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Wickham Park is a non-profit, private foundation whose property extends into both Manchester and East Hartford, Connecticut.
The park contains 250 acres of gardens, open fields, woodlands, ponds, picnic areas, sports facilities, and other attractions.
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BICYCLE RIDE TO WICKHAM PARK DISC GOLF AND ROCKY HILL FERRY
Saturday, August 9th 9:30 am |
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Meet at the Founders Bridge Riverfront Plaza in Downtown Hartford at 9:30am.
Join an intrepid group of cyclists on a journey starting from the Founders Bridge at the riverfront onto
its first stop at Wickham Park in Manchester to play disc golf. No experience necessary at all, some will know how to play the rest will learn! You don't even have to have
discs as you can rent them at the park. No charge for bikes to get into the park! After a round of disc golf the journey will head south to cross the river back (for those of living on the west side) at the Rocky Hill Ferry.
The Ferry is the oldest continuously operating ferry in the US and is only $2 per cyclist to ride. Help make sure we can have one ferry completely full of bikes!
Event content taken from the Central Connecticut Bicycle Alliance website www.wecyclect.org
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Welcome to Wickham Park Disc Golf. Our 18-hole course is the first facility of its kind to appear in the Greater Hartford /
Central Connecticut region and could not have been accomplished without the generous support from our
contributors and sponsors.
The course features challenging terrain that includes wide open fields, narrow wooded passages, and pine and larch
groves all nestled in a scenic environment that offers beautiful vistas and pronounced elevation changes. Rolling
hills and natural boundaries along the wonderfully manicured landscape provide a dynamic golf experience while wind
currents that vary from day to day level will occasionally require tricky shot adjustments.
The layout of the course was designed to safely accommodate both disc golfers and regular park patrons by mitigating
crossover into highly trafficked areas, an attribute that also promotes the overall flow of play from hole to hole.
At the few places of intersection we thank players for their patience and courtesy as well as their keen eyes that
constantly watch for and avoid potential hazards.
The course extends from the north end of the park along Tolland Turnpike and near the softball fields towards
the southern edge along Burnside Avenue (West Middle Turnpike) before looping back past the Cabin Garden and along
the far edge of the Lotus Garden. A practice basket will soon be installed near Parking Lot E for players to warm up and
enable them to sharpen their putting skills.
Disc Golf is among the nation's fastest growing sports, and we thank you for your participation. Enjoy the course!!
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Upon entering the park ask the guard at the Gate House for an official Wickham Park Disc Golf scorecard and pencil. There is an
entrance fee of $3
per vehicle Monday through Friday and $4 per vehicle on weekends and holidays. Park your vehicle at
Lot E and begin your round at Hole # 1. A group of four playing a full round of 18 holes generally takes an average of 2
hours to complete. Please allow for
enough time to finish your final hole before the park closes at sunset. The time motor vehicles are required to leave
the park is posted at the Gate House and the information kiosk.
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Basic golf discs (Innova DX Sharks and Stingrays) are available for purchase at the Gate House for $9 or can be rented for the day at $2 apiece.
Please ensure your discs clearly marked for easy identification. During the season the collection of lost discs will be posted on this website
and on the information kiosk for notification purposes. Discs unclaimed by the end of the park's season will be donated to the novice programs.
General information about Disc Golf can be found at disclife.com
Please email discgolf@wickhampark.org
for more information about the course or activites related to Wickham Park Disc Golf.
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The Amateur Challenge Tournament (ACT) is designed to introduce players to the tournament experience with a fabulous player's pack and low entry fees.
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A weekly disc golf league meets for random draw best disc doubles at 10:00am every Sunday unless specifically noted otherwise.
The league is open to all skill levels - all you need is a desire to play. Female players may elect to throw from the short tees on holes 1,3,6,8, and 11.
Meet at Parking Lot E at 10:00am. The practice putting basket is available for warmups.
The cost to play is $6/person. $4 goes towards payout for scores in the top third of the field. $1 goes to the course development fund, $1 goes to a running ace (hole-in-one) pot
currently at $58 as of Sunday August 3rd.
If there is an unpaired player he or she may choose to play "California" style (one extra throw per hole) or "Connecticut" style for $4 more
where the odd player out may bank unused shots for use anytime later. The "Connecticut" player will always begin on hole #4 (Showdown).
The round will also include CTP (Closest To the Pin) challenges.
