New course green lit for Lufbery Park in Wallingford!

[Jason Gervais]

Just returned from the course (weed whacking 1-6) and was happy to see a group of guys who meet every Sun. for a friendly two man best disc round (5$).

The tee signs are currently being made by a Tim over at signs by tomorrow. He was nice enough to donate the labor necessary to make the first 9 and the main course sign. He is going to make a high res. Goggle Map photo and overlay the holes on it. It should look awesome. We have stuck to the plan of completing the first 9 before the roughing of 10-18 begins so after the placement of tee signs it's on to boxes. We are going to beg for wood at Lowes this week, keep your fingers crossed!

PS. Matt give me a call as I suffered a cell phone mutiny and have lost all of my contacts.

Jason

[Matt Aubin]

Played today before the rain... man, this course is cllleeaaaan! you can eat off the fairways.

LOVE hole 8... i can see how it would be a cool longer hole, but the risk/reward ace run is sick.

Jason, you around at all on thursday? i can stop by and get that basket.

[Jason Gervais]

I plan to be in town most of the day. Let me know what works for you.

[Matt Aubin]

probably around lunchtime.... 11-1 ish.

[Stephen Ditter]

The storm really didn't hit the course too bad. Most of the fairways just need a lot of stick and branch pick up. The only hole that needs chainsaw work is hole 9. Some major large branches or tree tops are blocking part of the fairway. It's playable but not in great shape.

[Mike Zorovich]

would of been nice to know the town closed the disc golf course.....even nicer to know when they plan on taking down the signs and opening it back up.

[Stephen Ditter]

I had no idea the course was closed down. I almost stopped there the other day.

[Adam Goodman]

Closed...as in pulled? Is the disc golf experiment over and the town decided NO?

[Mike Zorovich]

The signs says for storm damage. Baskets are still in.

[Jason Gervais]

Hey all,
Sorry for the lengthy hiatus but with the park being closed since the hurricane (due to safety reasons) I have not been posting. That being said, the course is not in danger of being scrapped. Quite the opposite, We are hopefully going to have access within a week or two. We will spend a couple of weekends on clean up and repair then start laying out the next group of holes before the ground cover starts to emerge. When we left off last year we were ready to install the signage and tee boxes. This is our first priority after clean up.

Here in Wallingford due to budget reasons they cut the funding for the 4th of July fireworks a few years ago. A group of local residents have taken on the difficult job of raising the $30,000 a year to fund them privately. I was contacted by one of the main players in this group this weekend. The reason for his call was a request to host a fund raising tournament some time in May (no solid date yet). I believe they are checking on the hurdles that have to be jumped with the town. Once it is officially a go, I would assume we will have easy access to a group of volunteers who would have an obvious interest in getting the course in shape rapidly.

In December I was appointed as one of the 5 commissioners for the Parks and Recreation board. We have a meeting Thursday and I will inquire as to the park opening and the possibility of the tournament (the subject of tournaments was addressed in the very early stages of the course planning and were greeted with enthusiasm). I have confidence that it will be welcome.

Sorry it's been so long
Jason

[Adam Goodman]

Great to hear all the good news except for the park damage. Especially good to hear about the inside connection at the park & rec .

Charity tournaments seem to be very popular! I'm running one in Bridgeport on May 20th. I'm not sure if you'd be expecting mostly local residents (first timers) or if you were hoping to get disc golfers to travel in from afar. The PDGA has a pretty cool Competition Endowment that donates fees and allots 25% of the entry fees toward charity. Having your tournament pdga sanctioned and/or nefa points would be a way to generate interest and get more players, therefore raising more money. Check out the nefa schedule to see how you can squeeze something in.

[Jason Gervais]

We are looking to form a relaxed work group for the course to button up the first 9. The town will entertain the next 9 when the front is complete. I am flying solo now that my build partner has been busy building his family. I am generally good late afternoon and can usually get up there on a Saturday or Sunday early am.

Also anyone who has any experience organizing and or running a fund raising tourney and is willing to have a go at it just let me know.

We have very little in the $$ dept. for the back 9 (subsequently I have less in the knowledge dept. as far as tournament organization)

[Jason Gervais]

The tee signs are in (all but #8) have to strap it to a tree as the tee sits on a rock ledge.

