Magic Mountain, VT: 4th year and growing

[DoWork]

It's now the 4th year we've been operating and although it's a constant struggle to make time to keep the course up, it has never looked better. We've even expanded our operations to include a retail & consignment shop at the base of the Access Road- now they handle all the rentals, returns, retail sales and 2nd hand consignment credit(!) so it's essentially a mom & pop PIAS. They're new to DG but super enthusiastic, so be sure to stop in and say hello!

The Blackline Tavern will be open for the summer this weekend (6/25) and serving food & beverages on the deck where you can watch groups play on Hole 1 and Hole 18. I cannot overstate the radness factor of chomping into my favorite Jamaican jerk wings and a cold Fiddlehead IPA while you watch people play- it should be a thing everywhere IMO.

We run our league's points series on Discgolfscene now so all our patrons can stay abreast of progress, and the cumulative points winner at season's end gets their name on a plaque on the trophy that will live in the Tavern once it's finished by our finish carpenter. We also have the Sorcerer's Cup which is our Fall Classic Tournament and I am hoping to host a sanctioned event at some point in the fall also.

We are also trying to add some curriculum to the roster, and have secured a clinic with Reid Frescura on September 7th with others in the works.

I'm trying to keep it short, but if you're in the area or headed up to Smuggs at some point you really owe it to yourself to come and check Magic out. It will blow you away! It is a truly unique gem and beautiful course that makes the absolute most out of the incredible terrain and views the ski area has, and our crew is extremely dedicated to keeping it dialed and always improving.

So have you been? Planning to go? I'd love to hear from you guys, and any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

 

[JuanA]

...I cannot overstate the radness factor of chomping into my favorite Jamaican jerk wings and a cold Fiddlehead IPA while you watch people play- it should be a thing everywhere IMO.

You had me at Fiddlehead IPA!

I grew up in Windsor and if/when I make it back to visit, Magic is definitely on my list of must plays.

 

[DoWork]

You had me at Fiddlehead IPA!

I grew up in Windsor and if/when I make it back to visit, Magic is definitely on my list of must plays.

Let me know when you come, I'll show ya around and there's lots of DG & fun stuff nearby.

 

[JuanA]

Let me know when you come, I'll show ya around and there's lots of DG & fun stuff nearby.

I was planning a trip back to Vermont this summer, but Corona has changed my plans...at least for this year.

 

[toddnick]

My big fall trip has Magic Mountain on my schedule, right at the start of the 17 night trip.

From Buffalo, NY...I'm spending 3 nights at Gifford Woods State Park near Killington and plan on hitting Chester DGC and Magic Mountain on Saturday 8/22. Then Base Camp Outfitter and Pittsford the next day.

From there I'm headed to Maine for 4 nights and hit Sabattus and some of the other nice private courses near Portland over 3 days of disc golfing.

Then to Quebec City for 4 nights (if the border is open by then).

Finally, 6 nights at Smugglers Notch State Park to play some disc golf and spectate 2020 Green Mountain Championship.

 

[DoWork]

My big fall trip has Magic Mountain on my schedule, right at the start of the 17 night trip.

From Buffalo, NY...I'm spending 3 nights at Gifford Woods State Park near Killington and plan on hitting Chester DGC and Magic Mountain on Saturday 8/22. Then Base Camp Outfitter and Pittsford the next day.

From there I'm headed to Maine for 4 nights and hit Sabattus and some of the other nice private courses near Portland over 3 days of disc golfing.

Then to Quebec City for 4 nights (if the border is open by then).

Finally, 6 nights at Smugglers Notch State Park to play some disc golf and spectate 2020 Green Mountain Championship.

That's awesome!

Base Camp is dead now FYI. It still exists on paper but the owners haven't maintained it at all and it was still bad even when it was good imo. We have several BCO refugees in our league now. I'd suggest Bennington though, they've just upgraded most of their baskets and tees. Also Bromley just added a course last year but you have to ride a chairlift twice and every hole is a downhill touch shot brain surgery- which is cool but you have to be ready for that or you'll lose your whole bag.

If you're trying to keep a northern direction, check out the quarries. Amazing course but no tee boxes. Also Otter Brook in Keene is one of my absolute favorites anywhere.

 

[JuanA]

If you're trying to keep a northern direction, check out the quarries..

We had a fun round at the quarries lat summer. Those are some punishing roughs for as narrow as the fairways are, but no lost discs so I was happy.

 

[DoWork]

We had a fun round at the quarries lat summer. Those are some punishing roughs for as narrow as the fairways are, but no lost discs so I was happy.

Yeah I feel like what they lack in general amenities they make up for in uniqueness, scenery and challenge.

 

[DoWork]

Just upgraded our signature hole 15's teebox into what it deserves to be- an excavated level platform with a flush sunken turf teebox. I hope I have time to finish the benches for it tomorrow!


https://www.dgcoursereview.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=71928&stc=1&d=1593048234

 

[the_lung]

Also Bromley just added a course last year but you have to ride a chairlift twice and every hole is a downhill touch shot brain surgery- which is cool but you have to be ready for that or you'll lose your whole bag.

