Tucked away in the trails between the Orchard Hill and Sylvan residential areas, a vibrant ecosystem sprawls out containing chipmunks, mullein, colorful flowers and a nine-hole disc golf course. I’ve occasionally seen groups playing on the course, but never gave it a second thought until I walked by an older gentleman practicing his shots on the ninth hole. He told me the course has great potential, but “the first two holes are destroyed, and the rest of them haven’t been maintained.”
Despite living next to the course for a month, I was only recently invited to play on it with a friend I met rock climbing, Arkie. I jumped at the chance to try it myself. We couldn’t play the first two holes — because they’re currently in a construction zone — but we were fine starting at the third hole. A helpful sign showed us where to start, what the par for the hole is and a map of the hole.
The course was built in 2013 by University of Massachusetts graduate Brian Giggey with a donation from the UMass School of Nursing. For those who have never played frisbee golf, or “frolf” as some call it, the rules are simple: the UMass course has nine “holes,” which are metal baskets to aim your frisbee at. The par is the amount of shots you want to take to get it in. The player with the lowest score at the end wins, just like in golf. As a beginner, I was nowhere near par on any of the holes. I focused on improving my throws and enjoying the scenery instead of worrying about winning. Arkie pointed out that it was “like hiking but with extra steps.” There are many great hikes in the Amherst area, but many can only be accessed with a vehicle. The Orchard Hill disc golf course is a great option for those lacking transportation.
As we moved through the holes, I gained a greater understanding of the course. I got the sense that people hung out there, judging by the empty IPA cans and the black graffiti on one hoop. The graffiti was harmless; I noticed mostly hearts and artists’ tags. I would have preferred it to be done with brighter colors -– the hoops tended to blend right into the forest, making them hard to see.
Some of the trails connecting the holes were overgrown, forcing us to walk through thorny bushes and dodge tree branches. I didn’t mind these obstacles too much, but I was glad I had long pants on to protect myself from the brush. I also noticed litter lining some of the trails, which made me sad. Wildlife is abundant in the woods, and its inhabitants deserve a clean home.
Despite these faults, my time playing was overall positive. It was a beautiful fall day, and I was glad to spend it exploring the Orchard Hill area and meeting people from Central. While Orchard Hill, Central and Sylvan residential areas do not have the same “mini city” vibe that can be found in Southwest, they do have aspects that bring people together — like the well-loved skate park behind McNamara Hall or the Van Meter basketball court. These areas, while good for forming friendships within your residential area, do little to connect the different areas to each other. The disc golf course is close to all three residential communities and could therefore serve as a powerful link to forge UMass connections outside of the classroom. For it to serve that purpose, though, its problems need to be addressed.
In addition to the litter and unkempt trails, the course itself has other problems. Several of the holes are missing signage, making it difficult to understand where to start, where the basket is and what the par should be. This information can be found on the interactive map, but having it on-site is important for those who aren’t aware of the website or might not have service in the woods. Another issue with this course is that it has packed down patches of dirt instead of platforms. This works but the starts at some of the later holes are unclear. One basket is tilted at an angle and moves around each time a disc hits it. While still playable, these conditions are not ideal and do not create a huge draw to the course. It may be designed to require little maintenance, but these issues were foreseen and should be addressed. It’s been over a decade since the course was built.
UMass claims to support its community and is doing so through a variety of ongoing capital projects. It is building a new computer science building, a sustainable engineering building and a health sciences building, all designed to “foster collaboration.” Also in the works, set to finish this month, is the Pavilion: a structure built just across from the disc golf course, intended as a space for students to make their own. The disc golf course requires some easy fixes, relative to the massive architectural projects the school is taking on. UMass is willing to invest in its students, yet the disc golf course remains unmaintained and looked down upon among students and frisbee players. If the disc golf course got the same attention as other projects, it could improve the lives of so many UMass students, helping to deal with academic fatigue through time outdoors, socializing and physical activity.
Piper Morgan can be reached at [email protected].