Burlington, Ma (Simonds Park)

[Rick Mahoney]

Checking the clock, checking the weather, checking out of work for an hour to go throw 9 holes.

Got there a couple of days ago. They have had some heavy equipment rolling through the woods. A lot has been cleared out. But, that hanger is still blocking the lane on 8.

I'm ashamed how long it's been since I've been to Simonds. Did you see what #5's basket looked like? I need to get in touch with the parks guys. Even if I can't play a round I will make a point of swinging by this weekend.

#5 basket is up, no issue there. 6 and 7 tees got roughed up with the boards out, I think they had to drive over the tees but were careful not to drive over the boards. The tractor that was parked on 6 on Tuesday was gone on Thursday and the tee boards kinda laying back in their spots. I think the rec guys are working to keep the course, ahem, the park, in great condition. 'Cept that hanger on 8! I hit it again yesterday, one little twig in my way.

Justin, you've done a great thing for us all and the Burlington Parks Department is all in. Thank them for us when you talk to them. What other "course" maintenance is even needed? More or leveled stone dust on the tees? That's about it. 'Cept that hanger on 8, have I mentioned that?

[Tim Seiger]

The pole was fine. The bottom of one side of the basket was bent up about 45 degrees, but it looked ok yesterday.

[Justin Anderson]

Thanks Tim and Rick. I'm excited to head up this weekend and see what's going on. I need to talk to my parks guy about when baseball starts too. I'd love to have a little tournament and setup temp holes in the fields like we did at the ice bowl last year...but I'd rather do it when there isn't 2-3' of snow like last year.

When I do catch up with him I'll ask about available funds for maintenance and/or improvements like replacing the stone dust every year or two and the possibility of expansion or maybe another set of signs for the white tees. Burlington has money. There was zero fundraising involved which certainly made my life easier.

[Rick Mahoney]

The tees aren't all that bad, they're playable, just not pretty. I was able to get around twice this morning before work and finished with a cool 52. Deuced 4 from the white tee the second time around after an improbable path my core found to the basket. Other deuces: 1, 6, 9 first around, 6 and 9 again.

[Justin Anderson]

I meant to post yesterday. My Rec Dept guy and I took a walk yesterday morning. He had a hip replacement and has been out for a few months which is a big part of things sort of deteriorating at Simonds. He's the one who gets the crew off their rears in the morning They've got a newer guy on the crew who has been the motivated one to do the huge amount of clearing they've been doing in the woods.

-The kiosk is finally coming back on hole one and will have maps/cards this time.
-HUGE tree branch/trunk on 5 white is coming down. There's caution tape below this trunk. Please run if you hear cracking.
-The boards on the front of the teeboxes will be replaced. Most were destroyed by maintenance trucks.
-The tee boxes will get more stone dust possibly this month
-The woodchips near basket 2 will get spread around the greens on the wooded holes.
-"Next Tee" signs are coming and they'll stop with the spray paint on trees.
-My contact thinks we might be able to get a couple baskets and he's in support of a season hole connecting 9 to 1.
-I'll have a booth at the Parks day this summer. It didn't happen last year but 2yrs ago was great. Tons of kids tossed discs at a temp basket and I passed out lots of info about the course.

***
Lastly, I'm quickly putting together a Nefa Dubz event on Sun April 1st and there will be a fun singles one-disc round afterwards. This was the latest date they could give me before baseball starts so we can use the open spaces for temp holes.
I'll post a link here once I have a thread in Tourney Central.

[Rick Mahoney]

I do see new stone dust on the tee pads! No doubt in time for the bombers tourney. But the dust is pretty loose and dry and moguls are already forming. I am reading posts in other threads from that know-it-all, which he does, who says water, lots of water and tamping. Justin, you think the Burlington Rec guys know this? I think they got the right stone dust, but I dunno. The course is looking great. Lots of clearing has been done. It made me realize how baskets 5, 7 and 8 are so close to one another. I had a bad shot on 5 so was in the trees and kind of disoriented when I got to my disc because, when I looked up, I had clear paths to 3 baskets. It was kind of funny. I played twice around yesterday morning before work, no deuces, no 4s first lap, 5 deuces, 2 4s the second lap for a 51. I think I've got a sub-50 round in me there. I love throwing the 3rd hole and trying to shape an S through them trees. If I were to name that hole I would call it The Cathedral. The fairway is a wide, S-shaped path to the basket and goes all the way up near the top of those 80' pines. That hanger is still blocking 8s alley to the basket.

[David Hoey]

Bringing a couple newbs here on monday, and having never been myself, is it (still) hard to navigate for a 1st timer?

anyone know the conditions?

2 sets of tees as well no?

any insight is greatly appreciated!

[Patrick Harris]

Nah, not that hard to navigate. Yes, there's two tees but not sure if its well marked or worn down.

Use the course map if you need it. It can be found at DGCR.

I tend to start at #3 (the original #1) from upper main parking lot and finish up at #2.

Can do the round in less than 45 minutes.

Have fun!!

[Tony Ruschioni]

I play this course everyday on my lunch break.

There are 2 sets of tee's (Red - easy) (White - lil longer)

The tees are marked with spray paint on the trees. The easiest way to do it is as he stated start from Tee number 3.
Go in the main parking lot you will see #2's fairway/basket on your right as you come up the driveway.

#3 White tee is probably 50 ft straight towards the park from the picnic tables. The red tee is down by a telephone pole on the side of the road right across from the Pizza place.
#1 is across the baseball field down behind the batting cages.
#2 tee is right by the main entrance.

My cell is 781-392-7357 if u need any further assistance. I would recommend the Reds for newbs.

~Tony

[David Hoey]

thanks a lot guys!

[David Hoey]

Took the boss and a co worker out today! I think they had a great time...

Course was fun, I'm glad I printed out the course map on dgcr, if only to find the first hole, otherwise after 2, it was pretty easy to navigate. Course was dry and is looking pretty good.

And there were people waiting in front and in back of us... the 2 separate people I talked to said that it was the most they've ever seen on the course at once. You know, so there's that... which is nice.

[John Giampapa]

Perfect newbie course. Then next time you can say, I'm taking you to this little course called Maple Hill Golds.

[Rick Mahoney]

The Burlington Parks Department decided to box in tee pads. Starting on hole 3, the 1.5 inches of stone dust appears to be layered on top of plastic similar to a trash bag. Only 3 sides of 3" x 3" x 4' boards buried to ground level with an open "natural" back. It's a work in progress as few holes have been touched yet. But when I got around to hole 2, I found 4' x 4' raised boxes. Maybe they intend to sink them into the ground? They were just the frames. 4' x 4'. No one was around and I had to get back to work.

Help him! Help him! Help the bombardier!