Located right off I-290
Right in the city of Worcester
Mostly wooded

2 sets of baskets on most holes confusing
Too many uphill shots (hate them)
Some tee pads too short

It's a plus to have a course in the middle of a city, conveniently located right off I-290. The course is mostly wooded with a few open shots. It's not called Newton Hill for nothing. You're basically going up and down the hill on several shots. I'm not a fan of uphill shots so there were several holes I didn't enjoy. But what goes up must come down, and there were several downhill shots. There are 2 sets of baskets on most holes, which aren't reflected on the tee signs. Also, many of the tee pads were either uneven or had mats missing. It made the run-up a little tricky on some holes.

Newton Hill is a public park course that is ,,, not park style at all. It sits on a wooded to semi wooded giant hill . The course is hard to figure out where the course actually starts and ends . Drive on Highland St until you see a huge hill , then look for a Doherty School , entering the parking lot , stay left and turn left when you run out of room . Park in the far end near the woods ( plenty of parking available ) . Hole 1 will be just inside that woods . A bathroom is near the bottom of the hill under hole #7 if you need to use one .
The Equipment - The tee pads are rubber , but level . The tee signs are okay , but small and on wood posts . They also just show the paths to the original baskets on the course . Newton Hill has since added a 2nd basket for each hole , Red Dynamic Veterans , to go with the present Chainstars that they have . They are positioned either in a longer spot , or set strategically to the left or right of the present baskets .Bricks underneath the baskets , have green painted arrows showing you where the next tee box is ., helps with navigation . There is a putting basket near hole #1 and a nice kiosk with course map between the lot and the course .
The Landscape - The course had some trash on it , but the tree branches looked cut back and the grass was mowed when I was here . much like the Devens courses 20 miles or so north of here , Newton Hill's 18 holes are set on top of or on the side of this huge hill . The course is supposed sit away from the other multi functions of this park , but some stragglers might show up on a fairway or 2 during your round . There is a lot of elevation here , and the paths cut out of the woods are fair . There are no open holes on this course .
The Highlights - Most of the Chainstar Holes are fairly straight .No memorable holes here , but some solid ones . #1 is only 232' , but it bends slightly left and the basket is protected by small trees and a giant rock . Try to kill your midrange off of the lower part of a tree . #3 is 374-' and uphill to the left and a tightening fairway to a basket minus a real green . #7 is a brutal tight 420' hole that goes up a hill that never seems to end . The basket is guarded by a chain of smaller trees around it . #15 is a great narrow downhill drive with heavy rough on the hillside on your right and the descending hill on your left . The basket sits on a small uphill at the end ..
Disc Risk - Moderate . There is some heavy rough that could be chopped out , and the constant elevation will encourage runaways with your discs . The only saving aspect is that the holes play somewhat short ( 10 under 300' ) Use a spotter if you can ) .
The Time - It took me about an hour and 5 minutes to play this course . It is listed at 5361' , but the longer 2nd basket placements will change that . A group of 4 will take maybe 2 hours .
Course Designer Jason Southwick did a fantastic job of cutting out these fairways and still making a 5500' course .There is a lot of Fun Factor here , as the course is made more for the local or mild intermediate . Newton Hill looked to have plenty of people playing on it when I played on an early Thursday evening . Be prepared to play slow during peak times . No trash bins , so carry out what you carry in . Bring water with you . You won't be near your car until finishing hole #18 .

#1 Safety . Non players and dog walkers will walk onto to the course fairways oblivious to where they are , even though Fido is relieving himself on a basket pole . Be careful to look before you throw . Share the park .
#2.Outstanding(less ) - There are no WOW holes on this course .There are going to be challenges to hit your mark on the fairway , but it will eventually lead to birdies , depending on the basket you are shooting at . It's just tight and technical .
#3 The Elements - Weather will be a factor on whether you play here . The rubber mats might be tricky to throw from , and the hillside , though it might drain well , will lead you to slip and slide to your disc . possibly falling while throwing your 2nd shot .
The bugs are going to be bad in the summer . Make sure you spray before you play . You won't come back to the car until you finish #18 . Same goes with bringing water .

