Maine's latest: Pleasant Hill Disc Golf in Scarborough

[Josh Connell]

MaineDiscGolf.com link to Pleasant Hill Disc Golf in Scarborough

Designed and operated by Bob Enman, Pleasant Hill Disc Golf is set on a portion of the former location of Pleasant Hill Golf course, a nine-hole executive ball golf course that closed about two years ago. It blends the open former fairways with the wooded former boundaries of those fairways, using elevation changes and the numerous water hazards to create the longest and probably one of the most challenging courses in Maine.

The signature of the course so far is, as far as we know, the longest hole in New England not found on a ski mountain. Hole 8 measures in at 1108 feet. Playing down hill along a former ball golf fairway, the hole then flattens out and presents players with two options: throw the big shot over the water to the green or navigate the treacherous but dry wooded path to the basket. I'm personally going to put up a $50 bounty for the first legit, witnessed, singles-play (non-doubles) three on this hole. I feel pretty safe on that one.

There are a bunch of pictures up at the link above, and more coming for those that want to get a good idea of what the course looks like. I've only been down there once since Bob and crew started work, but there were already some extremely picturesque holes then (~5 holes completed at that point). I can't even imagine how much better it looks now and will look as work continues.

18 holes are now in and 100% playable. The course will be open for business on Saturday morning and every day after that until the snow falls. The eventual plan is to have at least 27 holes on the property. If anyone wants to drop by sooner than Saturday, I believe Bob will be out there tomorrow putting the finishing touches on things and he'd be happy to have you check it out.

--Josh

[Matt Stroika]

Just took the tour. A lot of the holes look alike (I guess because it is mostly wide open on a golf course). Are those baskets gold? The land looks awesome with a bevy of water hazards. I am definitely excited to play this one. When is the first tourney? Can we move Cuddys there?

[Josh Connell]

Just took the tour. A lot of the holes look alike (I guess because it is mostly wide open on a golf course). Are those baskets gold? The land looks awesome with a bevy of water hazards. I am definitely excited to play this one. When is the first tourney? Can we move Cuddys there?

The baskets are indeed gold, as are the inner chains. They are recycled Discatchers, so they needed some touching up before they were put out.

I think the pictures don't do the course justice, plus many of the holes that are missing photos right now do have much more in the way of trees and other challenges. Hole 6 has a rather cool green feature...I'll wait for the pictures to tell the tale.

Don't know about moving Cuddy's there (kinda far from Cuddy's itself, don't know if they'd like that ), but Bob might be convinced to have an impromptu tourney sometime in the fall. Definitely planning a NEFA points next year, though, probably early in the season.

--Josh

[Mike Martin]

This course looks like a great time, hoping to hit it next weekend. Is there a pro shop there?

-mike

[Josh Connell]

This course looks like a great time, hoping to hit it next weekend. Is there a pro shop there?

-mike

There is a pro shop/clubhouse on site. It will be staffed during the day beginning on Saturday. And it should be minimally stocked by then as well. Not a huge selection, but it will be primarily Innova products to start.

--Josh

[Matt Stroika]

Are there amateur tees on the big holes? I dont know how much fun my 12 year old will have on an 1100 foot wide open hole. (I can always make them up)

[Jason Rubito]

i will be out there friday the 28th if anyone is interested in getting atleast one round in. A buddy and me wouldnt mind the compony if you dont mind a 2 yr old that is a riot....

[Jason Rubito]

WILL be out there this saturday !!!! about 12-1230 ish, have to stop off at dragon real quick and then pick up my brother.

[Jason Rubito]

Got a round in on saturday !!


and i must say this course is a beast ! With a full pack on your back and atleast half the holes being 450 + you can certainly get a full workout in one round. Shot a +5 which is very good for me first time on a course, i can tell my game is getting better. The 1100+ hole is a monster! some how i ended up getting a bogey but the two that were with me got quad bog's. Really have to have a good line if you want to make it through the trees or have some cahona's to make the attempt to shoot over the drink. Hole three temps you to go big and long over the drink, dont play it right and you will end up like myself waiting for the floater(invest in one if you play pleasent hill they have them in the clubhouse for $7 i believe or rent one for a $1 ) you threw to drift back to shore. This course will make you have a big arm if you play on it enough, i literally felt my discs carrying another 20 feet. But dont get it wrong even though this course was a ball golf course, if you know Bob Enman you know his love of the trees. THey still come into play here, one i think hole 7 will have a little treat for you all, i found it great. I bet most people will love it, some people to dont shoot straight will hate it lmao. slight elevation changes tends to screw with my perception, i found myself not putting enough into my throw or putting a tad too much into it. hole 18 gets a little weary for throwers cause people parked their cars about 15 feet behind the basket, i personally dont want to hit anyone cars i assume no one else wants to hit a car but just be a little cautious. The club house is like a home away from home. All they need to do is put a big screen in there when people come back in from a round they can get some food watch a show then go out and play another round.

