Author’s Note: With Memorial Day weekend upcoming, warm weather, and lots of sunshine, I am excited for another summer season. While this summer certainly will be different, I cannot wait to introduce my son Jay to one of my favorite places in the world, Cape Cod, USA. While the little guy will not be old enough to do much other than wiggle on a beach blanket, hopefully a “foot dip” in the inlet at Ridgevale Beach, Chatham, will be possible.
I also thought it could be fun to start a new Cape-themed annual tradition for the little guy. Of course, the Chatham band concerts, Cape League baseball games, mini golf rounds, etc would be normal staples of summer days on the Cape, my new idea is much simpilier: find the biggest, cleanest oyster shell over the course of a summer and on Labor Day weekend (around my birthday), detail it to remember that season. Likely just the name, year, and a word or two that described that summer would fit. Call it sleep deprivation or charmingly creative, the Oyster Shell Search game has begun!
Must Play Beach Games – From 6+ Feet Away!
My family and friends typically spend the entire day at the beach on summer days. We literally arrive around 9:00 am, claim a spot with a wide perimeter, and don’t even think of leaving until a full tide cycle. For us, the term “beach bums,” is a badge of honor worn proudly. We pack lots of stuff; chairs, umbrellas, coolers, blankets, boards and of course beach games. While water activities are a no-brainer (bogey boarding, catching crabs/minnows or throwing the football), below are a list of fun sand-based games to keep your day in the sun, well, fun! Even better, all games listed are HappyCapeCod-approved socially distanced safe!
Golf Ball Toss, 30-50 feet apart. No, this is not Chippo, ladder golf or Puttergolf. What you need: two golf balls. That’s it! You literally pack two regular golf balls, dig two holes in the sand with your heel, about the size and depth of your foot, about 30-50 feet a part. The point is to throw (roll) the golf balls in the hole, so you’ll want to clear the area of shells, debris and smooth the area in front of the hole. The game is essentially horseshoes with a twist. One point is earned for every ‘hole-in-one’ tossed/rolled, but you can “send back” both golf balls for an additional turn if you or your partner toss/roll back-to-back “holes-in-one.” First player or team to 5 points wins the game. We tried playing to 7 points, but it took too long, at least for singles. The game is surprisingly fun and best played on a sandbar or near the shore where the sand is damp. Toss the golf balls behind the hole on your side.
Kan Jam, at least 20 feet apart. Not much more needs to be written about this classic outdoor game, but I will offer a beach edition twist. What you need: Two cans, one yellow frisbee. Games are played until 21 points, and you can go over. Rebuttals are only offered if the winner tosses first. The twist is playing defense while playing singles. Hear me out; while you cannot alter a shot in front of the can, you are able to catch the frisbee after it hits the can, and would otherwise be 2 points for the other player/team. Or better yet, catch a frisbee that goes through the slot, but pops out the top! You’d be surprised how many chances one has to catch the frisbee ‘off the bounce’ once it hits the can and gets caught in the wind. At least in singles, it makes the game more fun. In either singles or doubles, you must play best of 7 and switch sides. The wind in beach Kan Jam is always a factor, and it’s a great feeling to break your opponent’s serve.
Long Range, at least 50 feet apart. While usually reserved for yard games because packing three large plastic construction buckets is a pain, this outdoor game works on the beach. What you need: two tennis balls, 6 large plastic buckets, ocean water. You are essentially playing a three rack (triangle) in beerpong (beirut) whether singles or doubles. However, the term “long range” cannot be overstated. You separate the buckets by at least 50 feet. The object, of course, is to throw the tennis ball in each bucket. There are no re-racks. Just like beerpong, or “sand golf balls toss” explained above, if you or your teammate sinks back-to-back shots, you “send back” the tennis balls for an additional turn. The most entertaining part of this game is when someone tosses the tennis ball with a lot of height and it sinks into the bucket unexpectedly, with the water exploding up usually splashing the other team! And just like in beerpong, if one side hits the 2nd to last and last bucket, the game is over without rebuttal. Otherwise, the other team gets a rebuttal shot with each tennis ball.
Mini Frisbee Golf, varies but aiming points likely over 100+ feet apart. A new favorite of mine, as I designed an 18-hole course around the cottage and a 9-hole course around our yard in Connecticut. What you need: frisbees, flag (optional). The name says it all. Yard mini frisbee golf is easy to “set up” as you simply pick a target (tree, chair, mailbox, etc) and see how many tosses it takes to hit it. You can also stick a flag in the ground and just choose different “tee boxes” (areas) to toss from. For the beach version, you will likely need a flag and lots of space so you don’t upset the neighbors. Most “holes” are likely par 2s (two tosses). If you space out the tee box (first toss) to the flag/target, you will quickly see who can/cannot through a frisbee accurately. Nine holes is probably all you need on the beach to claim a champion, based on number of people playing, wind and space.
Pro Kadima (aka, Paddleball), 6 feet apart (usually a little closer). My personal favorite beach and yard activity ever. To this day, Dan Healy and I set record for longest rally ever at 3,023 for the beach; and 5,247 for land. The latter rally took over 2 hours and Dan and I missed most of the BBQ at his house! While the rally records may never be broken, competitive pro kadima (paddleball) is a fast-paced and exciting beach game. What you need: two pro kadima paddles, rubber ball. The game is essentially volleyball. You draw a rectangle (with your foot) in the sand about 12 feet long and cut it in half so you have two sides of the court. The object of the game is to hit the ball safely in your opponents court WITHOUT spiking it. If the ball hits the line, it is a do-over. If the ball hits a player, or your opponent attempts to return the ball and it lands out of bounds, you get the point, just like tennis. The game can definitely take a little finesse, but if you like tennis, you should enjoy this game. Games are played to 15, must win by two. Whoever scores a point, serves. Rally for serve.
Scoop Golf, distance varies but aiming point usually 50-200 feet away. The evolution of this game can be traced back to building sand castles. While shovels are the more common tool for constructing sand castles, scoops allow one to dig deeper. It quickly became evident not just sand could be “scooped” but tennis balls, wiffle balls, but also (rubber) paddleballs. Eventually, it became obvious that scoop golf should be in the beach game rotation and the Shaw and Healy boys saw to it, taking it to such heights as creating single round tournaments such as the Clamshell Classic, Sam Adams Open to multiple round “majors” such as the Quarter Moon Open; Ridgevale Open, Farewell Tournament and of course, the Cape Cod Scoop Golf Masters (a 4-round tournament). There were multiple courses at Ridgevale Beach; the dunes, the ocean sand bar, inlet mud flats and pretty much any open area where we could fling rubber balls and sand in the air without upsetting strangers. What you need: plastic “scoop” shovels and (rubber) paddleballs for each player, flag, and tin coffee container for the hole. Note: The flag is key so other people walking along the beach don’t step into the hole!
Wiffle Ball Home Run Derby, distance varies but everyone takes the field except the batter. Wiffle ball on the beach is right up there with pickle and pro kadima for classic beach games. So, why not make it more exciting with a home run derby. Be sure to have a thin bat, otherwise, every pitch will become a home run. Just like Major League Baseball’s derby, 10 outs is probably about right. Be sure to make lines for men’s and women’s.
Beach games are constantly evolving, and I’m sure a new game will be created or shared this summer.
Quick note on water sports: While I love playing in the water, there are really only a handful of activities you need to know: Waboba toss, bogey boarding, body surfing, and stand-up paddleboard time trails. Snorkeling on a calm, sunny day also qualifies. Happy summer to all!