Coggshall Park 2017

[Rick Hobbs]

It's been some time since I've even posted on these forum pages. I am pleased to see that Jason and Titan are still out there, I don't think anyone writes more entertaining posts than they.
But I'm here to give those of you out there who aren't following our club page on Facebook an update on recent goings-on at the course. Number one, yes, we do have a club which has been active for 3 years now, give or take. The lineup has changed but the mission remains, which is to make this course the best it can possibly be.
As to the course itself, just this past weekend the club rented a Bobcat and with its help we were able to transport most of the tee pad materials to holes 9, 14, 15, and 17. Along with the Bobcat came a willing and able crew that was able to complete new brick pads on 14, 15, and 17. That leaves the pad on 9 to be completed, then all of the holes except for 4 and 16 will have brick pads. For 16, we plan to build a platform-style pad similar to Hole 8 on the Hill course at Devens. I would advocate for something like that on 4 as well, which will get us off the park road. I imagine we'll have to stretch the hole uphill a bit, but this can be done.
I've had lots of discussions with many of you both here and in person as to what changes we might make, but we've stuck with the present layout. I've always felt it the best way to proceed, given the money and man-hour budgets with which we must work. We'll play the course as is and see what, if anything, we might do in the future.
Lately I've begun to visualize another course in the park, following the example of Devens with the General course. Take the lessons learned from the original course and apply them to a newer, larger, more challenging course. Area-wise, there is more than enough land. Practically speaking, the big cliff band that essentially divides the park in two is still a formidable obstacle. And I have yet to formally propose a new course to the club. let alone the city. I'm just sending out feelers. The few I spoke to at league tonight seemed interested, I don't think there's a soul out there in Disc Golf Land who wouldn't want a new course. Granted it's a long way from thinking about another course to actually building one. A lot of things have to fall into place first. But I think I'll start doing some exploring out there again. I'd love to make use of that stretch of land between the first three holes on the present course and the base of those cliffs.
This course has come a long way since its beginning in 2009. The fairways have been substantially improved since the early days when it was all too easy to lose a disc. We get a lot of visitors and a lot of positive feedback from local residents. Litter remains a problem as is the case with most public lands, but we do our best to take care of it. But the big news is, we've got ourselves a great course here. Not just my opinion, but that of many who are either much better disc golfers or much more experienced course builders than I. So come give us a try, or come try again if you haven't played here for a few years.