Conway, MA

The Highlands of Conway

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3.675(based on 21 reviews)
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0 1
JBdiscgolf
Experience: 13 years 5 played 3 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Highlands of Conway, MA 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 18, 2017 Played the course:once

Pros:

-Interesting mix of heavy wooded shots
-Great for practice on wooded courses
-Good mix of shots, utilizes Anhyzer and Hyzer lines pretty evenly
-Multiple pins on several baskets
-Grilles at hole 9

Cons:

-Tees are small
-Lots of ways to lose disc
-Kind of a hike because some areas are steep
-Better for practice for intermediate players then casual round beginners

Other Thoughts:

Better tees
Benches and picnic tables
$5 pay to play
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5 0
TBabb
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 18.6 years 65 played 56 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Best in the Berkshires 2+ years drive by

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

Pros:

The Highlands of Conway is a shorter 18 hole course on a hilly, densely wooded plot of land in the Berkshires in MA. Clearly defined fairways snake through thick trees and up and down steep slopes for a challenging round. Simple signs indicate each hole's number, distance, and general trajectory to the basket from the tee. Small signs direct players from one basket to the next tee virtually eliminating the chance of getting lost on the course. The grounds are very well maintained with little foliage getting out of control, clear fairways, and well established trails between holes. Several holes have trash bins at the tee pads and benches crafted from fallen trees in the forest. In addition to thick woods, ample elevation and tricky basket placements add lots of challenge to the course. The course rewards accurate drives and severely punishes errant throws. There's a wide variety of shots, angles, and changes in elevation (positive and negative) to throw. Several holes have two pin positions. The course follows a nice loop and the walk plus the elevation provides a good amount of exercise for players. There's a beautiful view out the the surrounding landscape just past the trees on the left side of the fairway of hole 10; don't miss it!

Cons:

Some of the natural tee pads on the course are covered in rocks and tree roots. Tee signs don't show accurate maps of the holes, just a general direction of a line. Many holes are straight, short and forgettable, especially early in the course. The course does lack some amenities like restrooms and running water. Parking is limited (though this area is also sparsely populated). The road to the parking lot is also a one lane, unpaved road and is the only way in and out of the parking area (that I could see). It is a pay-to-play course. There's a small box for players to put cash in; $5 per round. No one enforces the greens fees but the money does go toward covering property taxes for the course owners. Pay-to-Play courses are pretty common in Massachusetts. In my book, it's worth the small fee to play here, especially since it's a vacation course for me.

Other Thoughts:

Highlands is a great finesse course and is easily the best disc golf course you'll find in the Berkshires. After talking with one of the owners, it seems that they are constantly working to improve the course so hopefully, it will keep getting better. I'd definitely come back here. It's not too much of a detour to stop at on the way up to my in-laws vacation home, so I know I'll be back. With better tees it would definitely score a 4!
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0 3
isouweine
Experience: 2 played 1 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Great woods course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 3, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

beautiful course w/ lots of great holes.
challenging but also lots of birdie holes.
private land so they have been able to clear out the fairways nicely.

Cons:

tee boxes are pretty rough

Other Thoughts:

definitely worth the drive if you live in Amherst/Northampton area
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0 0
vcisjb
Experience: 9 played 7 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Really great privately owned course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 17, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

Gorgeous course, even if you didn't play frolf, it'd be great to hike the course
At basket nine there are two charcoal grills and some tables, really nice touch!
Most tees have some sort of bench or chair to hold your bag or beverages of your choosing.
Port o potty at basket 6


Cons:

As everyone has said there is only a tiny sign telling you where to turn off shelburne falls Rd and the drive in is a little rough in your in a sedan
No course map, so three or four of the baskets you just have to hope your throwing in the right direction
Tees are a little more than stamped down dirt pads
Bugs!!! Bring some spray.

Other Thoughts:

Most of my problems with this course will be remedied once I play it a few times. I will definitely buy a disc, when I go back. You can tell it's a well played course and considering it is run privately it is well maintained.
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3 0
Hector Chain
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 15.8 years 222 played 189 reviews
3.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 18, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

Set in the scenic, rolling hills in western Massachusetts on someone's private property, this is a fun course.

Elevation is a part of every hole. The fairways are clearly defined, and it felt like most of the holes played along old trails or areas that were cleared awhile ago (rather than just cutting down a few trees and trying to fashion a fairway). A couple of the early holes have fairways that require hitting a moderately tight line, but there isn't anything here that should discourage a decent player.

