that could be chopped out , and the constant elevation will encourage runaways with your discs . The only saving aspect is that the holes play somewhat short ( 10 under 300' ) Use a spotter if you can ) .
The Time - It took me about an hour and 5 minutes to play this course . It is listed at 5361' , but the longer 2nd basket placements will change that . A group of 4 will take maybe 2 hours .
Course Designer Jason Southwick did a fantastic job of cutting out these fairways and still making a 5500' course .There is a lot of Fun Factor here , as the course is made more for the local or mild intermediate . Newton Hill looked to have plenty of people playing on it when I played on an early Thursday evening . Be prepared to play slow during peak times . No trash bins , so carry out what you carry in . Bring water with you . You won't be near your car until finishing hole #18 .

Cons:

#1 Safety . Non players and dog walkers will walk onto to the course fairways oblivious to where they are , even though Fido is relieving himself on a basket pole . Be careful to look before you throw . Share the park .
#2.Outstanding(less ) - There are no WOW holes on this course .There are going to be challenges to hit your mark on the fairway , but it will eventually lead to birdies , depending on the basket you are shooting at . It's just tight and technical .
#3 The Elements - Weather will be a factor on whether you play here . The rubber mats might be tricky to throw from , and the hillside , though it might drain well , will lead you to slip and slide to your disc . possibly falling while throwing your 2nd shot .
The bugs are going to be bad in the summer . Make sure you spray before you play . You won't come back to the car until you finish #18 . Same goes with bringing water .

Other Thoughts:

This course is exactly what the Worcester area needs . A free course for the common player to enjoy with an after-work or early weekend play . If you like technical courses , Newton Hill is right up your alley . Play here 3-4 times a week and you will be in shape by the end of the season . To all of the volunteers and the local disc golf club ( I met some ) , who are a great bunch and work diligently to try keeping the course clean , Thanks .
Make sure that you check the course homepage and check to see if any tournaments are scheduled . I happened on a Thursday evening , and there was a scheduled league singles starting at around 6 .
My Recommendation : The Course is short but solid , and with the 2nd set of baskets , makes Newton hill seem more attractive to play and improve . Good course for intros , newbies , families , great for locals . Intermediates might have some fun here , but good ams or pros will likely skip it here and head up to Maple Hill or the Pyramids . Good leg stretch for the traveler , and a good selection for the Course Collector , who can grab the Pyramids ( 2 ) and Maple Hill just a few miles away . This Course is Good Enough . PLAY IT !!!
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9 0
Hector Chain
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 15.9 years 222 played 191 reviews
3.50 star(s)

2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jan 2, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

Like a lot of courses in this part of the state, there is some good elevation here. Newton Hill has even more than most and features some surprisingly good views from the top of the surrounding Worcester Hills (at least when there are no leaves).

This is an intermediate player's dream. The fairways are wider than many wooded courses. You won't get away with awful shots, but you're not asked to hit 8-foot gaps, either. The challenge comes from negotiating the steep terrain. There is definitely room for some tough rollaways here. Also, the average hole is under 300 feet.

Hole 16 is the best, a 370-foot thrilling downhill shot to a basket on a slope. I had to throw a couple drives on this one and overthrew it with a midrange pretty easily.

Tee pads are all rubber and level. Signage is rudimentary, showing the general shape of the fairway with an arrow and the distance, but none of the holes are long enough to require much more.

Navigation was pretty easy. The only time I got messed up was after hole 3 (there is a trail heading down and to the right, slightly backtracking). I think this is probably obvious in normal conditions.

Cons:

The sunny side of the hill was pretty muddy, and I imagine it stays that way.

There are few multi-shot holes, and the challenge might not be there for the best players, although I still think anyone would enjoy it here.

Other Thoughts:

Note: I played on a sheet of ice, the result of some freezing rain before the new year. So I can't comment on things like erosion, brush, broken glass, and other stuff you might find in the summer. I was mainly trying to keep some traction, but I still had a great time.