This course is exactly what the Worcester area needs . A free course for the common player to enjoy with an after-work or early weekend play . If you like technical courses , Newton Hill is right up your alley . Play here 3-4 times a week and you will be in shape by the end of the season . To all of the volunteers and the local disc golf club ( I met some ) , who are a great bunch and work diligently to try keeping the course clean , Thanks .
Make sure that you check the course homepage and check to see if any tournaments are scheduled . I happened on a Thursday evening , and there was a scheduled league singles starting at around 6 .
My Recommendation : The Course is short but solid , and with the 2nd set of baskets , makes Newton hill seem more attractive to play and improve . Good course for intros , newbies , families , great for locals . Intermediates might have some fun here , but good ams or pros will likely skip it here and head up to Maple Hill or the Pyramids . Good leg stretch for the traveler , and a good selection for the Course Collector , who can grab the Pyramids ( 2 ) and Maple Hill just a few miles away . This Course is Good Enough . PLAY IT !!!

Like a lot of courses in this part of the state, there is some good elevation here. Newton Hill has even more than most and features some surprisingly good views from the top of the surrounding Worcester Hills (at least when there are no leaves).

This is an intermediate player's dream. The fairways are wider than many wooded courses. You won't get away with awful shots, but you're not asked to hit 8-foot gaps, either. The challenge comes from negotiating the steep terrain. There is definitely room for some tough rollaways here. Also, the average hole is under 300 feet.

Hole 16 is the best, a 370-foot thrilling downhill shot to a basket on a slope. I had to throw a couple drives on this one and overthrew it with a midrange pretty easily.

Tee pads are all rubber and level. Signage is rudimentary, showing the general shape of the fairway with an arrow and the distance, but none of the holes are long enough to require much more.

Navigation was pretty easy. The only time I got messed up was after hole 3 (there is a trail heading down and to the right, slightly backtracking). I think this is probably obvious in normal conditions.

The sunny side of the hill was pretty muddy, and I imagine it stays that way.

There are few multi-shot holes, and the challenge might not be there for the best players, although I still think anyone would enjoy it here.

Note: I played on a sheet of ice, the result of some freezing rain before the new year. So I can't comment on things like erosion, brush, broken glass, and other stuff you might find in the summer. I was mainly trying to keep some traction, but I still had a great time.

Based on the pictures (which I should know to ignore; pictures never give you the full story before you play), I expected the holes to be monotonous. Not so. In spite of the conditions, I really enjoyed my round. I will be back, but the only thing that might keep me from coming more often is that Maple Hill and Pyramids are just miles up the road. The greater Worcester area has become an excellent place to visit for a few days of great disc golf.

This is a very good course situated just behind some type of school, in a fairly large park. In general, the whole park seems to be a large hill, and the course plays up, down, and around it.

Variety- Each and every hole is unique, and this course requires every trick in the bag to get the birdies necessary to score well. The designer did a good job incorporating many different flight lines into the course, especially when most of the holes are single shot, reachable par 3s.

Elevation- As I said in the opening paragraph, this course plays on a hill, and there is significant amounts of elevation changes on nearly every hole.

Fun factor- Although this course does not have any spectacular top of the world shots, it still has quite a few very fun and enjoyable downhill ace runs that would definitely keep it fun for the casual, new, or recreational player.

Navigation+Signage- Although there are not an abundance of signs, the signs that exist serve there purpose well and make playing the course for the first fairly easy. Navigation is easy here, due to some next tee signs and the close, yet safe proximity, of teepad to basket.

Amenities- This course has brand new chainstar baskets, and because it is close to downtown, amenities are a very close distance away. Although I would not necessarily consider this an amenity in a normal review, the fact that two very highly rated and deserving courses, Maple hill and Pyramids are just up the road. At least to me, this fact makes this destination a lot more appealing and between this and the two above-mentioned courses, one could make a really nice day of golfing.