Most of the holes are on the shorter side (the average is under 300 feet), but there were a couple nice multi-shot par 4 holes. There were plenty of holes where I wanted to throw a couple of drives. This would be a fun local course.

A couple of the holes had two baskets.

Cons:

Many of the tees are natural. Tee signs show the bare minimum, so on a few holes I wasn't positive exactly where the basket was, although the fairways themselves were pretty obvious.

Most of the other cons are part of having a course on someone's private property. The parking lot and the drive in are a little rutted.

I do wonder if the utility easement at the top of the hill could have been used at all (I'm guessing not). I was excited to see the great views and potential just beyond the trees, but then the course curves back into the property.

Other Thoughts:

I had a lot of trouble finding the course, although there are small signs saying "Disc Golf ->" at the driveway. I think the address is 1276 Shelburne Falls Rd. But I searched up and down the road, and the directions are a little vague.

I really enjoyed this course. I was hitting a few courses in western MA and didn't get to play this twice, but I would have gladly played it again. It's well worth the $5 and is a gem in a pretty spare area course-wise.
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5 0
gabereif
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 13 years 57 played 37 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Natural beauty 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jun 28, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

-Incredible natural beauty at every turn. Quartz, rocks, frogs, lush woods.
-Great course design for the most part. Players are brought to gorgeous parts of the property and it's easy to feel deep in the woods as you seemingly meander for a long time, finally popping out right where you started.
-Easy parking.
-Easy to navigate. Got around my first time with signs and no help or map.
-Easy to find discs.
-No poison ivy!!
-Challenging! It's been years since I've thrown +9 on a course my first time playing it. Most of the challenge is very fair.

Cons:

-Natural tees, some of which are too bumpy for any kind of run up.
-A couple baskets look old and only have single chains.
-More mosquitos than any other course I've played.
-A few holes could benefit from clearer and/or cleaner fairways.
-$5 to play.

Other Thoughts:

I was stunned by the natural beauty of the course and the rustic feel. So little has been done to the land, I felt close to nature while playing. If fairies exist anywhere in this world, they live in the woods at The Highlands of Conway. Small signs helped me enjoy the scenery, but they were good enough that I never got lost. A couple holes are a bit too challenging to the point where they feel unfair. This includes 17, which doesn't have a clear line and the pin is on a rock on a ledge. It's beautiful, but this should be a par 4 and it'd be nice if a tree or two was taken out. I got a good workout walking the course and I got to put my control game to the test. There are lots of shots that bend right, which challenged me as a RHBH thrower. I enjoyed this aspect. And there were some shots too that went left. I genuinely enjoyed my experience and I think this course is worth visiting and paying for. My biggest complaints are the bumpy natural tees and a couple holes being too challenging/unfair. Fix these and the course deserves 4 discs in my book (I'd give it a 3.75 now if I could). Glad to know I have this great course just 30 minutes from my home.
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7 0
swatso
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 15.6 years 755 played 414 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Raw Resources 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 13, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

Isolation - a pleasant stroll, away from it all, enjoying the clean air, rolling ridges, variety of deciduous trees, and bits of exposed rock / scattered boulders.

Cons:

Isolation - with the echo of nearby gunfire, and no bars on the mobile phone, the fear of being accidentally mistaken for Bambi had me traversing around the course wildly waving my neon green and orange discs

Other Thoughts:

If you like them long and open - well, look elsewhere, as this short (average ~255') course plays under (on only a few holes will you easily see the sky above your head) and around a variety of trees, which form natural fairways/throwing lanes. The gently undulating ridges and slopes of the hill hosting these trees bring elevation change into play on a few holes, more so if you are off-fairway! The varied rock formations add another bonus feature to the mix, as they often guard, or host, a basket.

Parking/baskets/somewhat-rough - okay, make that really rough - tees/signs all on the basic side. Even without a map, not too difficult to navigate.

Bring your control game. Fairways (throwing lanes, to be more accurate) range from moderately generous to pretty tight, but most fall into the challenging-but-fair category. Course is a bit right-turn oriented (nearly half the holes), the remainder being an equal mix of left/straight - for the most part, nothing too extreme. About half the holes are flattish, the remainder a mix of up or down. A few fairways parallel to / few baskets located near runaway possibilities - need a gentle touch!

