Jeff Shaw

Mini Golf Masters Cape Cod

Author’s Note: A few weeks back- when Tiger Woods was mounting epic comebacks at The British Open and PGA Championship — I found myself staring in unexpected excitement at the leaderboard. As we all know, Tiger’s overdue comeback eventually fell short, most recently to Mr. Rock Steady Brooks Koepka. The excitement of climbing the leaderboard didn’t just stay with me watching those tournaments, but sparked a decades old memory of my own race to the top.

About 20 years ago, “Bogey Brother” Dan (a reference to our usual per-hole golf score) and I mimicked the chase for leaderboard supremacy, but on a sand bar rather than on a fairway. “Scoop golf” was the game; and we were both pretty good at the art of scooping (flinging) a paddleball off the sand towards a hole (with a flag) anywhere from 50 to 200 yards down and around the beach and/or sandbar as the tides dictated. The game enjoyed a strong following for two summers on Ridgevale Beach in Chatham, with the final tournament of the final season being most memorable.

The Ridgevale Scoop Golf Association (RSGA) Cup. First awarded in 1989, I won it in 1997 after winning 3/4 majors.

We all know the PGA Tour features four (or should I say “fore”) annual “major” tournaments (The Masters, The U.S. Open, The (British) Open and the PGA Championship). These are the events the scoop golf seasons mimicked, though we called them the Quarter Moon Open, Ridgevale Open, The Masters, and Farewell Tournament for reasons to be explained upon request. Additionally, professional golfers compete for the FedEx Cup, the trophy (and earnings) awarded to the winner of the tour. The scoop golf tour also had a cup dating back to 1989. Finally, another golf competition, the Ryder Cup, features the United States golfers squaring off against their European counterparts in the biennial match play tournament. We never played anyone from another country, but had that third season occurred, who knows.

The 1997 Scoop Golf major tournament awards. Much to my wife’s chagrin, it’s times like these I’m happy I tend to save things!

Why all the background you may be asking; these are all important elements that describe a new competition on Cape Cod. Realizing summer was winding down, I felt the need for a dose of mini golf and another “lightbulb moment” occurred – to do a Mini Golf Masters Cape Cod!

Other than catching a late afternoon or evening Cape Cod League Baseball game, the “mini golf then ice cream” combination is probably the favorite activity or night cap for most families – and many adults – during summer on the Cape. At last count, there are 20 mini golf courses on Cape Cod, including Martha’s Vineyard. Yarmouth, located on the mid-Cape, is “the home” of mini golf on Cape Cod, similar to Scotland being the home of golf. Admittedly, that is quite the comparison. Yet Yarmouth features four mini golf courses, three of which are consistently top picks or recommendations in every article or activity guide that mentions mini golf. So, yeah, it’s a big deal in the mini golf world.

The highest ranked mini golfers on Cape Cod!

This past Labor Day weekend seemed the ideal time to schedule the inaugral Mini Golf Masters Cape Cod. I first pitched the idea to “Frenemy” Matt (Frenemy Matt was mentioned in the cornhole boards post in June) and he was all in. Our better halves reluctunatntly agreed to tag along, though I’m sure the kid in them said heck yeah! After all, mini golf can be the great equalizer; but more likely because of the “ice cream to follow.” The scoring system was a point system, with the format a combination of stroke and match play. Like the scoop golf masters, this tournament would feature “majors.” The course selections were both nostolgic (Arnold’s in Eastham and Cape Escape in Orleans as they are the closest to where we live) as well as highly rated, such as Prirate’s Cove and Skull Island in Yarmouth.

Pirate’s Cove features two 18-hole courses: Captain’s and Blackbeard’s with pirate history on each hole. We should have left Matt in the pillory.

The original idea was to pick a cloudy day and do it all at once. But Labor Day weather turned perfect, so golf was spread out over three days. On the first day, I did work in Yarmouth. Perhaps a little pirate runs through my blood, as I took care of business on Skull Island and Pirate’s Cove—Blackbeard course. I also just missed winning Pirate’s Cove – Captain’s course by a mere stroke. I also was on the winning side of team match play on every set of nine holes except one. After day one, I sat a top the leaderboard with 4 1/2 points, followed by Kate with 2 1/2 points, then Ellen and Matt with 1/2 point each. We added another Matt at Pirate’s Cove-Blackbeard and others were to join the following day.

The “log” and “bridge” hole at Arnold’s featured a delightful waterfall to soothe any tee box jitters.

But storm clouds approached as we headed east to the Outer Cape. First, the point system doubled and team match play ended. There was precedent for the points doubling in a recent golf tournament, as it gives everyone a chance to win even if they had a rough round or were just joining the competition. Since mini golf is meant to be fun, this must be the case. If you can hit into a waterfall, windmill or clown’s mouth, you should!