Sounds like the Sugarbush Peak course. Not every hole is a downhill touch shot, but many are and I used to bring an entire bag of discs which I didn't mind losing specifically for that course. I remember playing a round there before a tournament in either 07 or 08 and losing at least half a dozen discs, although by the end of the tourney they all showed up in the lost & found. From a design perspective, the base course is so much better and plays like a disc golf course should.

This has definitely got me pumped for coming up to the GMC at Smuggs over Memorial Day weekend, and I definitely need to look into playing the Magic Mtn. course on the way up or back. I have a friend who lives in Wilmington who I could crash with.

 

[DoWork]

Sounds like the Sugarbush Peak course. Not every hole is a downhill touch shot, but many are and I used to bring an entire bag of discs which I didn't mind losing specifically for that course. I remember playing a round there before a tournament in either 07 or 08 and losing at least half a dozen discs, although by the end of the tourney they all showed up in the lost & found. From a design perspective, the base course is so much better and plays like a disc golf course should.

This has definitely got me pumped for coming up to the GMC at Smuggs over Memorial Day weekend, and I definitely need to look into playing the Magic Mtn. course on the way up or back. I have a friend who lives in Wilmington who I could crash with.

Yeah I love downhill bombs, but it's the type of thing you mix into a course IMO. I applaud them for adding such a big course it just isn't my cup of tea.

Wilmington! I have a surprising amount of disc friends there, Beaver Lanes is kind of like the DG misfit nation epicenter. They even take over the Haystack Golf Course once a year! The scene is kind of hidden but holy crap it is there in spades, I love this region because the golf is so good and there's nobody in your way- ever. Meet a few people and the private places open right up for ya, it's a whole other course map!

Also heard an Avery Jenkins designed course is going into East Dorset, and I'm anxiously awaiting final news on that- I believe it's caught up in town politics but is advancing.

 

[DoWork]

Yep, that's perfect.

https://www.dgcoursereview.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=71931&stc=1&d=1593139260

 

[DoWork]

The new Hole 15 just got featured on UDisc woohooooooo

Anybody been recently?

https://www.facebook.com/udiscapp/photos/a.319857584776453/3208443792584470/

 

[JuanA]

COVID messed up all of my Vermont plans this year. :-(

It looks great though! I can't wait to play there.

 

[DoWork]

COVID messed up all of my Vermont plans this year. :-(

It looks great though! I can't wait to play there.

Well if you could only pick one time of year to go, I'd shoot for the fall. Cooler temps make the hike a breeze and the foliage is seriously some of the best in the country. We also have one of the biggest farmer's markets in the state here in town on Saturdays FYI.

 

[JuanA]

Well if you could only pick one time of year to go, I'd shoot for the fall. Cooler temps make the hike a breeze and the foliage is seriously some of the best in the country. We also have one of the biggest farmer's markets in the state here in town on Saturdays FYI.

We were back there last year at the beginning of October but spent most of the time north of you. Maybe a week or two before the foliage really kicked in, but the week after we left was nothing but rain so I think we made out ok.

I grew up in Windsor and had a job delivering all over Vermont, but that was over 25 years ago. I do miss the place.

 

[DoWork]

We were back there last year at the beginning of October but spent most of the time north of you. Maybe a week or two before the foliage really kicked in, but the week after we left was nothing but rain so I think we made out ok.

I grew up in Windsor and had a job delivering all over Vermont, but that was over 25 years ago. I do miss the place.

Delivering in VT must have been a trip. I can't imagine the plight of rural delivery drivers around here, bombing bread trucks down goat path private roads and stomping through mud season ruts.

 

[DoWork]

Attendance has really been picking up this summer. I years past it's been pretty much a ghost town but now every day there's players and weekends are actually pretty busy!

I am really hopeful that we will be hosting an X-tier doubles event this fall too. With any luck I will be able to parlay this summer into new turf tees in the spring and keep this ball rolling.

 

[DoWork]

Odd side question: What do other courses do with the discs they find with no number or name and that nobody ever comes back for? I'm thinking about donating them to the local middle school that I'm trying to get DG into as a curriculum after say, a 6-month hold, but I'm curious- does anybody think that's wrong? TIA for your opinions.

 

[Discette]

Odd side question: What do other courses do with the discs they find with no number or name and that nobody ever comes back for? I'm thinking about donating them to the local middle school that I'm trying to get DG into as a curriculum after say, a 6-month hold, but I'm curious- does anybody think that's wrong? TIA for your opinions.

Have a box or location for lost and found discs. Have a sign on the box or where people sign in that says:

We will do our best to notify owners of lost discs. All lost and found discs that are not claimed by the end of the season (insert date here) will be donated to local youth programs.