Lots of nice holes on this attractively-set course. While my personal favourite was number-16 - a short, downhill, right-turner, with plenty of trees to avoid - players who enjoy a rolling, wooded courses will likely find a number of holes here to appreciate - certainly worth a visit if nearby.
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3 1
Basshunter
Experience: 11 years 9 played 4 reviews
3.50 star(s)

My Home Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 28, 2013 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

I love this course, only five minutes from my house. It is a fairly technical course requiring accurate throws through heavily wooded holes with a good deal of variation in elevation. Challenging basket placements on rock outcroppings throughout. Most of 13-17 are dangerous risk reward holes, keep your disc in sight!

Cons:

Tee boxes can be rough. Some holes on back 9 in need of some brush hogging.

Other Thoughts:

If you aren't afraid of trees, a great course to play. The heavy woods will challenge anybody. I've thrown some of my purest drives here only to have them deflect off a tree and become ritual sacrafices.
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6 0
sloppydisc
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 15.3 years 201 played 147 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Out of the way gem 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 19, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

Secluded 18 hole course built in a beautiful and heavily forested piece of land. Mature pines and many rocks and boulders set the tone for a very cool course.

This course is heavily wooded and technical. There are very few chances to open up with a driver. Bring your putters and mids, and make sure you stay on the fairway. In several places baskets are positioned on or near rock formations to add to appearance and risk/reward factor of the shot. There are also a few baskets placed on slopes to make the approach risky as well. While not a long course, it does have enough risk to punish errant shots.

Signs at each tee pad showing basket positions and length. There are a few holes with alternate positions.

This course is remote, but does not physically beat you up. It is also not brutally challenging, so it would be a great place to bring someone you are trying to hook on the game. The woods and rocks are gorgeous, and you only have a few holes where an errant drive will force you to really search for a disc. This is a very fair course that you can score well at even if you are an average player.

Cons:

The natural tee pads are horrible. I don't usually complain too much about pads, but many of these have roots and rocks everywhere.

Course seems to really favor a RHFH player. There are a lot of straight or right turning shots and lines.

All holes play in the woods. Those that want long or open shots won't find them here.

Other Thoughts:

This is a very cool course. As you drive up the dirt and gravel road to the parking area you really get the feeling you are heading to very quiet, private place. Hole 1 is at the top of the hill, and is a nice basic 300' shot to start your round. I don't think there is a bad hole here, but #6 stood out as a simply greeat looking hole. You get a nice little RHBH anny shot slightly downhill to a basket 300' away. But the fairway is lined with mature pines and rock formations. Simply great looking. #3 is an ace run with a basket set on a rocky hill. Overshoot right and down you go. #12 is a tight, challenging hole that plays along a steep sloping hillside. It is only 270' but has lots of risk. I could see a huge variety of scores there. #13 has a sign warning you to use a spotter as the rough on both sides is very thick. And there is a slope on the left that could lead to some long rolls. 17 is another tight shot through the trees to a basket on another rocky hill. Miss long on the putt or approach and you add another stroke. Great looking hole and lots of fun to play.

9 and 15 are both holes that force you to navigate a longer fairway and search for a safe landing zone for your first shot. At 525' and 420' they make it very difficult to reach the basket off the tee. Both were nicely designed holes.

With a lot of sub 300' holes here this course makes for a fun wooded round. Hit your lines and birdies are very likely. But there are enough trees, hills and rocks to keep you from playing poorly and scoring well. This course is definitely worth a little drive to play and the $5 fee is more than fair. With a little work on the tee pads this course could become exceptional even if it isn't what most people would call a Gold level course. It's just a beautiful place, and a lot of fun.
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0 1
jjr007
Experience: 5 played 4 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Worth the trip. 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 8, 2012 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Cooler in the summer than many courses, because of the woods, and elevation. Fun course heavily wooded, but open, well defined lanes through the trees on most of the holes. Very interesting layout. The big sycamore with the carved basket on it, and the huge well burled maple, are very cool.

Cons:

Some of the tee boxes could be better defined.

Other Thoughts:

Some have complained about where the parking is (having to walk up the hill, on the path to the first tree), but I would rather do this walk in the beginning, rather than after playing 18 holes.
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2 0
Jbb817
Experience: 13.1 years 30 played 4 reviews
3.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 27, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Playing the short tees (Red configuration) is really fun, giving some nice anhyzer/turnover lines to play. Really makes good use of the elevation change to offer some sweet shots up and downhill and around bends. The front 9 is pretty smooth sailing but still varied. Got the great anny/straight shots on 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8. Thumber up the hill on 2 and big hyzers on 4 and 9. Throwing the fuse anny all the way down hole 6 is always beautiful to watch. The back 9 really pick it up and play with the elevation. Really got to be careful on a lot of putts and approaches unless you want your disc to roll/skid forever. The big hyzer downhill on hole 11 is super fun to throw. I'm not the biggest fan of 12/13 (see cons). That being said, hole 13 is a pretty reasonable hole to eagle if you can play a laser shot down the middle. Again coming back downhill, hole 15 is a really fun shot to make with a hyzer flip s curving all the way down the hill.