There are not many cons here as I feel that the designer did a very good job at utilizing the land available, just a few nitpicky details.

Trash- This course could use some cleaning up, or the occasional garbage can, as when I visited trash could be found fairly abundantly.

Erosion/mud- Due to the fact that there are low-lying areas at the base of the hill, there is accumalated mud, and on the few holes that do play towards the base of the hill, there is mud. This mud also seems to attract mosquitos. I could definitely see erosion becoming a problem in the near future if basket positions are not frequently moved. This is because, many of the baskets are situated very close to steep slopes, and many of the fairways play up and down such steep slopes.

Overall, I was very surprised at the quality of the course, and it was not nearly what I expected when I pulled up. This is definitely a good fun break from the Maple hill and Pyramids courses, and I could definitely see myself frequenting this course for a fun round full of ace runs.

-Easy to navigate from the very first tee, even on your first round
-Challenging (for a beginner like me)
-Invokes a good selection of technical shots.
-Was generally clean, tees and holes all in great condition.
-Locals very friendly.

-Can be very punishing if you end up in the trees.
-Broken glass scattered around the course.
-Holes could be short for advanced players.

Take careful note of where you disc ends up as it can sometimes be difficult to find amongst the leaves (if you end up in the trees anyway).
Very hilly and can be steep so prepare for a good hike.
Wasn't very busy for a beautiful sunny Saturday afternoon.
Generally, even for a beginner this course made for a good round.

Even Mix of shots. You will play up/down hill, left/right, mostly tight wooded, but a few places to let it fly.
Fair layout.
Tee pads are in really good shape with some current work being done.
Baskets are in excellent condition.
Even for being on a hill, the course flows very well, and you don't feel like all you're doing is climbing all round.
Lots of trash cans.
Plenty of seating around tees.
A few spots with broken glass, but for the most part a very clean course.

Lots of leaves on the course, easy to lose disc.
A few tee pads could be a bit longer.
15 was unplayable due to construction work.
No restrooms.

Man if I could get something half as nice built in my city!
Had a really nice round here.
I am not a player who likes to throw uphill or walk uphill (Hated Devens), but this is course didn't wear me out because of the terrain.
It looked as if some work was being done to improve the course further, and that is a great thing.
Start your trip to Maple Hill a few hours early and warm up on this one.
It's free to play, free to park, but bring a few bucks to drop in the donation pole.

This is my former home course. The biggest pros are:
-Free
-Easy parking
-Great location, easily accessible to locals and close to highways
-Dynamic, challenging topography
-Certainly not an easy course, but not too challenging either. Suits players of a wide range of abilities. In order to birdie most holes, you need to play very good disc golf.
-Baskets in good shape
-The local caretakers are always working to improve the course
-Few thorns or poison ivy, which can't be said about a lot of courses in New England.

-Broken glass and litter are always an issue
-A few par 4s are too easy
-Sometimes the hills are a little too tough and can roll a missed putt VERY far from the pin
-Not many holes are particularly memorable (although 4, 7, 10, and 15 are my faves)

I love this course. It's got all the basics and then some to make an enjoyable disc golf experience. But it's certainly not a disc golf destination, just a wonderful, free community asset that has caring locals giving lots of love on a regular basis.

Well designed for the amount of land given for the course. Plenty of up hill and down hill shots. Free to play.

lots of glass on most of the course. and its a public park, not really a busy public park, but from time to time people are walking, running, biking, ect....a public high school shares the property.

Good use of hill.
Nice signage and next tee markers. I printed a map and never needed to use it. Feels solo as you do not see other holes or golfers.
Nice up and down. Not all up at once.
Overall a nice mature course well worth the visit and a return either tomorrow or on my next Boston visit.

Needs garbage cans at tees.
Need to wear good shoes, ideally not sneakers as the terrain is loose, rough, lots of broken glass, unstable footings.
Just a bit buggy today.

