Franklin, MA

Dacey Fields

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3.475(based on 18 reviews)
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18 0
Shallows
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 3.2 years 105 played 16 reviews
4.00 star(s)

A real gem that deserves more attention 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 3, 2021 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

-Delightful New England Woods Course that features a nice variety of shots, some tight lines but nothing too cruel, with some tricky use of water in the front nine and surprising length and elevation shifts in the back nine.

-Take a little walk down from the parking lot through the woods along a board walk to Hole 1. From then on you'll be in the thick of things for most of your round.

-Holes 1 and 3 have a bit of water in them. Hole 1 has a rushing stream you must cross on your second throw, Hole 3 has a meandering stream that creates an island green. The landing zone on your drive can be delicate to set you up to safely make the island in two throws.

-Some good course maintenance with board walks to navigate tricky mud and some OB lines marked where the water is seasonal. Benches etc. throughout.

-It's a pleasure to play a wooded course with so many par 4s. The gaps are tight but not too tight, there's hardly any holes that you throw and hope, they all have a sensible shot shape to aim for. Very few automatic birdies though, as even the wooded shots have good length. The par 4s are gettable if you stay clean however.

-There's a practice basket and soccer field that doubles as a driving range right before you enter the woods for hole 1.

Cons:

-The big con here is environmental. After rains this place gets so muddy it's unplayable. The locals have done a good job to keep you elevated as best as possible but there are still place that are frequently a total mess.

-The presence of water also means there's a preponderance of mosquitos for many months a year. Bring your bug spray, it can get really unpleasant.

-This is a very rocky course that does require a certain amount of agility to navigate. It's fun and very natural but even the healthiest folks will give their shoes a beating and may have some sore knees afterwards.

-The next hole directions could be clearer, especially between longs and medium tees.

Other Thoughts:

When the weather is nice and the bugs aren't out and the course is dry this place is a dream to play, would be a 4.5 in my book, one of the best. But that's frequently not the case so be sure to check conditions before heading out. It's very fun, long but not terrifying, with rough that's tricky but not doomsday. Every birdie feels like a real get. The mix of woods, glens, rocks, and streams make for a gorgeous afternoon outside. There are not many courses in this area unfortunately but this one is a real gem that I run to play when the weather is right.

-Hole 1 has a rushing stream that you can either lay up before throwing over or go to the right and punch the gap with a RHFH and maybe get into C2.
-Hole 2 is a classic heart shaped hole that's a hyper for lefties or righties (or FH v. BH).
-Hole 3 is one of the signature holes with a long left fading drive off the tee that needs to avoid OB water. Hopefully you get in good position where you have an easy line to the basket on an island green with water everywhere and guardian trees ready to smack you down.
-Hole 4 starts with a very tight gap throwing out from the woods into a grassy glen and back into another gap of trees across the grass. it's a very magical hole but a tricky hole to get a birdie on as the birdie line requires you to go through the much tighter left gap off the tee.
-Hole 5 is another signature hole, slightly downhill off the tee for your hyper, but then you'll want to get some good skip to hopefully make your way partway up the massive rock formation upon which sits the basket. If you turnover or push your disc too straight there's some messy messy rough, a little stream, and sometimes some bees for an unfortunately triple threat.
-Hole 6 is pretty simple, go straight at the basket and hope you miss most of the trees, there are plenty of gaps, just hit one of them. The basket is elevated on a mound of rocks so double and triple putting is a bit of a danger with unsteady footing.
-Hole 7 can be gotten with a simple long shot that fades left. However with my distance even with a good shot I seem to always come up short and into the OB that is this gross patch of mud and water before the basket.
-Hole 8 is a simple hole, throw straight and long off the tee and take a nice fade down the slope of the ground and don't hit any trees!
-Hole 9 is such a tricky hole. Generally a more open fairway than most other holes but still plenty of trees that takes you uphill 300 ft to a hanging basket. Best line to get the distance is probably a turnover that fades back a little bit but you can get a forehand up there too if you skip through some trees.
-Hole 10 is a nice 400 ft par 4 that is totally gettable as long as you throw straight and long off the tee, the second shot proceeds downhill and to the right so a turnover or forehand might earn an eagle look.
-Hole 11 is very fun with a straight throw of an OS disc that fades along the downhill slope of the ground. Plenty of shots funnel down towards the basket as long as you can go long enough before you fade. Blind basket so throw and then listen to hear if you hit a tree (bad) or the stones around the basket (good)
-Hole 12 is a 540 ft par 4 that you must absolutely stay in the fairway to save par. Throw straight and far slightly uphill for your first throws and then down and to the right bit for your approach. Birdies are few and far between and if you kick off in either direction then a bogey is almost guaranteed as the lines just are not there. A very fun hole if you don't mind big scores as the right flick roller on a scramble can make your day.
-Hole 13 is another 500+ par 4, this one requiring a big turnover of FH. Your second shot you've got two line to pick on the left or right, both of which will take you downhill to the basket with a low ceiling.
-Hole 14 is an uphill throw off the tee that hopefully crests the rise and can fade long and left for a bit. The second shot should have a few gaps to the right to get to the basket perched on a large rock.
It's a pretty throw to watch if you can get it up and over the hill and get a birdie on this 380' par 4.
-Hole 15 is the fourth of four par 4s in a row, this one 490' turning to the right and a slight downhill as it winds around the edge of the park to another basket elevated on a rock. There's more than a few gaps but still plenty of trees, just hope you keep turning to make some progress and don't skip off to the right too far.
-Hole 16 lets you catch your breath with a 215' uphill ace run hyzer that you can throw high and hopefully drop up to the basket if you miss the plentiful trees.
-Hole 17 goes back downhill on an acute right dogleg. You really need to get your disc up to give yourself plenty of airspace to fade to the basket on your FH.
-Hole 18 is such a relief! After clambering up and down rocks for the past hour or so you throw down a grassy fairway on this par 4. Hopefully your tee shot can beat the guardian trees at the end of the fairway and get into the second glen, from which you can easily approach the basket underneath a tree with a simple upshot.

