Introducing: Devens Treasures

If you've played Devens yet, you may have noticed some "artifacts" sprinkled throughout the course. Most are old soda and beer cans from the pull-tab era, as well as a couple of old bottles, auto parts, lawn chairs, and who knows what.

I like finding these things and seeing how brands and logos have changed over the years. Eventually, I'd like to collect these things and create a mini-museum of Devens Treasures. So, if you find anything really cool, let me know.

Today's Treasure is a 7up glass bottle with the slogan "You like it. It likes you." Bottled in nearby Worcester, MA. "'Fresh Up' with 7up".

After a little research and comparing label design, it looks like this bottle is from somewhere between 1955 and maybe 1967, but I'm going with late 50s.

Don't make me learn!

• Who invented 7up?
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Anyone Lose a Giant Light Bulb?

Saturday I found this gigantic light bulb to the right of the boulders on Hole 3. It was slightly submerged in the leaves and dirt and I thought maybe it was some old and forgotten ordnance from the Fort Devens days. I brushed away the dirt and realised that it was a light bulb - totally not what I was expecting!

Amazingly it wasn't broken (except for the filament inside). Now to find the giant string of Christmas lights it went in!

No, that's not a mini that the bulb is on!

Hello Hole 16 and 17

While the rest of you were weeding your vegetable gardens, BrianM, SteveB, BillS, and I worked our butts off carving out Holes 16 and 17 on Saturday. Steve rented a chainsaw and had visions of zipping through the woods like a warm knife through butter, but as is the case with rentals, the blade was dull and the trees didn't fall as fast as he had hoped. But, they did fall.

Hole 17 is a pretty uphill hole and takes advantage of a beautiful rock cliff straight in front of you. I initially had the basket on top of the 30-ft cliff (making a pretty difficult putt up to it), but after both Bill and I wiped out a few times clearing the area, we decided it would not be the safest hole especially in slick or wintry conditions. Luckily there is a nice clearing to the left that still requires an uphill putt over a different and safer rock ledge, so we put the basket there. The hole ends up as a possible deuce and a makeable uphill longish ace.

Hole 16 is a downhill chuck with a steep drop to the bottom of the hill about 1/3 of the way down. Initially, we thought this would be a good hole to let one rip from the teepad, but after we cleared the first batch of trees and made the fairway, it didn't seem as long due to the elevation change. Maybe once we clear the fairway and play the hole a few times, we'll move the tee back and up a few ledges.

So, there you have it. Seventeen holes are pretty much done and the course is getting some steady foot traffic. We are also close to installing our first 5 baskets and are just finalizing the logistics. Stay tuned!

Play DG Online!

So, you say you can't make it to the course today? Well, have no fear -- you can waste the day away by playing online. This is one of the best DG games I've seen so far.

Could This Be the Last Wednesday Weekly?

Last week we started at 5:45 and still ran out of sunlight, so this week's Wednesday Weekly may be our last until the Spring. But don't be sad, we'll just move it to Saturday or Sunday and come up with another snazzy name. Let me know which day and time (morning or afternoon) works best for you.

This Saturday at 9AM a few of us will be carving out the last three holes. There are only a few chances left where you can say, "Hey, I helped clear this fairway," so why don't you join us? Then you can put "Disc Golf Course Builder" on your resume right next to "Professional Athletic Supporter."

Let me know if you can make it either day. Send an email or use the Comment feature below.

And the Game Does Suffer

I played in the Fairfield Open yesterday down in Fairfield, CT. It was my first tournament in over three months and only the second time I've played on a course other than Devens all summer. And it showed bigtime.

My first drive of the day was a beauty, except that it went clear across three fairways and landed out of bounds. Things didn't get much better and for the first time in my life I started round 2 on the last card in second-to-last place! Ugh.

I knew going into the day that I probably wouldn't play that great, but damn was I really only one spot away from DFL?! I couldn't believe it! Now all I could do was enjoy the second round and try to salvage some dignity. Playing on the last card turned out to be pretty fun and I ended moving up about 5 places in the final standings. Playing with DaveM, JoshB, and JohnO made it fun too since we were all in the same boat.

So why am I telling you this? Take it as a warning all you would-be course builders out there. Once you decide to build a course, your game will no doubt suffer! I really don't mind though because I have been having a blast helping getting this course off the ground. Come check it out and make me feel better! :-)

Wednesday Weekly Results: 9/6

We had four people this week including RobW, Pete T, first-time golfer PeteN, and me. I must say it was one of the funnest and most relaxed rounds I've had there so far. Rob, PeteT, and I were in a heated battle throughout (tied at 34 after the front 9), but I ended up squeaking out the win by one stroke over PeteT. Our scores weren't anything to brag about however, so I won't.

Newbie PeteN played even with us throughout, but had a nasty run of 6, 7, and 8, that ruined his Cinderella story. Complete scores here.

Last weekend, RobW did some nice cleanup work on 13 and cleared most of the fairway of brush piles and fallen trees. Thanks Rob! He also told me that he bumped into some golfers from Maryland or Delaware playing the course, as well as a few other foursomes, including a couple of families. That is great to hear! Feedback has been nothing but positive too! :)

David James Family Sponsors a Hole!

The David James Family has officially sponsored a hole! I received the check Friday. Thanks very much Dave! Dave has been putting in a lot of hours helping with the course and is responsible for those snazzy orange tee markers and next tee signs, making the course look like a real course!

Here are our current sponsors. Would anyone else care to join this exclusive list?

1. NEFA
2. Hanscom Credit Union
3. Innova
4. James family
5. Gemini Dogs (pending)

Also: Borderland Disc Golf has loaned us four baskets.

Holes 16-18 Tentatively Layed Out

Steve and I wandered through the woods Saturday morning and tentatively layed out the final three holes. Hole sixteen will be a downhill chuck that will require some control since the basket will be toward the right after a pretty quick dropoff. Hole 17 will be a shorter hole, but up a slight grade and over a small ravine into the base of a 30-40 ft ledge. If we can drill through the rock ledge, the basket will go on top, making deuces hard to come by. If we can't install the basket in the rock, we'll put it at the base of the ledge wall, making it a deuceable and aceable hole. Hole 18 goes back down the hill and will be a fairly straight shot through the trees (a la Maple Hill 4) ending near the path back to the parking lot.