A very nice, well worn in course. This place would be ideal for a great tournament.
Good hole variety. Plays left and right. Plays up and down. Plays short and long. Nice and shady for a hot day.
Hole-by-hole comments.
1 - A great start. Open to begin and good tree placement. Nice basket location . Slight uphill and annie. Bare ground is good for disc skipping.
2 - Straight shot. Basket placement does not match sign indication.
3 - Slight uphill, Slight hyzer, Nice defined fairway.
4 - This is my choice for signature hole for this course... or at least signature rock. Nice tree gap and keenly placed rock for visual impact. Good basket placement in trees down and back. Nice tree gateway to shoot for.
5 - Nothing but trees. No clear shot. Just toss it and play tree pinball... You will not believe me when I tell you I let it rip and did not hit a single tree on my tee shot. Played my best hole of the day here. Drive at pin, lucky roll and drop in for a deuce.
6 - Not as annie as the sign shows. Slight downhill shot.
7 - The glass gallery. Long hole, Slight uphill. Nice tree choices and a mando?
8 - Short but a nice hole.
9 - Uphill and blind. Nice big tree. Nice climb here. Good to throw up, up, up.
10 - Long left side slope on ridge. very steep pin area. if you miss the putt... and you will... killer roll away, your next putt will be even longer... and uphill, too.
11 - Uphill. Blind. Shorty. Good, simple fun.
12 - Uphill shoot through a nice tree gate placed just far enough from tee pad that you will hit the tree instead of split the uprights... likely.
13 - Longish downhill sweeper. Very nice hole. If you have a pretty good arm with placement ability you can drive the pin area for a deuce. I did not.
14 - Hard dog leg annie. if you have good annie vbending middie control... say a Innove Wedge, you can drive the pin area... bend it hard. Nice to see as most holes with this hard a dog leg tend to go Hyzer rather than annie.
15 - Huge downhill with roll away sloped pin area. very gald this hole does NOT play the other direction. Steep, downhill hole. Steepest of the course.
16 - Moderate uphill shot slight slope to the right dissimilar from leftie slope on hole 10.
17 - Comparitively (for the course) level connector hole to put 18 in a place to bring us back to start of course. Good use of existing trees for shot options.
18 - Short, simple finish hole. out with a whimper, not a bang. Perhaps you should play the 18 pad to the practice basket near tee #1 instead for some challenge.

Well marked---it's easy to find baskets and next tees. Challenging for intermediate players. Excellent location. Easy to find. Plentiful parking. Free. Good hole variety (but could be better). Great exercise workout due to elevation changes. Not too many trees.

Parking not available during school hours. Only one set of tees/holes. Some steep uphill holes. Can be difficult to find errant drive without spotters on some holes (#10, #13, #15, #17). #18 is too short. Broken glass on some holes, esp. #7.

I really like this course. Even though it's a workout, I love the large number of uphill holes with limited (vs. Pyramids) trees; I feel that they reward good drive technique and reduce random chance tree-hits. #13 and #15 are fun-and-a-bit-scary drives.

How to make this course better: add a few longish out-in-the-open holes, lengthen some of the flat and/or downhill holes, clear brush where errant drives are likely to fall on downhill/steeply-sloping holes.

It's free. Solid 18 hole course with nice Chainstar baskets. Many holes incorporate elevation, but every hole has fair lines to hit and are reachable with birdie looks or easy up and downs for the average player. Signs, for the most part, depict the hole well enough to guide you through, and arrows on bricks near the basket direct you to the next tee. Not far from the Marshall Street gems as well as the highway.

There was a lot of broken beer bottles around the tees and lots of shards. Some TLC regarding this could improve the rating. Some tee pads are too short for a full run-up so take note of that. Regarding the signage, if you don't look underneath the basket for the green arrow stones, you're looking, and it can take more than a few minutes to find the next tee, especially after hole 3. Other park users may not be aware of flying discs, just keep this in mind and you'll be okay. If you have a large group, send someone up to spot on 10 and 15. You'll be really glad you did.

