An AF Tournament Profile
Thursday Sept. 25th through
Championship Sunday Sept. 28th
DGPT Elite Series -Playoffs- Event
What’s Inside (Profile of the Profile)
- Cover page
- Tournament, Course, Sponsor overview (this page)
- Course changes in 2025, Hole lengths and layouts
- The Masterpiece that is Maple Hill, Staff that makes it happen
- Event Links & Nearby Attractions
- AF data on the tournament, for the fantasy peeps
Check out our FPO and MPO Event Rankings for 2025 MVP Open
Event Organizer: Steven Dodge
Supporting Team:
The Greatest Staff in the World, the MVP Open Staff
Title Sponsors:
MVP Discs
OTB Discs
Course in play for 2025 event:
Maple Hill
Gold & Diamond
Course Designers:
Tom Southwick, Steve Dodge, Gage Benson,
Dave Jackson, Jason Southwick
Course established in 2003
Located in Leicester, MA
This is the 8th annual MVP Open
and 22nd annual pro event at Maple Hill
72 holes in play
during the 4 day event
Concrete pavers as tees
MVP Black Hole Portal baskets
Changes to Maple Hill Course in 2025
An iconic course design with ever evolving, diabolical tweaks.
Hole 9 Diamond Tee: The FPO field will have a much more sensible approach to the landing zone and we are excited to see if it makes them more aggressive on their second shots.
Steve Dodge
*From the desk of the Event Organizer.
- Hole 1 = making the iconic green more wicked. New green shape on hole 1A – It is now shaped like an L and goes about 80 feet straight in and the then about 50 feet right. Just out of bounds on the inner corner is a wonderful oak tree that makes attacking the pin from outside Chipmunk Gate (the triple mando) very challenging. Now more room for spectators around the green and an amazing area from which to watch between fairway and green.
- Hole 9 = new tee for FPO. Diamond Tee has been shifted significantly. It is now on same fairway as the new Gold Tee, which moved in 2023. It is now about 120 feet in front of the Gold Tee. The FPO field will have a much more sensible approach to the landing zone and we are excited to see if it makes them more aggressive on their second shots.
- Hole 10 = shortened tee position for MPO. Gold Tee has been moved. It is now a shorter shot that requires a straighter approach to the pin. More players will be able to reach the basket for the birdie, and going for it will cause more mishaps off the tee. There is also a much expanded spectator area for viewing the tee shots.
- Hole 17 = lengthened tee position for MPO and shortening it for FPO. Gold Tee has moved about 100 feet back, giving hole 17 real teeth. At the Spring A-Tier, the Cosmic Open, it played as the second hardest hole on the Gold layout. Diamond tee: FPO will be playing a par 3 pin placement on hole 17 straight up the hill.
- Hole 18 = lengthening tee position for FPO. Diamond layout will be playing the Gold Tee on hole 18 as a par 5. There was previously no real scoring separation on the hole 18 par 4 as the risk of going for the green was not worth the reward until days 3 & 4.
Hole Lengths FPO – Diamond Layout
Thursday and Friday rounds (B layout)
• 14 par 3’s = 246 to 382 feet
• 2 par 4’s = 525 and 666 feet
• 2 par 5’s = 640 and 720 feet
Saturday and Sunday rounds (A layout)
• 12 par 3’s = 246 to 472 feet
• 6 par 4’s = 433 to 705 feet
Hole Lengths MPO – Gold Layout
Thursday and Friday rounds (B)
• 13 par 3’s = 246 to 476 feet
• 4 par 4’s = 640 to 804 feet
• 1 par 5 = 850 feet
Saturday and Sunday rounds (A)
• 12 par 3’s = 246 to 476 feet
• 6 par 4’s = 640 to 868 feet
Maple Hill plays as a par 60 for both divisions
(all 4 rounds)
Diamond B/A layout is a total of 6924 / 7260 feet
Gold B/A layout is a total of 8624 / 8907 feet
Hole 1A remains the longest hole of the 18 for MPO division (868′ Gold, par 4)
Hole 9B is now the longest hole of the 18 for FPO (720′ Diamond, par 5)
Hole 4 is the shortest hole at 246 feet for both divisions
Tradition, Renowned Beauty and Ever Evolving.
In the heart of Massachusetts, stands a masterpiece among the tapestry of disc golf courses. Maple Hill Disc Golf wears the crown of iconic excellence, with distinction.
The course’s history is etched with the footprints of legends. Marshall Street Champion: Des Reading (2004), or Vibram Open winners: Valerie Jenkins (2008), Barry Schultz (2009), and Cale Leiviska (2012); this is a disc golf venue that hosts the game’s best. Each hole is thoughtfully crafted, utilizing elevation, stone, water, and a symphony of unique challenges. Maple Hill’s narrative for strategy resonates with players of all skill levels.