The thrower of the disc that lands closest to the basket in one shot on designated holes will win a prize at
the conclusion of the round. CTP prize donations are always encouraged and welcome.NOTE: Donations that
contain alcohol will not be awarded to minors under the age of 21. Alocoholic beverages are not to be consumed at the
park by people of legal drinking age unless they are a part of an organized picnic in a picnic area.
The league has also an additional CTT (Closest To the Tee) award on certain holes - a fun prize that lightens the atmosphere
when shots don't quite go as far as planned.
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From the regular set of tees to the regular basket positions, the front nine measures 3580 feet,
while the back nine measures 3431 feet for a total length of 7011 feet.
An alternate set of novice tees has been designated for holes 1, 3, 6, 8, and 11.
From the novice tees the front nine measures 2825 feet, while the back nine measures 3281 feet
for a total length of 6106 feet.
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Please mark and label your disc with a permanent marker so that it can be identified in case
it becomes lost on the course. It's quick and easy, and gives your homesick disc hope that one day
it will be returned to the comfort and safety of your carrying bag!
Until the day when radar chips and barcodes are commonplace, here are some suggested snippets information that you may want to consider including on your disc:
Name or Initials
Email Address
Telephone Number
Mailing Address
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Lost and Found FAQ
1) What should I do when I find someone's lost or abandoned disc out on the course?
If you find someone else's disc, you can do one of three things...
a) Leave the disc with the attendant at the Gate House as you leave the park. The lost disc will be taken to the office and the disc and contact info will be posted on the website and at the information kiosk.
b) Bring the disc with you to the Weekly Sunday Doubles mini tournaments @ 10:00. Chances either that person will be there or a friend will be able to deliver the disc to the individual.
c) Contact the owner of the lost disc yourself and make arrangements to have it returned. It's a great way to fulfill a good deed and perhaps meet another appreciative golfer.
2) What should I do if I find an unlabelled disc?
If you find an unlabelled disc take note of other players on the course. When the opportunity presents itself, ask them
if they lost a disc. If the answer is yes, ask them what brand, style, colour (or pattern), and approximate weight the disc they lost was before revealing it. If the answer is a
a match more than likely you've found the owner. You might want to explain how important it is for everyone to mark their discs. Remind them how lucky they were to have
their disc returned in this case.
If no one claims the disc, please check the WICKHAM PARK L&F thread on the
New England Flying Disc Association DISCussion Forum. A description of the lost disc and where it was lost may appear there. If no owner can be found
at that point you're free to keep it.
3) What happens if I lose a disc?
Check this website or the information kiosk at hole # 1 for a listing of discs that have been turned in. If your disc is there, you can make arrangements to have it returned one of three ways...
a) Call the park at 860.528.0856 and set a day to have it picked up. They will bring the disc from the safekeepings in the office to the Gate House and will inform the attendant to expect you.
b) Email discgolf@wickhampark.org and make arrangements to pick it up at a disc golf event like the weekly doubles mini tournaments or at one of the free clinics.
c) If you live more than 90 minutes away we will arrange to have the disc mailed back to you via the U.S. Postal Service.
4) What happens if a disc goes unclaimed?
If an unlabelled disc is found during a disc golf event, and no one claims it through the channels described above, it will become a CTP prize at a subsequent Weekly Sunday Doubles mini-tournament.
Labelled discs that are not claimed by the end of the season will be donated to the introductory clinic program.
5) What should I do if I notice someone playing with a lost disc of mine?
If the disc is labelled with your name on it, politely ask the person where they found it and ask for its return.
Show them other discs in your bag with the same label and explain that the one they have actually belongs to you. Hopefully the person will cooperate, and
demonstrate that their action was merely a misunderstanding of disc golf etiquette. If the individual refuses to give the disc back, hail a member of our security staff.
They will attempt to intervene and rectify the situation.
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The park and the disc golf course are open on the first weekend in April through the last weekend in October.
The course will be closed to the public for regular play on the following dates:
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denotes partial day course closing |
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denotes course reroute |
Please read notices at the Disc Golf Information Kiosk for additional details.
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June
07 - ACT IV (Amateur Challenge Tournament)
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July
12 - GHDGO (Greater Hartford Disc Golf Open)
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August
02 - Skyhounds Dog Championship (Hole #11 closed) ¥
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October
11 - Wickham Invitational Cross Country Race
25 - CT Divisionals Cross Country Race
26 - Wickender Bare Bones Doubles Tournament
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Wickham Park reserves the right to close or reroute any section of the course when construction or maintenance needs arise.
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