The shoddy leaderboard. We will do better next season.

On the second day, despite a field of seven, Matt owned Arnold’s in Eastham, winning the front, back and stroke play as well as just missing an even round by one stroke. The leaderboard was tied just like that at 4 1/2.

On the final day, I pulled into the parking lot of Cape Escape in Orleans with Jimmy Buffett playing on the golf course speakers. I smiled. This seemed like a sign from the mini golf gods as Matt hates Buffett (that’s not a typo). However, after a solid front 6 and up one stroke, the two level green of Hole 7, ironically named Chatham, sent my ball flying off a brick, off the course and the penalty shot ended up causing a 2 shot swing in favor of the bad guy. Front 9 lost with a bad bounce. It was suddenly 5 1/2 to 4 1/2 to 2 1/2.

As if the world turned upside down, another bad brick bounce happened on Hole 11 (Barnstable) and Matt gained another stroke leaving little room to make up three shots. I needed aces. With two holes to play, I cut the lead to 3, pretty much insurmountable…unless I aced and he had another “Matt Meltdown,” a playful term coined after his six at Pirate’s Cove-Captain’s course on the second hole. It was painfully comical to watch.

On Hole 17 (Martha’s Vineyard), I managed honors after winning the 16th and took a good long look at the break. The pace of my putt was near perfect, but the ball just grazed the right of the cup and missed. And on Hole 18 (Nantucket), a similar result; my ball came out of the waterfall and stopped a few inches from the left side of the hole. Another Matt win when points doubled and just like that, the inaugral mini golf masters was over.

The scorecards of the inaugural Mini Golf Masters Cape Cod.

Interestingly, after calculating all the scores for our shoddy leaderboard, I discovered an odd anomoly. I actually shot 4 strokes better than Matt. If not for the doubling of the points on the last two rounds (he won 4 points and another 4 points), those two round wins would have matched my two round wins (2 point each), leaving us tied at 4 1/2 points each! (The 1/2s were earned during team match play.) That would have been some way to kick off an inaugral competition. A tie! And what would a tie-break even look like? Play the last hole again? Play the course again? Play another, completely different course? Rock, Paper, Scissors? Hmm. How about using stroke play to break the tie? That would mean I would have won by 4 strokes. Hopefully there will be many more years of the Mini Golf Masters Cape Cod!

What Cape Cod mini golf courses should be part of the 2019 Mini Golf Masters Cape Cod?

Run the Cod Challenge Part 1

The placemat in the background is one of six from 1984 and one of my favorite items in our home.

Author’s Note: I never thought this would be the case, but I am a runner. It happened by chance, mostly because of my friend Frank’s family connection to the Ragnar Relay races. The challenging distances, mildly competitive divisions, team format and focus on fun, quality and travel, was a great place to start a running career. I graduated onto a few marathons (my first being the Cape Cod Marathon), a handful of halfs, and a bunch of local 10K and 5Ks. I regularly run in three local races each year, otherwise, I keep an eye out for a new race, location, or challenge to keep running fun, fresh and exciting.

All smiles on leg 1 of my first Ragnar Relay Cape Cod. And I made their photo gallery!

My “I’m a runner realization” dawned on me when people started asking questions about running and seeking input on topics from injury prevention, to gear, to training plans, to the race best bling/swag. One running buddy recently told me about a long standing running challenge she was 1/3 of the way through – Run 169 Towns Society. Not long ago, I had no idea what that meant other than knowing there are 169 towns and cities in Connecticut. She quickly filled me in that this particular challenge is to complete a timed running race in every town (169) in Connecticut. My friend is in her 30s and has already run a race in over 1/3 of the towns. Runners join the group before completing the feat, critical to figuring out how to find a race in some of the smaller rural towns where there may only be one race offered. As she explained the upcoming town races, her excitement was contagious. Later that day, I thought more about the concept of completing races in a specific geographic location and then the lightbulb went off, why not do this in my favorite place in the world, Cape Cod!

Run the Cod Challenge Part 1-The Challenge.

All jokes before starting my first marathon – Cape Cod Marathon in Falmouth.

Have you ever wanted to visit a Cape Cod town you’ve never been to, but was not sure “what to do” when you arrived? Well, if you are a runner, plan your next visit around the town’s road race. With Run 169 Town Society (CT) roots in mind, this running challenge is similar: run (or walk) a timed road or trail race in all 15 Cape Cod towns, the 2 islands and 1 off-Cape town (can’t forget our friends on the other side of the canal). Only then, have you Run the Cod!