Based on the pictures (which I should know to ignore; pictures never give you the full story before you play), I expected the holes to be monotonous. Not so. In spite of the conditions, I really enjoyed my round. I will be back, but the only thing that might keep me from coming more often is that Maple Hill and Pyramids are just miles up the road. The greater Worcester area has become an excellent place to visit for a few days of great disc golf.
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9 0
Buchajs1
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 11.8 years 168 played 44 reviews
3.50 star(s)

super fun course! 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 5, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

This is a very good course situated just behind some type of school, in a fairly large park. In general, the whole park seems to be a large hill, and the course plays up, down, and around it.

Variety- Each and every hole is unique, and this course requires every trick in the bag to get the birdies necessary to score well. The designer did a good job incorporating many different flight lines into the course, especially when most of the holes are single shot, reachable par 3s.

Elevation- As I said in the opening paragraph, this course plays on a hill, and there is significant amounts of elevation changes on nearly every hole.

Fun factor- Although this course does not have any spectacular top of the world shots, it still has quite a few very fun and enjoyable downhill ace runs that would definitely keep it fun for the casual, new, or recreational player.

Navigation+Signage- Although there are not an abundance of signs, the signs that exist serve there purpose well and make playing the course for the first fairly easy. Navigation is easy here, due to some next tee signs and the close, yet safe proximity, of teepad to basket.

Amenities- This course has brand new chainstar baskets, and because it is close to downtown, amenities are a very close distance away. Although I would not necessarily consider this an amenity in a normal review, the fact that two very highly rated and deserving courses, Maple hill and Pyramids are just up the road. At least to me, this fact makes this destination a lot more appealing and between this and the two above-mentioned courses, one could make a really nice day of golfing.

Cons:

There are not many cons here as I feel that the designer did a very good job at utilizing the land available, just a few nitpicky details.

Trash- This course could use some cleaning up, or the occasional garbage can, as when I visited trash could be found fairly abundantly.

Erosion/mud- Due to the fact that there are low-lying areas at the base of the hill, there is accumalated mud, and on the few holes that do play towards the base of the hill, there is mud. This mud also seems to attract mosquitos. I could definitely see erosion becoming a problem in the near future if basket positions are not frequently moved. This is because, many of the baskets are situated very close to steep slopes, and many of the fairways play up and down such steep slopes.

Other Thoughts:

Overall, I was very surprised at the quality of the course, and it was not nearly what I expected when I pulled up. This is definitely a good fun break from the Maple hill and Pyramids courses, and I could definitely see myself frequenting this course for a fun round full of ace runs.
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4 0
Java Devil
Experience: 11.3 years 4 played 2 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Fun yet challenging 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 12, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

-Easy to navigate from the very first tee, even on your first round
-Challenging (for a beginner like me)
-Invokes a good selection of technical shots.
-Was generally clean, tees and holes all in great condition.
-Locals very friendly.

Cons:

-Can be very punishing if you end up in the trees.
-Broken glass scattered around the course.
-Holes could be short for advanced players.

Other Thoughts:

Take careful note of where you disc ends up as it can sometimes be difficult to find amongst the leaves (if you end up in the trees anyway).
Very hilly and can be steep so prepare for a good hike.
Wasn't very busy for a beautiful sunny Saturday afternoon.
Generally, even for a beginner this course made for a good round.
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5 1
gabereif
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 13.1 years 57 played 37 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Great community asset 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Sep 30, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

This is my former home course. The biggest pros are:
-Free
-Easy parking
-Great location, easily accessible to locals and close to highways
-Dynamic, challenging topography
-Certainly not an easy course, but not too challenging either. Suits players of a wide range of abilities. In order to birdie most holes, you need to play very good disc golf.
-Baskets in good shape
-The local caretakers are always working to improve the course
-Few thorns or poison ivy, which can't be said about a lot of courses in New England.