This gem in the heart of downtown Worcester is a thrill for those seeking elevation and working on their uphill driving without paying the big bucks of Maple Hill/Pyramids. A nice challenge and well thoughtout design. Unique top of Newton Hill pole near baskets 3, 9 and 12 worth the few minutes to go check out.

Its a free course with lots of parking. There are practice baskets to warm up on, including the 18 basket as long as no one is playing it. All around its a very solid course with no water, so there aren't any real worries about losing a disc. I've played this course more times then i could count and i still find it challenging. This course also gives you a bunch of birdie opportunities mixed in with some tough holes which makes the course really fun to play.

Some broken glass on holes, sometimes you can run into people walking their dogs or other people hanging out there. Also its right next to the high school and they do run cross country their, and even have races which can sometimes interfere with play but its not too bad. It is a very hilly course which can add some added fun and excitement into some holes but on some other holes it can get a bit ridiculous. For instance the basket on 10 is in an incredibly difficult position and a lot of the times really hurts your score.

The only other thoughts i have are that the fairways are fairly open on most holes, but as soon as you go out of the fairways, the woods are very thick to get out of and can even make it difficult to find your disc.

Challenging but not overly frustrating.

This course is very well kept and is very high quality.

This course is well played but not overly busy.

Large parking lot at dorhety High upper lot. Multiple access points in addition to main entrance. (hole 7 behind tennis courts and 16 along park ave.)

A few spots, especially tee boxes, that retain water and are always muddy.

I few baskets are on severe slopes and make even good approaches run up to a 100 ft away. It can be a drag but forces you to play safe and learn how to control roll.

The use of arrows at the base of baskets is great for finding your next hole. I like it better than signs.

Its worth my weekly trip from fitchburg, 20 miles away.

Its free, there is plenty of parking and a few practice baskets. There are a few tree enough to make it interesting but not so many as to make it frustrating and the elevation changes make for some fun drives.

Hills, the are a few holes where the basket is on the side of a hill and if you miss the putt you better be chasing the disc because it will be in the next area code before you know it.

My roommate has lost 3 discs on this course so keep an eye on your plastic!

easy access, free, fast. challenging uphill holes - good beginners course - this review is getting too long

multi use park; poor marking, course map near tennis court on hole 7 - this review is getting too long

the city makes good use of its land with this course - this review is getting too long

Nice tee signs and arrows to the next basket on many holes.
Clear tee pads

Nice use of elevation and natural features, like the boulders on hole 4.

Some risk vs. reward shots, like hole 10's risky down hill putt.

Few blind holes, and good signage on those that are blind.

The entire fairway for hole 1 was covered in broken glass. The broken glass was a safety issue. It was shattered all over the walkways and can rip your bag or cut you if you fall on the uneven terrain.

Parking Issues, we simply could not find it. To get to the parking lot you have to drive past a few NO TRESSPASSING signs.

Tee pads were often very small (6x4)

Sketchy area, lots of non disc golfers wandering the disc golf park with no disc, park has a reputation with the locals as a shady hangout.

No amenities besides over flowing garbage cans.

This may have been a Jason Southwick course at one point, but it is falling into disarray quickly.
Broken Glass and garbage all over make it hard to imagine a quality tournament here.

This is a good course for a recreational or experienced player. The wooded fairways and elevation may be too difficult for a new player while still lacking challenge for advanced players.

SPECIAL NOTE: Avoid the course August 9th - August 30th on Tuesday evenings from 6:00-7:00 due to the Newton 5K races in the park.

good challenge with with trees and branches
basket is visible from almost every tee
markers pointing to next tee
no water hazards

hills
for beginners trees and branches are a problem
glass on some holes

overall its a compact course that takes about 1hr and half to play.

great course, very challenging.

very hilly.

Hole #3 is confusing to find..it's to the right after disc catcher under oak trees that form like a bridge..walk through it and your all set the rest of the course.

10 minutes from maple hill and pyramids

20-25 minutes from buffeman lake

Wide fairways for a wooded course. Challenging to all levels of play.