[Bob Enman]

Hole 18 is 218' and the parking lot is 300' from the Tee, some did park a little close but that was my error and shouldn't happen again.
I think Jason is talking about "The Gauntlet" Hole 6 when he says you're in for a treat. The Gauntlet is just over 200' but is all about placement and accuracy.
Thanks to all who have come out to give us a try it's only going to get better with concrete tees, alternate tees and baskets on some holes and maybe even that big screen TV in the clubhouse

Thanks Again See Ya on the Course

[Josh Connell]

I think Jason is talking about "The Gauntlet" Hole 6 when he says you're in for a treat. The Gauntlet is just over 200' but is all about placement and accuracy.

[Josh Connell]

Are there amateur tees on the big holes? I dont know how much fun my 12 year old will have on an 1100 foot wide open hole. (I can always make them up)

Well, now we'll have to ask Matthew how he enjoyed the course. Rumor is he was out there today with his grandfather. Will be interesting to hear his review.

Also out at Pleasant Hill today was Portland's WMTW-TV 8, doing a piece that aired on tonight's 6:00 news. I hope to have a copy of it up on mainediscgolf.com in the next couple days. It was a very good piece, ~3 minutes long.

--Josh

[Matt Stroika]

Well, now we'll have to ask Matthew how he enjoyed the course. Rumor is he was out there today with his grandfather. Will be interesting to hear his review.

--Josh

Matthew said that he enjoyed the course but that it was very long (sounds like he would have prefered some am tees). He said that he lost two discs on one hole and wasnt happy about that. Hopefully they have a L & F and he will get them back. He claims to have gotten an 8 on the quarter mile hole and to have thrown a disc 275 feet. I dont believe it because I cant throw one 275 feet.

[Tyler Cass]

impromptu event tomorrow morning if anyone wants to check out the course

http://img527.imageshack.us/my.php?image=phillcj3.jpg

[J_Packard]

I'm registered, figure I might as well throw in my two cents.

Went and checked out the course on the 29th with a couple friends. My first problem, not the courses fault, windy as all damned hell. My discs didn't do anything that they were supposed to. I lost 4 discs due to the wind, all 4 in the drink by hole 2, luckily only lost one of my good discs, the rest were junkers that I keep around for just that reason.

The course has some serious potential. It will definitely help you to develop a long throw. Personal opinion, the par's need some work. Holes marked as 5's I hit in 3 easily, which amused me because I don't eagle anything. I played the course and came in 2 under, Gordon (friend I went up with), came in 6 under.

I will definitely go and play it again, hopefully with a lot less wind the next time. I do really well with long holes, I have a long drive, so I'd really like to see what I can do without the wind.

Overall, after being told it's a work in progress, that this is just a preview of what's to come. I give it a 7/10.


Stupid wind...I hate you.

[Jason Rubito]

I'm registered, figure I might as well throw in my two cents.

Went and checked out the course on the 29th with a couple friends. My first problem, not the courses fault, windy as all damned hell. My discs didn't do anything that they were supposed to. I lost 4 discs due to the wind, all 4 in the drink by hole 2, luckily only lost one of my good discs, the rest were junkers that I keep around for just that reason.

The course has some serious potential. It will definitely help you to develop a long throw. Personal opinion, the par's need some work. Holes marked as 5's I hit in 3 easily, which amused me because I don't eagle anything. I played the course and came in 2 under, Gordon (friend I went up with), came in 6 under.

I will definitely go and play it again, hopefully with a lot less wind the next time. I do really well with long holes, I have a long drive, so I'd really like to see what I can do without the wind.

Overall, after being told it's a work in progress, that this is just a preview of what's to come. I give it a 7/10.


Stupid wind...I hate you.

from my knowledge they will be hiring a diver to retrieve lost discs, to get them back you will need to pay a $2 fee that will go to the diver ( i have no problem with that, the disc that i threw into the drink is my favorite disc and the first disc i ever bought $2 is nothing compaired to the bond i have to that disc) some people may have an issue with that so be it, dont pay the 2 bucks and go get a new disc for 8-16 depending on the plastic you threw.