Since the initial “light bulb moment,” I determined there were three pieces of the research puzzle that needed to be assembled. First, I needed to know if any existing local running clubs, athletic groups, or any social media savvy south shoreline runners claimed this feat or promoted a similar series/challenge. I found none. Check. Second, I needed to make sure it was even logistically possible to run a road race in every Cape Cod town. It is. Though, as expected, a few towns only offer two events per year, and many events are so small, registration pages are not set up (since permits are not yet acquired) until shortly before the race. Check. The bottom-line; no one is doing this, yet it can be done. As Barney Stinson from How I Met Your Mother would say, “[Cod] Challenge accepted!”

Feeling a little tired after finishing the Cape Cod Marathon in Falmouth.

The final bit of information needed was to list – and make a calendar of – all the races in each town to get a sense of the schedule. At last count, there are over 70 races on Cape Cod, the Islands as well as plenty off-Cape, particularly in Plymouth. Races are spread through the busy summer tourist season as well as shoulder seasons as part of a local celebration or annual event (Wellfleet Oysterfest hosts a 5K, New Year’s Day celebrations hosts “First Day 5ks,” some pubs host their own timed fun run, etc.), and can be a big economic driver for the host town. Check.

This challenge is a great way for runners and lovers of Cape Cod to better understand each town’s history, community and cultural identity while supporting the economy through lodging, shopping, eating and drinking (fun will be had by all). Additionally, most road races tend to have a local nonprofit partner or charitable program, which benefits from the net proceeds. That’s right, in addition to supporting the business community, you are also supporting a good cause and helping those in need. Even better! And of course, running requires a little motivation and physical activity so on top of it all, you are getting in those steps and burning off those chowder calories. Winning!

Team Monomoy Legs Tired (“Man-are-my-legs-tired was the idea) at the finish line of our first Ragnar Relay Cape Cod in 2013.

So, if you are up for traveling to – or around – Cape Cod, exploring every town, clipping on a running bib, and bringing some friends along, then join me in accepting the Run the Cod Challenge. As Barney Stinson would also say, “It’s gonna be legendary!”

Run the Cod Challenge Part 2 will feature a list of Cape, Islands and off-Cape road races. (Finding and linking all the race websites is proving to be a labor of love!)

Happy Running on Cape Cod!

Fine Dining at the Old Yarmouth Inn

The stage coach sign is hard to miss from Route 6A.

Author’s Note: Restaurants are a dime a dozen on Cape Cod, if not everywhere. It’s such a tough business and an Ohio State University study confirmed just that. According to the 2005 study, 60% of restaurants fail in their first year, and 80% fail within five years. In this case, for every Old Yarmouth Inn, there are hundreds of restaurants that have come and gone, perhaps allowing someone else to give it a try to make something (culinary) special happen. Restaurateurs, entrepreneurs, financiers, please don’t let those statistics stop you.

My family loves this place. And for a long time. It is also the restaurant where my wife and I celebrated our engagement with my parents, a few weeks after I popped the question. Indeed, there’s a little bit of modern family history in addition to the Old Yarmouth Inn’s colonial era roots.

The unique exterior takes you back in time a century or two.

The Old Yarmouth Inn lays claim as the oldest Inn on Cape Cod with origins dating back to 1696 (it is not an Inn anymore). Located along a stretch of Route 6A lined with beautifully designed shops, homes, churches and community buildings, the Old Yarmouth Inn is somewhat of a mid-cape point between the Cape Cod Canal and the Outer Cape for the weary traveler. The unique design of the Inn alone can make you stop in your tracks when admiring the exterior facade, interior craftsmanship, let alone the food, “country cozy” dining rooms, and staff hospitality. There are at least three dining areas as well as the tavern. Fireplace or not, every room in the Inn feels like a unique little nook, making you want to stay for hours, assuming you’re in good company.

One of the many dining rooms at the Old Yarmouth Inn.

I suppose the history and longevity of the Inn is part of the magic that makes people come back. And the ghosts stories; yes, the Old Yarmouth Inn promotes a story of a mischievous and good humored ghost(s) roaming the grounds. It’s a fascintating account of “connecting the historical dots” since most of the records of travelers and guests over the last 3 centuries have been lost.

This particular visit was one where I was unusually hungry. While a basket of bread is nothing to get excited about, that warm (freshly baked) bread lathered in a square of butter was worth noting. The Tito’s martini straight up also added to the elegant dining experience. The Old Yarmouth Inn’s clam chowder is above average, a thick creamy base with chunks of clams and smaller pieces of potatos mixed in with a peppery finish. Their wedge salad was served on a crispy head of lettuce with the usual fixings. The timing between each course was just right and the waitress made a point to check-in with us before the next service.

