BCAT News

The disc golf course at Simonds Park could soon see a dramatic redesign and facelift.

The Recreation Commission was given a presentation at its latest meeting from Nick Brozek, a local disc golf enthusiast and admin for the Facebook page Simonds Park Disc Golf Course about the state of the course and proposals to improve it.

Brozek said there are a number of issues with the layout, design and infrastructure of the course as it stands today.

In terms of layout, he said there are some safety concerns, including that players have to cross the driveway between the first and second holes that could be a traffic hazard. He also said there were some places where the courses of some holes intersect, leading to the possibility of one player accidentally striking another. Further, some of the holes are situated in such a way that players, if their throw goes astray, risk hitting people engaged in other activities at the park.

Brozek also said the current design is confusing and there is insufficient signage to direct players from one hole to the next or to give clear direction of where the basket is located from the tee pad.

The infrastructure issues he pointed out include the tee pads and the baskets. Brozek said in high quality or professional courses the tee pads are 5×10 feet and made of paving stones or something similar. The pads at Simonds Park are small, roughly 3×3 feet patches of dirt, that have roots sticking out leading to the risk of injury. In terms of the baskets, he said more modern designs feature bright colors to help players spot them through the trees rather than the all gray basket currently at the park.

Brozek said he had plans to improve the park and make it one of the handful of courses that would attract people in the area.

“I think Simonds Park has a huge opportunity to be greatly improved to be one of the best in the greater Boston area,” he said. “What we want to do is create a layout that really works, has a good flow, and creates a good experience and a safe experience for everyone.”

Brozek said he has walked the course with Parks and Recreation Director Brendan Egan on numerous occasions to come up with ideas for possible changes. He also brought two world champion players, Simon Lizotte and Avery Jenkins, to get their suggestions for the redesign.

“Why rely on a recreational disc golfer from town – this was created by two world class disc golfers,” he said.

The proposal Brozen put forward was a new layout for the course that kept it contained almost completely in the wooded area of the park and away from other recreational activities. It also changes the course of the holes to avoid a marshy area that is unpleasant to trek through.

The proposal also includes replacing the tee pads with the standard 5×10 paving stone model where space allows. Finally, it also suggests new signage with clear directions on where to throw and how to get to the next hole along with signs warning visitors of the park that discs will be flying through the air. There is also a possibility that the signs could have QR codes that lead to drone videos featuring the path of the hole.

Members of the commission said they were supportive of the proposal and noted that they often see people playing disc golf when they drive past or visit the park.

“I was here when we first voted on this and I wasn’t sure if anyone would actually play but it gets used all the time,” member Kevin Sullivan said.

“I think this is a unique course in that it is located in the Town Center and available to a lot of people where most courses are a bit outside where people can do it easily,” member Bill Gaffney added.

The only sticking point was the cost. Egan said that since the commission has shown support he would dig more into what the potential price of materials and installation would be and bring that information to a future meeting.

Finally, Brozek said he appreciated the commission for hearing him out and showing support for the proposal.

“I get messages every week on Facebook with people asking me to do something to make this course better so I’d like to thank you from the disc golf community,” he said. “Thank you for hearing this out because it’s really appreciated.”