Cons:

As most other reviews note, holes 12 and 13 are a bit nerve wracking playing with a steep hill down the left side. If you get your rhbh shot a bit too high or if you don't get it to stay flat long enough then expect to be going a long ways down. We've managed to not lose any discs yet but come close a few times. Also the roots/logs near some of the teepads make driving a pain on some holes. The Conway sportsmans club is also right under hole 12, so hearing the shotguns going off was rather distracting on an already challenging hole.

Other Thoughts:

I've only played the long tee configuration once so this review is just for the "A" config. After playing it 5 or 6 times I've finally pieced together how to play this course and think it does a good job of rewarding good shot selection and execution. Really worth the $5 fee.
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2 0
KDGC
Experience: 1 played 1 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Great day for a hike 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 20, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

The course has so many neat features it's hard to know where to start. The use of elevation is great. The length while a little short for some, is a great course to cut your teeth on. There were quite a few holes that you walk up to the tee on and just say "wow this is a cool hole". There's an old Oak tree on the back 9 that can't be missed! Absolutely amazing. Great views and challenges a golfer through out.

Cons:

There are two holes on the back nine that need some work. They are on the side of a serious hill and just don't seem to have a discernable landing area. We lost a disc on those holes as they hyzered WAY down the hill.

Other Thoughts:

Great round of golf. Definitely pack some water and wear good shoes. Nice hike through the woods. Happy to pay 5 bucks to play. I'll be back for sure.
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3 0
Chuck Cagle
Experience: 23.3 years 13 played 7 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Day and/ Glow Round 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 15, 2010 Played the course:once

Pros:

WE played 1-18 During the day many signature holes throughout the course. Elevations canges challenge you from start to finish. Different basetplacements on certain holes for big throwers! 1/8 Were Lit up at night for us on this special week-end for the' Glow Round Festival" which gave us the chance to play some night golf and allthough the footing is tough at night in the woods it was a great time!

Cons:

There are signs to the nxt hole and such, but the Par/Score is not on them so you don't know what par is for each hole you can guess based on distance but you don't have an official thing telling you what to shoot far as par goes.

Other Thoughts:

I wanted to stop by the pro shop for the 2 days I was there nobody anwsered the line, bummed I couldn't bring home a sovenier from the place cuz I had so much fun! Would recomend going back in a heartbeat!
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21 0
solomon.trenton
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 15.6 years 89 played 67 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Thrill of Conway's Hill 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Nov 19, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

Starting off there is a large Welcome Board that includes scorecards, posters, course information, the money box and a few other assorted things. Right before tee box one there is a small clearing with a practice basket to get you warmed up beforehand. The navigation is incredibly easy. The tee signs are very precise, although not permanent (laminated sheets on stakes). There are also very clear and easy to see next tee signs in between holes. There are a lot of elevation changes though out the course, but not enough to make you feel dead at the end. The fairways are clear and easy to find lines. The course itself is challenging but not overly technical: so it's fun for all ages.

Cons:

The driveway and parking lot are in awfully bad shape, so drive slow. There is a long steep hill to hole 1 (which I think would make a great hole). Several of the uphill/downhill holes there is steep slopes without steps. As with all natural tee pads there is wear. Some have more wear than others as there are roots and large stones popping out. There is a long walk between some holes; most notably seven to eight which is 70 yards according to the sign.

Other Thoughts:

Hole 5 is tough without a spotter. There are beautiful views on multiple holes and the power lines that run along a couple of holes offer more great views. Tee 9 had a mallet to pound beer tops into the stumps with. There is a great pro shop located just down the road. Make sure to call before heading down to make sure they are home (phone number is 413/369-4718 and is also located on Welcome Board).
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8 0
whitewaterhelix
Experience: 15.6 years 30 played 8 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Mountain Disc Golf 2+ years drive by

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

Pros:

Beautiful land with well laid out holes that take advantage of natural terrain. Basket placement is terrific, using unique rocks and landing zones so that you leave with a smile on your face picturing the cool lanes you just played through. You can take newbies or friends here to play and they will enjoy the scenery and shorter holes.

