3/10/2015

From: Cory Eno

63 Tree Top Cir. | Marstons Mills, MA 02648
To: Town of Sandwich
Board of Selectmen | 130 Main St. | Sandwich, MA 02563
To whom it may concern:
I am writing in support of a movement to build a new disc golf course on the
grounds of Sandwich Hollows, as part of an effort to more effectively utilize that public
recreation space. I am a member of the Cape Cod Disc Golf Club, and I have been
playing disc golf since I moved to the Cape in 2002. As a golfer in an entry level human
services job at that time, I found the inaccessibility of traditional golf to be frustrating. I
was priced out of a sport that I loved; one that was a great source of catharsis for me.
Pushing the stress of everyday life to the margins, while focusing on self-improvement
and a connection with nature, was very important to me. Luckily, colleagues of mine
introduced me to disc golf and I began to play at Cape Cod Community College and at
Burgess Park in Marstons Mills. Shortly thereafter, the course at the college closed, and
disc golfers were reduced to only one option on the Cape. A player can get started for less
than twenty dollars, although the nature of the disc golf community often leads to new
players being flooded with equipment and instruction from those hoping to grow the
game.
Disc golf is typically more physically challenging than traditional golf, and it
makes far less environmental impact because part of the appeal is playing through the
challenges of natural terrain. As a result, courses tend to be a perfect fit for spaces that are
wooded, hilly, and otherwise in need of expensive development for other purposes. I have
found that club members have proven to be excellent stewards of public grounds and
resources; working hand in hand with town authorities and other stakeholders to generate
the most mutual benefit. The club holds near-monthly "work days" at Burgess Park, and
they have been incredibly responsive to any environmental concerns. This included
designing and building two brand new holes in order to help prevent erosion and soil
compaction in a problem area near Hamblin Pond.
Furthermore, disc golf builds community as an inclusive sport. It does not have
the same socioeconomic, age, or gender barriers that other recreational sports have
struggled with, and as a result the number of disc golf courses in the sports first forty
years grew at four times the rate of traditional golf courses it its initial four decades. This
has led to the incredible proliferation of a sport that equally embraces families,
recreational players, and aspiring pros alike. My own children have shown a great
passion for the game, and Barnstable Recreation has even run kids camps during the
summer with the support of the Cape Cod Disc Golf Club. As a teacher at Barnstable
High School, I have seen a significant number of students taking up the sport as an

alternative to all of that screen time that we worry so much about. Please consider
adding Sandwich to the growing list of towns that have embraced this trend and reaped
the physical, environmental, and social benefits of disc golf. Your time and consideration
is greatly appreciated, and I look forward to realizing the possibilities that this project can
cultivate for the town, and for the sport.
Respectfully,
Cory Eno
Neighbor, Teacher, & Disc Golfer