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2 0
Evictor
Experience: 7 played 7 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Need better short tees 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:Dec 26, 2021 Played the course:once

Pros:

Challenging course. Tight but fair. Clever layout. Beautiful setting. Super nice people out there.

Cons:

I played the short tees and would say they are pretty terrible. Almost non existent tee pads or in some case they are non existent. It was nice that short tees had good, accurate signs.
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3 0
pcapps
Experience: 3 played 3 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Fun Course with Different Types of Baskets 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 9, 2020 Played the course:once

Pros:

Great mix of basket placements/ types to keep things interesting and challenging.
Good mix of short and long holes.
Nice tucked away area designated for disc golf.
Good Parking
Masquitos not bad.
Nice elevation changes.
The woods surrounding the fairways is not going to swallow your disc :)

Cons:

Most holes are easy to find, although there are a couple times where the walk from one to the next is quite far, and the lack of directions can make you a little lost.
At times finding the correct tee pad (white or blue) can be confusing.
The baskets don't have much color to them, so spotting them in the distance was a challenge.

Other Thoughts:

Can be rockey at times, which is fun to play on, but you should be careful of your footing!
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2 0
Chopper1
Experience: 38.1 years 106 played 9 reviews
3.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 18, 2019 Played the course:once

Pros:

Upon entering couse I was wondering where it was taking me. Walk way led me to a very good course! 2tee pads per hole (played longs) both are level, yet some were a little slippery. Navigation is relatively easy to follow although there are some extra steps between holes. Longs play pretty tough if you dont make your line but there are chances to scramble for par. Elevation changes on almost add to challenge/fun.

Cons:

Only complaint I have about the course is that the baskets were difficult to locate off the tee. Tee signs being present on 80% of the holes helped somewhat.

Other Thoughts:

Nice and shady, perfect for a hot summer/fall day!
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2 2
Guilius24
Experience: 5 played 5 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Good to play but needs improvement 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 5, 2017 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Location and scenery are great
Visible improvements made (white tees and some clearing)
Good mix of elevation

Cons:

Needs work
No real fairways
The fairways are very narrow and tight

Other Thoughts:

Course is nice but needs work. You can throw an incredible shot off the tee following their lines and not have a real second shot. You may want to practice your roller shots or bring a bowling ball. This needs some clearing on a few holes.
If you really want to work on your accuracy this is the place
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2 3
Enadeau58
Experience: 10.7 years 9 played 1 reviews
3.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jun 7, 2015 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Very fun course, great terrain and the hard work put into this course shows. Decent signage and the tee pads that were installed are very good. Hand drawn signs for most of the course but still informative.