[Ryan Kasprzycki]

any progress for the back 9? what will it take funding wise? come next season I can find a day to do league or doubles here, can have people pay the usual 7 dollars, 1 for ace pot and one for course fee and the couse fee dollar can go to back 9 but would take a while, could the town match the money if we get half? I play the other courses now and although this one is smaller its closer to me than any other and 18 could draw more people there

[Jason Gervais]

It would take about 5,000 to outfit the back nine. I will be meeting with the first layer of the powers that be the second week of October and will float the idea of a dollar for dollar proposal.

[Adam Prestin]

Nice work on the tee signs!

Where is hole 9? It was getting late on Saturday and we didn't have time to look.

[David Cook]

Dug the course. A lot of fun. Only thing couldn't find 8 and 9. Still a lot of fun. I was with my kids. They even liked it.. looking forward to the expansion.

[Ryan Kasprzycki]

Going to do another doubles match on sunday Oct 21. come on down that day. random doubles, we all flip discs for teams. 5 bucks a person, will post in the other forum too, playing 9 holes twice, It went well last time we did it, hoping to make it an every week thing next year. 11 am, home just in time for football =)

[Ryan Kasprzycki]

Dug the course. A lot of fun. Only thing couldn't find 8 and 9. Still a lot of fun. I was with my kids. They even liked it.. looking forward to the expansion.

If you go again, the path to hole 8 is uphill, to the right of the basket if you are looking at it from the tee, look for log path

[Jason Gervais]

Heading to the course on the 29th for our second work day (back 9). We made a ton of progress on the first day clearing the lions share of the 10th fairway that will end up just under 500 feet. We will be arriving around 7:30 - 8:00.

Come on down! (play,) (help), (help then play)!

[Jason Gervais]

A few more hours on 10 and it will be ready for a basket!

Speaking of baskets after my meeting with the powers that be I was informed we have the funds for at least 2 more baskets with a bit of dough left over.
With a few more work days and a bit more red tape (supplying quotes and shipping costs) we will have 10 and 11 in and playable. Finally getting to play back to the park instead of just walking out.

On a side note I received permission to lay out a hole between 7 and 8 to replace the walk up the hill with what looks to be a medium length uphill throw. I hesitate to say this will be a definite but after a brief look at the landscape it has possibilities. Just being cautious not to shoehorn a hole in where it doesn't naturally fit. If all goes well that will give us a 12 hole loop back to the park and leave a nice piece of land for 13-18.

[Stephen Ditter]

The area between 7 and 8 looks like a pretty good spot for a connecting hole. If you want to keep it away from the walking path that heads up the hill (the route we currently walk to get to hole 8) There might be a pretty decent hole on the back side (heading left from 6's basket) of the same hill. Place the basket somewhere down to the left of where the tee for 8 is.

Great job on the course, hole 10 is going to be a challenging hole. I look forward to seeing what you and the crew have planned for 11,12 and beyond.

-ditterman

[Matt Aubin]

ditter i think that area is off limits for the course unfortunately. plus it is very swampy IIRC.

[Jason Gervais]

Indeed.

Although it is park property, we opted not to use the space in our original design (as it was to be the eighth hole making what is currently 8 the 9th) to preserve a "healthy relationship" with our neighbors to the west.

[Jason Gervais]

The proposed new 8 would run parallel to the walking path on the east side of the trail, making the red trail ob.

[James Lane]

Was out with milkman yesterday looking at the rest of the park areas, found a nifty little shot between 7 and 8, and some amazing land in the back of the park, we just couldn't see where park boundaries are.
Jason I would love to come see what you have planned for 13-18, I am a very experienced player and experienced course designer.
If you are seeking design input, I am available.

[Jason Gervais]

Going to have a work day next sunday. The plan is to rough in the new 8. I have been approached by Choate and signed on for 3 or 4 seniors who need to fulfill their community service hours. They will show up around 8 but I plan to get going at 7. (hope to have some debris for them to move before they arrive). The new 8 will play up the hill formally hiked after 7.

[Jason Gervais]

We are definitely on for Sunday just been informed that there will be 10 to 12 Choate students looking to fill their community hours to help out.
However they are limited as to what they can do i.e. No cutting so mostly cleaning and dragging. Anyone who would like to come with handsaw's or loppers would be greatly appreciated I hate to waste the manpower.

[Jason Gervais]

We will be back at it Sunday the 6th from 7 until around 12. we plan on finishing 12 and starting 13.

Good news on the basket front. It looks like we can expect baskets for the new holes within a couple of weeks or less.

[Stephen Ditter]

Nice work Jason. The course is looking and playing great! Thanks for all the hours you and the crew put in to keeping the current holes clean and the expansion towards 18.

-ditterman