Cons:

-Broken glass and litter are always an issue
-A few par 4s are too easy
-Sometimes the hills are a little too tough and can roll a missed putt VERY far from the pin
-Not many holes are particularly memorable (although 4, 7, 10, and 15 are my faves)

Other Thoughts:

I love this course. It's got all the basics and then some to make an enjoyable disc golf experience. But it's certainly not a disc golf destination, just a wonderful, free community asset that has caring locals giving lots of love on a regular basis.
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3 0
clipnfly
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 14.8 years 60 played 57 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Worn in well 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 27, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

Good use of hill.
Nice signage and next tee markers. I printed a map and never needed to use it. Feels solo as you do not see other holes or golfers.
Nice up and down. Not all up at once.
Overall a nice mature course well worth the visit and a return either tomorrow or on my next Boston visit.

Cons:

Needs garbage cans at tees.
Need to wear good shoes, ideally not sneakers as the terrain is loose, rough, lots of broken glass, unstable footings.
Just a bit buggy today.

Other Thoughts:

A very nice, well worn in course. This place would be ideal for a great tournament.
Good hole variety. Plays left and right. Plays up and down. Plays short and long. Nice and shady for a hot day.
Hole-by-hole comments.
1 - A great start. Open to begin and good tree placement. Nice basket location . Slight uphill and annie. Bare ground is good for disc skipping.
2 - Straight shot. Basket placement does not match sign indication.
3 - Slight uphill, Slight hyzer, Nice defined fairway.
4 - This is my choice for signature hole for this course... or at least signature rock. Nice tree gap and keenly placed rock for visual impact. Good basket placement in trees down and back. Nice tree gateway to shoot for.
5 - Nothing but trees. No clear shot. Just toss it and play tree pinball... You will not believe me when I tell you I let it rip and did not hit a single tree on my tee shot. Played my best hole of the day here. Drive at pin, lucky roll and drop in for a deuce.
6 - Not as annie as the sign shows. Slight downhill shot.
7 - The glass gallery. Long hole, Slight uphill. Nice tree choices and a mando?
8 - Short but a nice hole.
9 - Uphill and blind. Nice big tree. Nice climb here. Good to throw up, up, up.
10 - Long left side slope on ridge. very steep pin area. if you miss the putt... and you will... killer roll away, your next putt will be even longer... and uphill, too.
11 - Uphill. Blind. Shorty. Good, simple fun.
12 - Uphill shoot through a nice tree gate placed just far enough from tee pad that you will hit the tree instead of split the uprights... likely.
13 - Longish downhill sweeper. Very nice hole. If you have a pretty good arm with placement ability you can drive the pin area for a deuce. I did not.
14 - Hard dog leg annie. if you have good annie vbending middie control... say a Innove Wedge, you can drive the pin area... bend it hard. Nice to see as most holes with this hard a dog leg tend to go Hyzer rather than annie.
15 - Huge downhill with roll away sloped pin area. very gald this hole does NOT play the other direction. Steep, downhill hole. Steepest of the course.
16 - Moderate uphill shot slight slope to the right dissimilar from leftie slope on hole 10.
17 - Comparitively (for the course) level connector hole to put 18 in a place to bring us back to start of course. Good use of existing trees for shot options.
18 - Short, simple finish hole. out with a whimper, not a bang. Perhaps you should play the 18 pad to the practice basket near tee #1 instead for some challenge.
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1 2
jrennie
Experience: 22.3 years 10 played 2 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Fun Workout 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 18, 2012 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Well marked---it's easy to find baskets and next tees. Challenging for intermediate players. Excellent location. Easy to find. Plentiful parking. Free. Good hole variety (but could be better). Great exercise workout due to elevation changes. Not too many trees.

Cons:

Parking not available during school hours. Only one set of tees/holes. Some steep uphill holes. Can be difficult to find errant drive without spotters on some holes (#10, #13, #15, #17). #18 is too short. Broken glass on some holes, esp. #7.

Other Thoughts:

I really like this course. Even though it's a workout, I love the large number of uphill holes with limited (vs. Pyramids) trees; I feel that they reward good drive technique and reduce random chance tree-hits. #13 and #15 are fun-and-a-bit-scary drives.