Cons:

Long grass on a few holes, especially 18.
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2 3
Glenn
Experience: 25 played 3 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Beautiful Day and Conditions 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 13, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

Almost all the tees were level, clean, clean rubber mats. The course was well marked, making navigation easy. The holes flowed nice. The course was almost completely clear of mud, snow and ice.

Cons:

Not a ton of variety.

Other Thoughts:

Great day out at the course. Definitely will be returning.
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2 2
seanyboyhoward
Experience: 10.7 years 40 played 12 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Great Course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Nov 7, 2014 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

This course has a variety of selection in elevation, hole location, distance...etc. The holes that have tee pads are perfect, nice and long! The course is difficult because of the amount of trees on the course. you need to find a line and hit it our you will hit a tree.
Every hole is different and the wooded area is beautiful!

Other Thoughts:

I came back to this course from NJ and the changes that have been made are incredible. Great job to whomever is working on this course. This is one of the best courses i have played! Keep up the great work!
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6 0
Hector Chain
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 15.8 years 222 played 189 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Coming Along Well 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Oct 31, 2013 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

This is a very nice piece of land, and whoever is working on the course has done a lot of work to carve a course out of the woods.

The terrain is similar to Borderland but with more elevation. Nearly every hole has at least a bit of elevation change. Hole 16 has a pretty big dropoff (something like 250 long and 30 feet down) and forces a forehand or turnover line to reach the basket. Two holes (5 and 6, I think) have baskets perched on rocky bluffs about 10 feet above the rest of the fairway, making for some nice risk/reward putts.

16 of the 18 holes are in the woods, but the two that aren't have awful rough that you'll want to avoid. A small creek comes into play on hole 1.

The wooded fairways here are pretty wide. It will take a pretty bad shot or a bad richochet to end up in the rough. You can occasionally get away with some bad tee shots, but there are plenty of trees and often multiple lines. I think the replayability here will be high as you discover optimal landing areas and lines. These are important because there are four or five legit par 4's or very difficult par 3's. Holes range from about 200-450 feet. The course starts off shorter and gets longer as you proceed, but there are a couple birdie runs late in the round to provide some variety.

Navigation is generally pretty good. They make great use of white "next tee" signs. You won't need a map here.

The blue tee pads are starting to be installed. Several are in, several are dug up to remove rocks and roots, and others are still natural. The red and yellow tees are marked with flags but are pretty rough.

Cons:

Most of the "cons" are a reflection of where the course is in its installation, not oversights by the designers. The tee signs are hand-drawn and show the rough direction of the fairway, but only some shoe distance. Navigation between holes in the area around 3-7 and 17-18 needs a few more "next tee" signs.

I'm not sure that three tees on each hole are necessary. I played the blues and reds. The blues are longer and force somewhat tougher lines. The reds gave better looks at birdies but still had some challenge. I didn't play the yellow tees and probably never would. Hopefully the designers focus on completing the blue tees, as true beginners probably won't care about or need great tee pads.

There aren't many signature holes here. The holes with the elevated baskets are memorable, and the two open holes break things up, but many of the other fairways are pretty similar. That said, the holes are certainly not boring, and I think the designers are using the land well.

Other Thoughts:

I'm impressed with the amount of work done here. I visited a month ago and when I came back this week, several tees were installed as well as sturdy walkways over the marshy areas. There were workers when I was there carting in rocks for the base of more tee pads.

This is a much-needed course within the 495 loop and is only slightly farther from Boston than Borderland. I will revise my review as more work is done here. This will easily be a 3.5 and maybe a 4.0 when all is said and done, and it is more than playable in its current state.

UPDATE: There are now two sets of tees: the blues and the whites. The whites are consolidated from the old red and yellow-flagged tee areas. I applaud this change. About half the tees have rubber pads, and two have wooden raised platforms with rubber pads. Keep it coming.
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3 1
andrew02038
Experience: 1 played 1 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Fun in the woods 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 29, 2013 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

The course is very wooded, which places a premium on accuracy over distance. This differentiates it mechanically and aesthetically from many of the other courses I've played. The length and trajectory of the holes are varied and engaging.

Cons:

The course is still undergoing refinements necessary to make it in league with courses like Maple Hill. The formal tees are still under construction, as are the walkways. Markings between holes can sometimes be a but unclear.

