PLEASE READ !! Need DG media threads !!

[Jeff Wiechowski]

I've gone back about 15 pages into the "General DISCussion" topics to move threads here.

If you see any media related threads I've missed, please post links here and I'll get them moved.

Thanx !

[Tim Bishop]

This appeared in todays Athol Daily News

'Ross's Run' now open at Petersham Country Club
Disc course is first in state to partner with golf

JOSH TALBOT Sports Editor


PETERSHAM -- The new disc golf course, Ross's Run Disc Golf Course at Petersham Country Club, opens to the public today, coinciding with the opening round of the PGA's Masters Golf Tournament.

"We are really excited about the disc golf course," said Petersham Country Club PGA professional Tim Bishop. "We could have opened it last Saturday, but we held it off to coincide with the Masters. It's great because this is a fusion between golf and disc golf."

The course is the first in the state of Massachusetts to be part of a country club.

"Being the first golf course in the state to have a disc course is kind of neat," said Bishop. "This little town of Petersham has something no one else in the state has."

For April, PCC is offering disc golf at $6/round and $10 for an all day pass. There is a catch, however.

"When they are done, we are asking them to give us some input," said Bishop. "We want to know what they like and what they don't like. Do they feel safe? Where do we have to move things? We are going to listen to the discers and golfers and when they have concerns we will address them and make it viable for everyone."

Bishop is committed to providing disc golfers with the best possible experience and that's why their input is so important in the early stages of the course. It's that same input that helped form the course as it is now. Bishop and superintendent Glenn Hause began laying the groundwork for the disc course back in August.

"We started to put a little footprint down to the golf course where it wouldn't interfere with the golfers, but where the discers would be seen," said Bishop.

After the initial groundwork was laid for the course, Bishop solicited some area discers to come in and give some tips.

"We started talking to some of the area discers and they came up and walked the course and said 'this is good, this is not,'" said Bishop. "We have worked with these guys to give the best possible experience."

With the early footprint, the disc course still needed to be cleaned up. That work started in August and continued through the winter.

"Glen was out cutting stumps, roots and weeds in August," said Bishop. "With the great winter we had, he was able to be out there and continue clearing paths. We also had a group of members called the 'Burn Crew' that came up in the winter and cleared brush and areas. We gave the crew some direction and they went to town and cleaned it up. It looks great."

Bishop also was pushed by a thread on NEFA.com about the course.

"The people on the thread started this buzz about PCC having a disc course," said Bishop. "Those people are on there all the time and they've continued the buzz and we feed into it every once in a while. It's been mostly through that thread that we have gotten a lot of input. They've been on us to keep it up and running. We know these guys are excited."

With the ever increasing disc golf community in the area, Bishop is hoping to catch lightning in a bottle.

"The disc golf community in this area is getting very active and we said 'let's see if we can hop on board,'" said Bishop. "We thought that disc golf will open the course back up to some of the guys we've lost. Golf has lost the 35-55 year old. A lot of them have gone to disc golf. Now they can come here and play golf and disc golf. They can even drop off the kids to play disc golf and get back into playing regular golf. The parallels are perfect."

There are a few areas on the course where the two courses will overlap, including the elevated fourth tee where discers pushed heavily to throw from.

"The discers love the idea of teeing off from our fourth tee," said Bishop. "These guys can throw the disc 200 yards so they absolutely wanted to tee off from up there. I am looking forward to the day we have four golfers and four discers up there. I know for a fact my golfers will ask about it and they will throw the disc and they will intermingle."

The members of PCC have kept an open mind about the new disc golf course as they look to keep the course alive and well.

"Golf right now is an industry that's going down or leveling out," said Bishop. "This will be a financial way to keep the facility open and viable. The members say 'hey, whatever we need to do.'"

The course, Ross's Run, will be named in honor of former president Ross Yanco and designer Donald Ross.

"It's a bit of a tribute to both guys," said Bishop. "Donald Ross created this golf course and he was a lover of natural things. Ross Yanco just passed away about a month ago. Ross loves this place so much and he really helped us get ourselves back on our feet a few years ago."

In the end, the disc course helps keep PCC as a viable spot for the community.

"We want everyone to know PCC is a place that has outdoor activities and lifelong activities that can keep people outside walking and enjoying what we have here," said Bishop.

And the golf course isn't too bad either.

"The golf course right now has been great," said Bishop. "It's early April and we've been going for three weeks. It's great to be going early in the season."

For more information, contact PCC at 978-724-3388.