How to make this course better: add a few longish out-in-the-open holes, lengthen some of the flat and/or downhill holes, clear brush where errant drives are likely to fall on downhill/steeply-sloping holes.
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5 0
adlacro
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 17.9 years 152 played 125 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Walkin' on Broken Glass 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jul 18, 2015 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

It's free. Solid 18 hole course with nice Chainstar baskets. Many holes incorporate elevation, but every hole has fair lines to hit and are reachable with birdie looks or easy up and downs for the average player. Signs, for the most part, depict the hole well enough to guide you through, and arrows on bricks near the basket direct you to the next tee. Not far from the Marshall Street gems as well as the highway.

Cons:

There was a lot of broken beer bottles around the tees and lots of shards. Some TLC regarding this could improve the rating. Some tee pads are too short for a full run-up so take note of that. Regarding the signage, if you don't look underneath the basket for the green arrow stones, you're looking, and it can take more than a few minutes to find the next tee, especially after hole 3. Other park users may not be aware of flying discs, just keep this in mind and you'll be okay. If you have a large group, send someone up to spot on 10 and 15. You'll be really glad you did.

Other Thoughts:

This gem in the heart of downtown Worcester is a thrill for those seeking elevation and working on their uphill driving without paying the big bucks of Maple Hill/Pyramids. A nice challenge and well thoughtout design. Unique top of Newton Hill pole near baskets 3, 9 and 12 worth the few minutes to go check out.
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0 1
DVinci24
Experience: 4 played 2 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Newton Hill 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 28, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Its a free course with lots of parking. There are practice baskets to warm up on, including the 18 basket as long as no one is playing it. All around its a very solid course with no water, so there aren't any real worries about losing a disc. I've played this course more times then i could count and i still find it challenging. This course also gives you a bunch of birdie opportunities mixed in with some tough holes which makes the course really fun to play.

Cons:

Some broken glass on holes, sometimes you can run into people walking their dogs or other people hanging out there. Also its right next to the high school and they do run cross country their, and even have races which can sometimes interfere with play but its not too bad. It is a very hilly course which can add some added fun and excitement into some holes but on some other holes it can get a bit ridiculous. For instance the basket on 10 is in an incredibly difficult position and a lot of the times really hurts your score.

Other Thoughts:

The only other thoughts i have are that the fairways are fairly open on most holes, but as soon as you go out of the fairways, the woods are very thick to get out of and can even make it difficult to find your disc.
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3 1
kthibodeau1
Experience: 3 played 3 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Elm Park Course/ Newton Hill Woo 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 26, 2011 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Challenging but not overly frustrating.

This course is very well kept and is very high quality.

This course is well played but not overly busy.

Large parking lot at dorhety High upper lot. Multiple access points in addition to main entrance. (hole 7 behind tennis courts and 16 along park ave.)

Cons:

A few spots, especially tee boxes, that retain water and are always muddy.

I few baskets are on severe slopes and make even good approaches run up to a 100 ft away. It can be a drag but forces you to play safe and learn how to control roll.

Other Thoughts:

The use of arrows at the base of baskets is great for finding your next hole. I like it better than signs.

Its worth my weekly trip from fitchburg, 20 miles away.
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1 5
tmc3442
Experience: 14.9 years 54 played 10 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Newton Hill 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 22, 2011 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

good challenge with with trees and branches
basket is visible from almost every tee
markers pointing to next tee
no water hazards

Cons:

hills
for beginners trees and branches are a problem
glass on some holes

Other Thoughts:

overall its a compact course that takes about 1hr and half to play.
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1 7
eastcoastf
Experience: 13 played 13 reviews
3.50 star(s)

behind the high school 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 4, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

great course, very challenging.

Cons:

very hilly.

Hole #3 is confusing to find..it's to the right after disc catcher under oak trees that form like a bridge..walk through it and your all set the rest of the course.