Cons:

Tees aren't well defined and often had roots and rocks in them. Short holes, but so many of them are placed so well that they make you smile anyway and enjoy playing them, but not terribly challenging (but fun!). Would be great to see more signage for new players as well as alternate pin placements and alternate holes (found myself saying 'what hole is that basket for?!').

Other Thoughts:

Worth the $5 just to hang out up here. The cool mountain setting, beautiful forest and moss-covered rocky terrain make for a memorable course, esp because it's so fun to play. If you need a disc you can pick one up at the 'pro shop' (course designers home I believe) just down the road, they've got some cool 'highlands of conway' stamped discs, stoked to take one home, thanks :)
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4 0
MadChillMojo
Experience: 18 years 7 played 7 reviews
3.50 star(s)

there can be only one 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 15, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

A really well laid-out course requiring a variety of challeging shots but short enough that even my duffer girlfriend enjoyed playing. You'll have opportunities to use just about every disc in your arsenal if you so desire. Overall, its tight though not unbearably so with very little underbrush to make the errant off-fairway shot easy to locate and pull off a decent recovery. The elevation changes add to the challenge and variety nicely.
Big arms won't avail you here as its relatively short with lots of doglegs to test both your hyzer/anhyzer skills be you a backhand or flick player.
Easy access from Rt. 2 and the well-stocked Pro shop is like a mile or two away.
side note: this place truly shines in the Fall when the foliage has thinned out.

Cons:

As a newer course, there's still work to be done as far as cleaning up the lines and tee pads, but thats to be expected.
Defintely bring bug spray! (but if you're from central or western MA you know this goes without saying in the hills)
Oh, and A porta-potty would be a nice addition.

Other Thoughts:

Its a1.5 hour drive for me and well worth it, though I usually camp out and make it a two-day event when I do go.
The walk up the hill from the parking lot is... umm... a good way to get your pre-game cardio workout. ;)
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1 4
benlh15
Experience: 15.1 years 77 played 11 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Highlands of Conway 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 11, 2009 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Really fun course winding through the woods and mountains. This course really feels like what disc golf is all about. Challenging, but not over the top. Plenty of hazards, but most of the time discs are findable.

Cons:

Be ready for a hike.

Other Thoughts:

Great day trip for a Umass student
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2 0
vtsquid
Experience: 18.1 years 21 played 17 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Bring some off, and some smiles! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 16, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

Great lay out, All of this course is in the woods or with narrow lanes. Nothing is imposable on this course but nothing is easy either. The holes are clearly marked with a good show of where the basket is. The makers thought ahead and if you misplace a throw down a steep incline, there is a little rope to help you back on to the course.

Cons:

The area is a little buggy, black fly's and mosquito's, so bring some off or bug spray. (the "badgers" bug blam is great!)

Other Thoughts:

If you have time go to the pro shop down the street, make sure to call first! Phone number is there at the board at the course! The people are great and prices are average, but the Hot stamps on the discs are great looking! Add one to your bag and show the world! Another cool note, at each Tee station there are logs to sit on and some one had been pounding beer bottle caps into them, They look great and add awesome character to the course!
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1 2
sikaranmonkey
Experience: 16 years 8 played 6 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Worth it 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 27, 2009 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

The terrain is awsome. The holes tend to be on the short side with more finess needed to scoot in for par. The holes are almost all doglegged and require a couple throws in your arsenal to finish well. Challenging and very enjoyable.

Cons:

It felt much like playing the back nine on Tully. The trees tend to be a bit dense at times. Some very trying, needle threading drives. No holes to open up the distance drives. Even the longer wholes require finess.

Other Thoughts:

Obviously work is continuing to be done but I think the wholes could be brushed out a little more. Played three times with 63, 62, and 62 for scores. I'll go back.
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2 5
moe.jams89
Experience: 15.6 years 8 played 5 reviews
5.00 star(s)

Enjoyable, Beautiful Area 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 5, 2009 Played the course:once

Pros:

-Location is perfect for a dgc
-Not too many bugs (bring bug spray though)
-Signs pointing to next tee helpful (its not confusing though)
-Less trees than most courses in new england
-Holes weren't "hair-pulling"
-Forced you to use different shots while still being excellently enjoyable!! :)

Cons:

..............................................I did run out of gas on the way home..........

Other Thoughts:

I will be back many times to play this course! It's the best of the best and people of western Mass should be lucky that they have Highlands of Conway!
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