I am a serious fan of P.H. the concrete tees are coming in one by one, and im glad to see Maine finally has a course that you can utilize a roller.

Sorry to hear you had poor weather Packard, i was up there on the 28th and got 2 great rounds in. I myself threw a -6 and a -8, my buddy a -20 and a -21. Pleasent Hill in my eyes has some serious potential to be one of the best courses in Maine. I have played a decent amount of courses in Maine Sabat, dragon, BAP, Campbell, Enman the list goes one. I really think Bob Enman is gonna make this a top notch course, Granted i may be biased cause i started playing on B.E. courses but his courses make you be a better player, i consider Dragon field(one of be's courses) my home course, there is just something about his courses the great mixture of trees great upkeep clean fairways, yadda yadda yadda. I say get up there on a day where its not windy. I do have to agree with you on some of the pars, some seem to be a bit high i also eagled a few and im no power arm. But after all it is a new course and im sure after a few more people get in there you will see those pars lowered or the baskets extended if possible. Thats another great thing about bob, he really likes to play with the courses you get used to one route for a basket and he up and changes it on you.


Hope you can get another chance to get up to P.H. i find it a blast and on a day where there is no wind you will see how fun this place can be.

[Matt Stroika]

I myself threw a -6 and a -8, my buddy a -20 and a -21.

Unless your buddy's name is Ken Climo, he probably isnt shooting 21 below par. They must have set the par for rec players like they do at Enman Field. Play them all as par three and it will probably be easier to count as well.

[Jason Rubito]

I myself threw a -6 and a -8, my buddy a -20 and a -21.

Unless your buddy's name is Ken Climo, he probably isnt shooting 21 below par. They must have set the par for rec players like they do at Enman Field. Play them all as par three and it will probably be easier to count as well.

the owners son shot a -24 which at the moment is the course record. have you played pleasent hill ? I dont know how you play but we go by the score card.

[Dave White]

I was thinking of trying out the new course today,
I should be in the area around 3-4pm.
Anyone looking to play?
See ya.
dave

[Jim Bobka]

Jason, I agree with Matt Stoika; the par is probably Recreational. I know at Tulley Dam, the old hole 7 used to be a par 2. So that would mean a birdie is also a hole in one?!? If you play everything for a par 3, it's easier to manage, and more of a challenge. --jimbo

[Tyler Cass]

Jason... not sure how much you've played outside of Maine. Maine courses tend to use a recreational par system... people like getting birdies and eagles. Using Pro par, most holes are considered 3's... At Pleasant Hill , I would score the 1100 and the 700 ft 4's. People seem to get really worked up about Par, but the bottom line is that your score is your score regardless of how it relates to "par." Once you get use to it, it's really convenient scoring everything in your head as a 3.

[Josh Connell]

Yes, we use recreational pars adapted from Steady Ed's original distance-based rec par system. Essentially, anything under 250 is a par-3, 250-400 is par-4, over 400 is par-5. Bob's talking about adjusting the pars a bit at Pleasant Hill to be more of a happy medium between rec par and "real" par (probably a total par of 69 instead of 75), because the openness of some of the holes seems to make them play slightly easier than the same distance in the woods.

For example, hole 3 at Pleasant Hill is just over 400 feet...if you get your drive ~250 feet off the tee and not in the water, the approach and putt for 3 is much easier than say hole 4 at Dragan Field (~400 feet) where the green is heavily guarded by trees. Both holes are currently listed as par-5 by our system but a 3 seems to be an easier task on PH hole 3 than DF hole 4. But there's also something to be said for "easy" par 5s vs "tough" par 4s, etc and holes going either way.

Here's how I'd label the pars at Pleasant Hill: all 3s except for the following: holes 1, 13, and 14 are par-4; hole 8 is a par-5 (and if there was ever a par-6, this would be one). Hole 17 will be a par-4 when it is moved to its permanent position (right now it's a 300 foot masquerading as a 400 footer). So "pro" par is probably around 59-60 and that's where I'd expect the bottom half of Open/top half of Advanced to be in a typical tournament.

The concept of "everything's a 3" to me is just a mathmatical trick to keep score more than a "par" system. Because saying a course has a total par of 54 says nothing about the difficulty or caliber of the course. As others have said, it's just an easier way of keeping score in your head. That's not "par" by any means.