Other Thoughts:

10 minutes from maple hill and pyramids

20-25 minutes from buffeman lake
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10 0
RHINESEL
Experience: 14.8 years 7 played 6 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Very Enjoyable 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 26, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

Wide fairways for a wooded course. Challenging to all levels of play.

Cons:

No amenities at all for being part of a public park.

Other Thoughts:

For rating a course I base my ratings on 50% design, 20% course upkeep, 10% basket, tee, tee sign, and signage, 10% amenities, and 10% that special something that defines a course.

Intro:
Newton Hill is a course developed by Jason Southwick (Marshall St. Disc Golf, Pyramids) in conjunction with the community group Friends of Newton Hill. Normal entrance is via the upper parking lot of Doherty Memorial High School. Note that during school hours players have been told that they are unable to use this parking lot. Secondary access is by continuing past the high school to Pleasant St., turn left and park along the road. Hole 7 tee is at the edge of the woods between the tennis courts. This hill is lined with walking trails and it is not uncommon to see people jogging or walking their dogs, although these people do not have an effect on any fairways.

Design:
The course is a wooded course. Most of the holes are straight and more often than not the basket is within site of the tee pad. Some holes feature minor elevation drops with a few offering significant elevation change. There are very few (one or two) blind shots and even then the disc is in sight for most of its flight. Fairways are wide and well defined with multiple routes available. Even though the fairways are designed mostly straight, trees are well positioned to make a straight shot not possible or challenging at best. Undergrowth along fairways is generally light enough that there is little fear of losing a disc due to an errant throw. There are no shots where water comes into play. Target areas are mostly clear and level with only an occasional chance of a missed put rolling away down a hill. The course feels well designed and thought out.

Course Upkeep:
The course appeared to be kept up fairly well. Cut logs and trimmed brush piles was observed, placed mostly out of the way of the main fairways. Course was mostly clean with just a small amount of trash observed. There were trash barrels located next to the tees on two or three holes.

Basket, tee, tee sign, and signage:
Baskets are in good condition with only one or two showing minor bending of metal. Tees are rubber mats. Tee signs are present at all tees showing direct of fairway, distance, and par. Interestingly, fairways that are slightly angled are shown as straight and those dead straight are shown slightly angled. No impact on play though. Signs are basic in design and lack any graphics of trees/rocks. Next tee arrows are painted on bricks at the base of most baskets although most of the next tees are within sight of the previous basket.

Amenities:
While technically part of Elm Park (located across the street) there are no facilities located at the disc golf course itself. There are no picnic tables. There are no grills. There are no practice targets (unless you count the basket for Hole 18 right by the parking lot). There is no billboard. There are no bathrooms. There is no source of water. The high school football field is located next to the parking lot and warm up drives can be taken there.

That "special something":
Finding a wooded hill perfect for disc golf in the middle of a large city such as Worcester is truly a gem. The course just being where it is gives you the impression that you have found a hidden sanctuary. This is highlighted by a few holes who's tee pad is right on the edge of the woods offering you views of urban life before driving your tee shot back into the forest. This course offers some holes that aesthetically are on the cusp of being some very pretty holes. There is no hole I would classify as a "signature" hole, but there are many that are close.

Conclusion:
This course is a good example of how disc golf can be added to a public park and add value to the area. It is well designed with the novice and experienced player in mind. Fairways are open enough to allow you multiple routes and reward good shots but contain enough trees to challenge a player of any level. At the end of my round I was unable to classify the course as overly challenging or overly easy, it felt very balanced. I would not hesitate to take someone here for their first experience with disc golf. If in the area, this is not a course to be missed.
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1 4
eatyourchildren
Experience: 14.1 years 17 played 2 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Hill Hazards? 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Dec 2, 2011 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Perfectly located just off of Park Ave with a vibrant green setting contrasting the grey of the city. Challenging, varied course The new work on the course is fantastic, the volunteers really put their all into fixing up a haven in Worcester with plenty of garbage cans to help keep it clean. All new baskets and signs for every hole.