For many disc golf fans, Maple Hill shines brightly on the pro tour, adorned with some very memorable holes, which affirm its impeccable design. Let this profile be yet another voice, which enthusiastically joins the chorus of praises.
Tradition and evolving may not seem to go hand in hand, yet Steve Dodge and the MVP Open Staff have both at Maple Hill, in spades. There are at least 4 significant changes in 2025, including a new expanded green on hole 1, and much longer tee position on hole 17. MVP Open in 2025 has expanded spectator areas, plus multiple screens with the live broadcast as well as scores made available throughout the course. Additionally, they added the world’s longest pergola to the Cutler Place (the area between the tees of holes 11 & 13). This is now known as the Paragon Pergola.
Iconic Excellence
A great many courses, and their management teams on the pro tour, achieve excellence in their ability to host the elite events and offer notable challenges to today’s top pros. Some of the tour’s best venues include Ledgestone, European Open (played as Worlds in 2025), Champions Cup, Preserve, USDGC, Waco, and the list goes on. Each course has its own charm, and nuances which make it stand out. Many holes on the pro tour are memorable for the elite moments they’ve captured and/or for how the holes are designed.
With Maple Hill, it’s all of that and more. Iconic is hype, though that term best matches fan appreciation for the vast majority of holes at Maple Hill.
Nature focussed, rich history, family vibe
Course designer and groundskeeper, Gabe Benson on describing Maple Hill
Thinking about signature holes on any course is fun. Coming up with a list of holes among many courses, in your own region or worldwide, leads to dream 18s. With a venue such as Maple Hill, the amount of legendary holes is staggering.
Hole 1 of Maple Hill (Farms) is the signature hole, as it is the longest and carries a large pond, plus makes use of elevation and unique terrain (growing Christmas trees that dot the fairway). And in 2024 it added the Chipmunk Gate, triple mando as entry to the hole’s green.
Wait, hold up, hole 8 is the signature hole as it carries pond to inclined island green, surrounded by the most enthusiastic fans on the pro tour.
Pardon AF, for forgetting just how much of a signature design hole 18 is on the course, with the elevation change off the tee, into deceptively tight fairway that funnels to a island, stone guarded green, as cheering fans congregate along the peninsula’s perimeter.
AF could play this rhetorical loop for another 7 paragraphs, as the signature hole appears to be subjective or evolving. Other iconic holes rival as signature hole at Maple Hill. Hole 14 carries an elite driving distance pond to green on the left side bank, resulting in a scary, albeit very scenic, death putt. Hole 3 rises from flat tee to heavily wooded green on a very large hill, and has captured one of the sport’s most iconic aces, by Dave Feldberg at the 2015 Maple Open. The rest of the 18 are from AF’s perspective all memorable, some more so than others. With that said, 5, 6, 9, 10, 13 and 16 are such holes. Vividly unique designs that add layers of strategy for those seeking to win events at the venue. Maple Hill truly plays like 18 mini-tournaments.
The Greatest Staff in the World
Crafting a course that plays like 18 mini-tournaments throughout, requires vision, devotion and collaboration. Course preparation, for an event that plays at the Elite tier of DGPT, and semi-finals for pro disc golf’s playoffs, takes extensive hard work from a dedicated team. It entails multiple days of coordinating efforts over many months, while harnessing skills and experience.
The MVP Open Staff benefits from its emphasis on collaboration and community approach. Event Organizer, Steve Dodge knows how vital of a role that volunteers play in well run event. Building the team and bringing the parts together is how “the greatest staff in the world” manages for the MVP Open. In an ongoing way.
Steve is mindful of the collaborative factor that makes for iconic excellence. Page 2 of this profile lists the 5 primary course designers for Maple Hill. That is editorialized, as the actual response EO-Steve provided, also conveyed, “and many others, including dozens of touring pros who gave their time and wisdom to make Maple Hill so much better.”
Two key parts of the Maple Hill experience are the visible upkeep throughout the course, and the ever developing nature of each hole.
We constantly evolve the course, basically taking the worst holes on the course and improving them.
Steve Dodge
AF was curious enough to ask for specific history of developing holes at Maple Hill, and what goes into such decisions. Steve chose hole 1 as perhaps the most interesting.
Originally hole 1 was from the shorter tee to the basket just beyond the pond. In 2004, this was a huge shot. Our next iteration, we pushed the pin back to the wall at the far end of the field. After going with that for a few years, we then pushed the tee back to its current location, making the pond clear very difficult again. Once the approach to the basket became too easy, the next stage of development was to open a hole in the wall and push the pin into a peninsula. A few years later, we pushed it back an additional 40 feet to its current iteration. Basically every four years or so, the hole needed a few extra teeth and we found ways to add them.
Steve Dodge
This quote was on from our 2023 Maple Hill profile, and we added bold to fit the context of 2025’s added green length for hole 1.