Other Thoughts:

Overall I really enjoy this course. I find it fun and well-designed, especially considering that it's free. As the remainder of the refinements come to fruition, this course will get even better.
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3 2
reposado
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 12.8 years 278 played 273 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Not There Yet 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 3, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

There is potential in this course, and it seems as if some work is still going on, so it could get better but it's just not there yet.

There is potential for not just good, but great holes. Some of the natural elevation changes could be used to make fantastic layouts. Though none are perfect as is, a different tee layout or some careful tree removal could make these hole something special.

It's also clear of low brush to a large extent. How much of that is natural and how much is intense work I can't say, but it's a nice feature.

The work that is going in is impressive, the series of bridges that cross streams and muddy areas is amazing and among the most impressive I've seen. Thanks to being able to avoid these areas, the terrain that is used is dry, dry, dry.

A ton of the course flows through some of my favorite terrain. Wooded, with fairways and rough composed of standalone trees. I do prefer the ratio of trees to be more noticeable between the fairway and the rough, but that could still be fixed.

It also flows very nicely from hole to hole. Signs are typically not needed as there is one path leading away from the green. The paths are very well maintained and easy to follow.

Cons:

There are a few major problems, however, which keep the rating from being higher.

The fairways. Not great. Not terrible for the most part, but in a lot cases trees should come down so that there is a fairway instead of an area that has been cleared of brush, like a lot of them are currently.

The tees: Now, I'm not someone who insists on poured tees. Natural tees can suit me just fine. I do prefer them to flat. These are not. Moreover, they are often punctuated by stumps that demand attention during tee shots. The signs boast of three tees, and this too is unnecessary. One good tee is preferable to three dangerous/hard to find ones.

The signs: I'm not sure if these are even meant to be permanent. Either way, they are insanely vague. With baskets that are often blind to the tee, a distance is helpful. These signs main purpose is to indicate a tee.

The exposed rock: There's way too much of it and many an awesome drive could hit the ground an smash hard into a a rock sticking up a foot off the ground.

Other Thoughts:

I would like to see what this course looks like down the line. I would not be surprised if it is a much better course in the future as most of the problems are solvable.
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2 2
backbeat21
Experience: 4 played 1 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Great course! 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 22, 2013 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Nice challenging course that keeps you guessing with some short holes in the beginning leading to some really long ones in the middle.

Cons:

Marking is still a little rough. It's pretty easy to find the next whole and the blue tees, but par's aren't marked and the other tee boxes can be tough to find.

Other Thoughts:

Flew in from out of town for a week and got to play this one four times through the week. Definitely a great course and a nice challenge.
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2 2
sega
Experience: 5 played 5 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Work In Progress 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 3, 2013 Played the course:once

Pros:

Love the location, layout is nice and the thoughtfulness of having multiple sets of tees. Also HUGE positive to have the practice pin as well. Love the work being done - great progress folks!

Cons:

Still a work in progress. Signage needs a little updating - I got a little off track quite a few times. Also the amount of poison ivy on many of the holes is a little bothersome. Will be better in the fall when i play with pants on instead of shorts! :)

Other Thoughts:

Again - directional signage and a more updated (and printable) map to follow.
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3 0
HomemadeBasket
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 11.5 years 64 played 39 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Shade in the Summer 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jul 12, 2018 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Baskets are mint.
2 sets of tees on each hole.
Tee Pads for Blue layout in great shape.
Good signage on pads and around course.
Challenging, tight course.
Great setting in the trees, very enjoyable to play.
Mix of shots needed, a few different elevation shots as well.
Mostly in the shade, big plus during summer.
Good amount of seating through out the course.
Lots of trash cans, place was pretty much spotless.
Brooms and shovels on most holes.
Practice basket.
Lots of space to warm up.
Port-a-potties by parking lot.
Lots of parking

Cons:

No pads for white layout.
Mainly wooded course, no big air out holes.
Par on a few holes could be lowered.

Other Thoughts:

Major improvements have been made, course is looking great.
Tee boxes have been installed and course maintenance is very noticeable.
This course has some tight lines, bordering on unfair, but nothing that ruins your round. The course is being worked on all the time, and it definitely shows.
A great place to play during the hot summer days.
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2 1
Pelon11587
Experience: 11.6 years 12 played 1 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Needs some work. 2+ years drive by

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

Pros:

The course is quite large and has a lot of potential. Wood walkways are placed over much of the muddy thoroughfares. "Next Tee" signs are extremely helpful.