Cons:

Hill hazards? Every shot just eats your disc up and sends it rolling down the hill, out of line of site. Doesnt matter if your shooting up hill, down hill or across the hill - the disc rolls. With most discs getting lost playing with 3 people it was 20 mins of searching for a par 3. Hole 11 and 17 were especially bad at eating rolling discs.

Other Thoughts:

Not a course for beginners. Lots of up hill and down hill and some more up the same hill, so at least double the amount of your water bottles.
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1 2
dyland34
Experience: 15.1 years 12 played 6 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Drivers optional 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 30, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

tight course and forces you to be accurate, great change of pace course, easy to find your way around the course and not very busy, a lot of elevation dont bother bringing your drivers most are short and i ended up overshooting a lot of holes that are out of sight

Cons:

teepads are not so hot, UPHILL almost all the holes are striaght up or on some weird angle, if you land out of the fairway you are gonna be looking for a while and extremly woody outside of the fairways

Other Thoughts:

Cool course to change up your game not a long course and a good course to practice your midrange game, Other players are extremely nice lost a teebird in the woods and a day later i had a call this is refreshing compared to playing other courses where you lose a disc you know your not getting a call i really enjoyed this course and i will be back soon
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4 1
andapos
Experience: 14.8 years 9 played 7 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Excellent Use of Land 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Mar 20, 2010 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Good use of elevation change. Some holes are very challenging. Beginners will enjoy this course. Overall good design with some very surprising variety given the location. Very tight and wooded.

Cons:

Navigation is a problem, a course map printed online is a must. Parking can definitely be an issue when school is in session. No opportunities for long drives.

Other Thoughts:

Played this course for the first time this week and I have to say I was impressed. It was a great use of the land with some good challenges. There isn't any real consequences for errant shots, which is great for beginners, but not for more advances players.

The only real problem I had was with the navigation of the course. At times we had to backtrack through parts of the course to find the next tee pad. A map is a must. Some baskets have arrows under them pointing to the next tee, but not all of them. Even with a map getting from the basket at 3 to the tee at 4, and the basket at 9 to the tee at 10 is troublesome.

To get from 3 to four, turn back from the 3rd basket, there will be a little path to follow. Same deal for 9 to 10. The map shows that you should go in the complete opposite direction.

Even with the navigation issues, this course is definitely worth playing. Its free, uses elevation effectively, and challenges accuracy rather than length. Well done.
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4 0
rootcanalsarebad
Experience: 15 years 21 played 8 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Great Public Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 20, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

-Excellent use of the land. The holes are well designed.
-Great risk/reward putting on several holes.
-Nice clean fairways.
-A wooded course that's not overcrowded with trees.

Cons:

-Extremely tiring from constant uphill terrain.
-No real ace opportunities.
-Tough navigation (could improve with tee signs).
-Parking can be an issue if school is in session.

Other Thoughts:

Worcester finally has a disc golf course, and it's a great one. Located behind Doherty High School, Newton Hill is a fantastic wooded course that is appropriate for all skill levels. While the front 9 was certainly entertaining, holes 12-15 are clear winners.

Unfortunately, even with a course map, my friend and I had a tough time finding some of the tee pads. Certainly, this could improve with the installation of tee signs, which I'm sure will come eventually. I don't think this course is fully finished yet.

All in all, Newton Hill is an awesome free public course. Definitely a wooded course, but the fairways are clear. The course design is absolutely fantasic in terms of correct use of the land. Southwick did a marvelous job designing this course. Give it a try as soon as possible.
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10 4
Dave242
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 29.9 years 394 played 276 reviews
3.50 star(s)

B+ = Be Bery Bery nice! 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 19, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

What I personally like and how this course stacks up in my list of 18 hole courses:

1) Holes with good risk/reward. Fair, but harsh punishment for bad decisions or execution. == B
(For a mostly wooded course, there is far to little punishment for poor shots or decisions. It is very evident that a ton of work has been done recently in clearing as evidenced by neatly stacked piles of logs, saplings and underbrush throughout the course. Great work, great pride, but overdone for my taste. It is suitable for beginners though.)