No amenities at all for being part of a public park.

For rating a course I base my ratings on 50% design, 20% course upkeep, 10% basket, tee, tee sign, and signage, 10% amenities, and 10% that special something that defines a course.

Intro:
Newton Hill is a course developed by Jason Southwick (Marshall St. Disc Golf, Pyramids) in conjunction with the community group Friends of Newton Hill. Normal entrance is via the upper parking lot of Doherty Memorial High School. Note that during school hours players have been told that they are unable to use this parking lot. Secondary access is by continuing past the high school to Pleasant St., turn left and park along the road. Hole 7 tee is at the edge of the woods between the tennis courts. This hill is lined with walking trails and it is not uncommon to see people jogging or walking their dogs, although these people do not have an effect on any fairways.

Design:
The course is a wooded course. Most of the holes are straight and more often than not the basket is within site of the tee pad. Some holes feature minor elevation drops with a few offering significant elevation change. There are very few (one or two) blind shots and even then the disc is in sight for most of its flight. Fairways are wide and well defined with multiple routes available. Even though the fairways are designed mostly straight, trees are well positioned to make a straight shot not possible or challenging at best. Undergrowth along fairways is generally light enough that there is little fear of losing a disc due to an errant throw. There are no shots where water comes into play. Target areas are mostly clear and level with only an occasional chance of a missed put rolling away down a hill. The course feels well designed and thought out.

Course Upkeep:
The course appeared to be kept up fairly well. Cut logs and trimmed brush piles was observed, placed mostly out of the way of the main fairways. Course was mostly clean with just a small amount of trash observed. There were trash barrels located next to the tees on two or three holes.

Basket, tee, tee sign, and signage:
Baskets are in good condition with only one or two showing minor bending of metal. Tees are rubber mats. Tee signs are present at all tees showing direct of fairway, distance, and par. Interestingly, fairways that are slightly angled are shown as straight and those dead straight are shown slightly angled. No impact on play though. Signs are basic in design and lack any graphics of trees/rocks. Next tee arrows are painted on bricks at the base of most baskets although most of the next tees are within sight of the previous basket.

Amenities:
While technically part of Elm Park (located across the street) there are no facilities located at the disc golf course itself. There are no picnic tables. There are no grills. There are no practice targets (unless you count the basket for Hole 18 right by the parking lot). There is no billboard. There are no bathrooms. There is no source of water. The high school football field is located next to the parking lot and warm up drives can be taken there.

That "special something":
Finding a wooded hill perfect for disc golf in the middle of a large city such as Worcester is truly a gem. The course just being where it is gives you the impression that you have found a hidden sanctuary. This is highlighted by a few holes who's tee pad is right on the edge of the woods offering you views of urban life before driving your tee shot back into the forest. This course offers some holes that aesthetically are on the cusp of being some very pretty holes. There is no hole I would classify as a "signature" hole, but there are many that are close.

Conclusion:
This course is a good example of how disc golf can be added to a public park and add value to the area. It is well designed with the novice and experienced player in mind. Fairways are open enough to allow you multiple routes and reward good shots but contain enough trees to challenge a player of any level. At the end of my round I was unable to classify the course as overly challenging or overly easy, it felt very balanced. I would not hesitate to take someone here for their first experience with disc golf. If in the area, this is not a course to be missed.

Perfectly located just off of Park Ave with a vibrant green setting contrasting the grey of the city. Challenging, varied course The new work on the course is fantastic, the volunteers really put their all into fixing up a haven in Worcester with plenty of garbage cans to help keep it clean. All new baskets and signs for every hole.

Hill hazards? Every shot just eats your disc up and sends it rolling down the hill, out of line of site. Doesnt matter if your shooting up hill, down hill or across the hill - the disc rolls. With most discs getting lost playing with 3 people it was 20 mins of searching for a par 3. Hole 11 and 17 were especially bad at eating rolling discs.

Not a course for beginners. Lots of up hill and down hill and some more up the same hill, so at least double the amount of your water bottles.