Cons:

The basket diagrams are drawn in marker. The weather has washed them into messy tie die, I had to look up online the pars for each basket, most tee offs are puddles of mud, and the 17 to 18 basket is a backtrack.

Other Thoughts:

Granted this is a new course and improvements are being made but at its present state it is no 4. I went to this course thinking it was in league with Maple Hill, Pyramids, Borderland, and Tully Lake. I was disappointed. I will go back in the summer in hopes it will be finished.
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6 0
cedman1981
Experience: 12.6 years 32 played 7 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Just keeps getting better 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Mar 13, 2017 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

A revitalized relationship between the town and the DG Community has resulted in some great updates at Dacey. 17 of the 18 long tee pads are installed. A shorter layout with white tees is established. Both layouts have relatively well marked tee signs

The course has a great mix of holes that require a variety of shots to hit par. You're going to need a forehand and a backhand here.

Garbage cans on a number of holes. Benches, logs, or other seats available on most holes.

Cons:

Signage is still a problem. If you're unfamiliar with the course, there are a few points where its easy to end up on the wrong tee.

A few fairways could still use a bit of clearing.

Other Thoughts:

I've been playing here regularly since the course went in. The improvements that have taken place recently make it almost unrecognizable from its early stages.

If you haven't played here recently (or at all), I recommend giving it a shot.
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5 1
jkmello
Experience: 1 played 1 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Excellent addition to NE disc golf scene 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 20, 2012 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

The construction of Dacey Fields brings the first 18 hole disc golf course to metrowest. Dacey was built with a "disc golf first" mentality. Rather than trying to squeeze a course into some open space, Dacey was carved out of a 100 acre+ forest behind a multi-use town park. The landscape of the course is diverse and includes old farm roads and orchards, dense pine grooves, old growth hardwood forests with massive oak and maple trees, and a wide gently sloping hill which comes into play on holes 6-16.

The majority of holes here have a long drive to start. There are 13 holes over 280ft long and 8 par 4's. No two holes are alike at Dacey. The course demands a wide range of skills to compete and is a definite challenge for seasoned disc golfers. Great combination of dog leg left/right, up and downhill. Excellent use of terrain with shots over streams, off cliffs, through large fields, and carving through trees. Challenging greens with several elevated baskets.

Definitely play here the first chance you get. You won't be disappointed.

Cons:

Work during spring & summer 2012 was focused on clearing fairways and trails and setting baskets. Tees are still natural. Work on rubber tees to begin in spring 2013.

Several small patches of poison ivy on holes 4 and 18. Nothing crazy (grass height or lower). Will be managed by the town over time.

Other Thoughts:

Follow the white arrows to get around. All trails are cleared, although there is a large trail network on the course. Just follow the arrows and you're good.

Work is still ongoing to clean up and improve the course. If you're interested in volunteering, you can follow Dacey Fields Disc Golf on either facebook (https://www.facebook.com/DaceyFieldsDiscGolf ) or NEFA (http://forums.nefa.com/).

This course exactly what the sport of disc golf needs to grow and expand; a challenging course on a beautiful piece of property that is easily accessible.
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8 0
adlacro
Gold level trusted reviewer
Experience: 17.8 years 149 played 125 reviews
4.00 star(s)

Filling the Gap 2+ years

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Oct 27, 2012 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

An 18 hole, well laid out, and challenging course in an area that doesn't offer a whole lot of other courses. The baskets are Chainstars that are still in good shape. The course is mostly wooded with a few more widely spaced holes here and there. The fairways demand accuracy and will punish bad drives. Everything will be needed and executed in order to score well. A few elevated greens as well as a new hanging basket on nine. Tee pads are fly pads built on elevated wooded planks, and are really nice. Good mix of lefty/righty holes or lanes to throw as well. Swamp areas have really nice boardwalks to cross over. They are well done, sturdy, and a great plus.

Cons:

A few holes still don't have fly pads as of writing this updated review, and so they are natural. While the course is starting to firm up from usage and continual work days, there are still some areas that you should watch your footing.

Other Thoughts:

Course designer Jay Mello and many others have taken days, weeks, and perhaps months out of their own time to get this fully up and running. This is a delight to play, and is a major challenge that rival other great courses. This is worth the drive from areas nearby, and should inspire other areas to have a disc golf challenge such as Dacey, the gem of Metro West.
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