Photo credits
All images in this profile credit to Nika Ink
Tournament logo courtesy of Steve Dodge
Hit the Links
- MVP Open tournament website
- PDGA Event page
- DGPT Caddie book link
- Highlight Reels from 2025 (coming soon)
Nearby Attractions
AF always asks Event Organizers: what are the really good places to eat, and here’s what Steve suggests when in and around Leicester, MA.
- BBQ Underground now sells beer and BBQ upstairs in the saphouse (all year round). Enjoy them on the Zuca Deck overlooking 18!
- Eller’s Restaurant – sit down, family friendly restaurant, a decades long partner to Maple Hill
- Hot Dog Annies – mouth watering BBQ hot dogs, burgers, root beer, cream soda
- Deadhorse Hill – feasting eatery, regional and eclectic dishes
- Oakholm Brewing Co. – Hay barn turned Tap Room, nourishment for the soul
As for places to visit when in the area, the Red Sox minor league affiliate the WooSox are a regionally popular destination. As is the 400 acres of nature trails in Moore State Park. The park boasts waterfalls and stunning array of flowers that are undeniably beautiful during blooming season. For a more quiet day of natural beauty, the New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill is worth the visit.
How MVP Open at Maple Hill fits within the 2025 Pro Tour
- 27th Fantasy relevant event of the 2025 season
- 16th DGPT Elite event of the season
- Semi-playoffs event for DGPT Elite tour
- after GMC (Elite-playoffs)
- before USDGC / Throw Pink (Major – really for both divisions)
- Second of 4 tournaments during the east coast swing at end of the season
- MVP Open does play in standard fantasy leagues
- this is final event of standard fantasy disc golf in 2025
How Many Pros Play
- In 2024, the event had 81 MPO players
- all 81 were rated 1000+ (100%)
- For MPO in 2025, of the 71 registered (so far)
- all 71 are rated 1009+ (100%)
- 48 of the 71 are rated 1025+ (68%)
- The FPO field in 2024 event had 38 players
- 35 of 38 were rated 928+ (92%)
- For FPO in 2025, of the 36 registered
- all 36 are rated 926+ (100%)
- 26 are rated 950+ (72%)
FPO Best Average Finish
in Past 5 Years
| Order | FPO Player | Prev Order | Avg Finish | Times Played |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paige Pierce | 1 | 2.8 | 4 |
| 2 | Kristin Latt | 2 | 2.0 | 3 |
| 3 | Hailey King | 3 | 4.5 | 4 |
| 4 | Ohn Scoggins | T4 | 5.3 | 4 |
| 5 | Holyn Handley | T4 | 5.3 | 3 |
| 6 | Missy Gannon | 8 | 8.2 | 5 |
| 7 | Eveliina Salonen | T4 | 6.3 | 3 |
| 8 | Ella Hansen | UR | 8.8 | 4 |
| 9 | Henna Blomroos | 10 | 8.7 | 3 |
| 10 | Macie Velediaz | 9 | 8.0 | 2 |
| Missy Gannon is the 2024 Defending Champion. Hailey King won in 2023. Natalie Ryan won in 2022. Catrina Allen won in 2021. Paige Pierce won in 2020 (and 2019). | ||||
| Order of this list fudged just enough to make sense, to Art. | ||||
| Min. of 2 times played in past 5 years to qualify for this list. | ||||
MPO Best Average Finish
in Past 5 Years
| Order | MPO Player | Prev Order | Avg Finish | Times Played |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ricky Wysocki | 1 | 3.4 | 5 |
| 2 | Paul McBeth | T2 | 4.3 | 4 |
| 3 | Gannon Buhr | T5 | 5.7 | 3 |
| 4 | Ezra Robinson | UR | 8.5 | 2 |
| 5 | Calvin Heimburg | T5 | 13.0 | 5 |
| 6 | Andrew Marwede | T9 | 12.8 | 4 |
| 7 | Matt Orum | UR | 15.0 | 4 |
| 8 | Nathan Queen | 8 | 14.0 | 2 |
| 9 | Corey Ellis | UR | 17.0 | 4 |
| 10 | Niklas Anttila | UR | 16.3 | 3 |
| James Proctor is the 2024 Defending Champion. Proctor is around 17th on this latest list (avg = 21.3). Orum won in 2023. Simon won in 2022. Adam Hammes won in 2021. Paul McBeth won in 2020 (and 2019). | ||||
2024 Results – Top Finishes
| FPO PLAYER | 2024 PLACE |
|---|---|
| Missy Gannon | 1 |
| Kristin Latt | 2 |
| Ohn Scoggins | 3 |
| Paige Pierce | 4 |
| MPO PLAYER | 2024 PLACE |
|---|---|
| James Proctor | 1 |
| Paul McBeth | 2 |
| Ricky Wysocki | T3 |
| Gannon Buhr | T3 |
| Aaron Gossage | T3 |
| Gavin Babcock | T3 |