2) Holes that have rewarding birdie opportunities for me. I'm a Blue level player (950ish skill) who throws 300' accurately, 360' max. == B+
(While half the holes are a perfect challenge to me, other holes are too long to make birdies even a possible hope. As stated, this course is wide enough for beginners and the lengths are long enough to make many holes legit par 4's for Red level players (250-275' drives). This course does not have the perfect mix of lengths for me, but is still quite fun!)

3) More wooded than open - lots of variety of shots required caused by hole shape and topography == B+
(Great care has been taken to provide a great mix in all categories of variety - well done! My one complaint is the excessive amount of uphill throws - as evidenced by the large number of downhill transition paths from basket to next tee. While uphill holes test certain DG skills, downhill holes add more to the course, IMO.
My favorite hole is steeply downhill #4. A large sharp boulder is strategically placed about 1/3 of the way down the corridor fairway forcing you to float your shot higher than you want, but tempting you to throw as low as possible risking an encounter with said boulder. A very fun touch shot with big punishment for poor execution.)

4) Natural beauty (Appalachian beauty preferred) and seclusion. == A-
(In the summer, the foliage will keep you from realizing you are in an urban park other than 11 & 12 where you pop out into the open and see the street and a garage. Overall the course is beautiful and secluded with a large clearing in the middle of the park that the course plays in and out of and around.)

5) Bonus points for multi-throw holes with defined landing zones, good risk/reward and multiple options to play them. == D+
(In my estimation, only uphill 420' #7 is a legit par-4. With a low ceiling and narrow gaps at the hole's mid point, it takes two good medium-power well-placed drives to achieve a birdie 3. A really good par-4....wish there were several more!)

Other Thoughts:

It's all about feeding the addiction, so I ranked this course subjectively based on my own "personal addiction factor". The grades above tell how well this course will draw me back to itself again and again and again. See my profile for specifics on my rating philosophy.

I fancy myself as a connoisseur of good course design and I am a competitive Blue level (950-ish rated) with mid-level power (accurate to 300' with max D of 360'). Since I have played a decent number of courses (150+ 18-hole, 90+ 9-hole as of late 2009), my hope is that players/explorers who have similar addiction tastes will find my ratings list helpful as they choose courses to play and explore.

I fully expect others with different tastes/philosophies to disagree with me.....and that's the fun of things here.
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3 2
mbertrandverizonnet
Experience: 1 played 1 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Very Good Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Nov 22, 2009 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

All new baskets, some very interesting holes, good workout!

Cons:

After the first 4 holes or so - it's mostly up and down a steep hill. Little crowded the couple times I've gone.

Other Thoughts:

Be nice to have tee signs with distance and direction to basket.
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12 4
solomon.trenton
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 15.7 years 89 played 68 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Great work in proress 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Oct 21, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

The tee pads are pieces of rubber laid on the ground, very similar if not the same as Marshall Street and Pyramids. There are next tee signs; however they are painted bricks with arrows placed in the ground either next to or near the basket area. There is a great change in elevation. The elevation change will kick your butt. Every other hole goes up and then down. The hole variety is great and very mixed: there is no real grip and rip shots, while there is a variety of doglegs right and left and tunnels. There is also a basketball and tennis court next to hole 7 so your family can have fun while you disc! The tee boxes that are on hills are either dug out or have a nice rock formation around them so that they are all level. Probably the most beneficial is that hole 18's basket is right next to the parking lot. All of the holes nave nice tee sign and new Chainstars.

Cons:

Since the parking lot is shared with a school parking could be limited during school hours. The navigation is a work in progress. There are no benches or bathrooms. There is a lot of trash and damage to the course and baskets.

Other Thoughts:

The tees are marked by painted stones with the number on them. Make sure to bring extra water as you will need it. Tee one is at the very top of the parking lot to the right.
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