All that said, I do agree with Tyler when he says that par doesn't really matter in the long run. It's what your score is, period. A 56 is a 56 whether you call it a +2, -10 or -19...and it always beats a 57. But I guarantee that as soon as we lower the card pars...without moving a single tee, basket or tree...we'll hear how we made the course harder. Funny how a little number on a scorecard can mean so much.

--Josh

[Dave White]

Yes, this is it. Pulling into the parking lot and checking in at the club house walking up to the first tee, WOW this is DISC GOLF!!
This is what disc golf should be all about. It feels like im golfing.
A course like this will make a big impact on the future of the sport.
To grow the sport this is it, A lot of NE course are wooded and rocky and tough to play for first timers, I beleive this will make a big impact getting newer players to try the sport.
The course is great 9 out 9in, you decide how to play the hole, Most NE holes you a forced to play it one way.
there are so many well designed holes, 2-3-8-9-12-16-17-18, mine as well just say them all.
This is before the course is really ready to play, Just wait for the tee's and final pin placements!
the only( slight drawback) there are 5-6 holes around 207' - each one is a lot of fun to play and are well designed but they are a little short.
Hope to see a lot of paying customers to grow the sport and add more courses like this in the future.
(any old 9 hole ball golf courses around boston?)
this is one of the best courses in New Endland by far!!
Dave

[Jason Rubito]

sorry didnt mean to sound like a jerk, just saying whatever is on the score card is what we go by. When i go out and play its purely for the fun, bt its also nice to see my scores go down. Im not one to play many tourny's and i have only played in Maine so far. I guess im just used to the thought of whatever is on the score card thats what par is. if i throw under it nice if not ohh well.

[Matt Stroika]

I myself threw a -6 and a -8, my buddy a -20 and a -21.

Unless your buddy's name is Ken Climo, he probably isnt shooting 21 below par. They must have set the par for rec players like they do at Enman Field. Play them all as par three and it will probably be easier to count as well.

the owners son shot a -24 which at the moment is the course record. have you played pleasent hill ? I dont know how you play but we go by the score card.

After reading what Josh wrote, I would probably score somewhere around -20 on the course par or about even par playing it par 3. At any rate, you score how you want and hopefully I will meet you up at Scarborough for a round sooner rather than later. I can not wait to play it.

[Steve Economos]

In my top 3 courses I have ever played. Absolutely love this course!!! was excited about the Santa dubs...

[Mike Connell]

In my top 3 courses I have ever played. Absolutely love this course!!! was excited about the Santa dubs...

In case you didn't know--

Santa's Dubs has changed location. It will be held at Westerly Winds in Westbrook---

http://www.mainediscgolf.com/event10/ph-christmas10.htm

[Steve Economos]

ya just found that out thanks.

how is that course? don't know anything about it

[Mike Connell]

It's a brand new course (still under construction I think) so I don't know what it's like. Guess we'll find out on Saturday! See you there.

[Kyle R Enman]

It is with great regret that Dragon Disc Golf announces the closing of our Pleasant Hill Disc Golf location in Scarborough, effective immediately. After three plus years of operation in which we experienced great growth and greatly enjoyed working for and interacting with all of the players who came out to play, the demands of the property owners have made negotiations untenable and we were unable to reach a new agreement to extend our lease into 2011 and beyond.

The closing of Pleasant Hill is a great loss for our disc golf community. We will certainly miss playing the Gold and Silver courses, just as we’re sure all players will. However, we choose to look at it from a positive point of view, because now we can take the time, effort, energy and staff required to operate three disc golf locations and focus it on our two remaining locations instead. Our Pleasant Hill manager, Dave Townsend, will move up to Enman Field and continue his fine work for us there. We will endeavor to find a new place to plant the old Gold and Silver baskets so the Maine disc golf community will be able to enjoy playing them once again.

For those that lost discs at Pleasant Hill, anything that was recovered will be kept at Dragan Field for the winter and can be reclaimed there. Anyone who wishes to search for and/or retrieve discs that have not been recovered will have to contact Pleasant Hill’s owners for permission to enter the property.

If anyone else has any questions or concerns regarding the closure of Pleasant Hill, please feel free to contact us directly via email ddg@dragondiscgolf.com or by calling the Dragan Field (207-786-4900) or Enman Field (207-798-5000) pro shops.

Thank you to all the players who played Pleasant Hill. We hope to see you at Dragan Field and Enman Field one day soon.