The entrees were excellent. My wife and father went with the prime rib, while my mom picked salmon. My selection was a no doubter; the haddock special, an enormous buttery filet on a bed of asparagus over red potatos with a jumbo shrimp resting atop. The picture actually does the food justice; it was delicious and worth the price.

Another memorable meal at the Old Yarmouth Inn.

Where Nothing Could Be Finer Than To Eat at Sandi’s Diner

Hana made sure to get her steps in before breakfast.

Author’s Note: Last weekend, our usually sleepy fur baby Hana the dachshund, decided to play rooster around 5:45am to make sure we all had a productive day. While I was hoping to have a lazy Sunday, we took her soothing whines to get up and going. A cool morning walk to Ridgevale Beach and down a few side streets worked up our appetites (and tired her out) to the point where we decided to play “restaurant roulette.” The game is comically simple; we pick up the local newspaper (in this case, the Cape Cod Chronicle) and open a random page. Which ever restaurant advertisement is read first is where we go for breakfast. (Restaurants, take note, you may want to increase your ad budgets!) Page 3 of the edition was none other than, “Where Nothing Could Be Finer Than To Eat at Sandi’s Diner.”

It often feels like the breakfast culture on the Cape is increasingly shifting to “grab and go” away from the traditional sit-down meal. The reasons are obvious; it’s fast (race to get that beach parking space); less expensive for customers (though no free re-fills of coffee!) and possibly less costly for the restaurants (less wait staff; smaller menu may mean less ingredients). Fortunately, the tourists and beach-goers are not completely succeeding at changing the breakfast landscape, as restaurants like Sandi’s Diner remain packed and enjoy a loyal following.

The patio of Sandi’s Diner may be the best seat “in” the house.

If you need a refresher, Sandi’s Diner is a downtown Chatham breakfast/lunch spot that opens at 4:30 a.m. EVERY DAY. The menu is straight-forward, one page menu with just the right amount of omelet, pancake, waffle, egg sandwich, fresh fruit options. The wait staff moves quick, even on busy mornings. The dining room, with counter service, is small and can “heat up” when full. There air conditioning is an exhaust fan. If you want a cooler, quieter seat with a charming view of Main Street, grab one of the two tables outside on the front porch. Though, the exhaust fan does blow near the table closest to the door.

We only had to wait a few minutes until our table for four was ready. Always one to pair coffee with breakfast , the brew was nothing special, but that’s to be expected for a diner. However, my cup was filled every time it was half full. All of us had different food selections in mind. Ellen, the better half, went with pancakes, Mom had a fruit bowl, Dad had a muffin sandwich and I went with the Benny. The presentation was a plus, food was hot, portions were plentiful and taste was above average, especially considering the range of items ordered. The pancakes were noticeably fluffy. The price was right.

We followed our breakfast with a slow stroll through a still deserted downtown as all the shops were just beginning to show signs of life. We turned around “Where the Sidewalk Ends,” (unfortunately they were not yet open), looped back and drove back to the house.

Astonishingly, the puppy who kicked off this day was wide-eyed and bushy tailed when we returned. We ended up getting in a second walk to the beach that morning. Thanks Hana and Sandi’s!

The Neighborhood Bakery: Marion’s Pie Shop

Author’s Note: Running, walking, biking or a similar forms of “foot powered transportation” is a great way to check out a new city or even see your home town from a new perspective. When I travel, almost every morning I get up earlier than I would at home, and go for a run. While fitness may be the initial motivation, “on foot” exploration allows me to get close to a waterfront, go the opposite direction down a one-way side street in a city, even stumble upon a hidden historical site, all of which may be interesting and even help determine activities later in the day. But it did not take work travel or an exotic trip to re-discover a hidden gem in plain sight in Chatham.

In this case, the hidden gem is not really hidden, it is Marion’s Pie Shop!

Ragnar Trail Vermont finisher medal. It’s a fork, spoon and bottle opener.

With a Ragnar Trail Vermont relay race just days away, I needed to squeeze in a long run to gauge strength and stamina to determine my confidence level before tackling Mt. Ascutney in central Vermont. Aiming for 6+ miles, I made up a haphazard loop from Ridgevale Beach, to Cockle Cove to the Old Colony Rail Trail west toward Harwich, followed by a u-turn back towards Chatham Municipal Airport. The final stretch would take me past Chatham’s Old Schoolhouse Ice Cream towards Sam Ryder Road.

As I emerged out of the tree covered trail, a sudden scent of cinnamon sugar hit my face; kind of like when the smell of someone grilling wafts through the air. I knew the sweet smell was not the nearby Chatham Transfer Station. In my hot, sweaty, tired mess, I realized that the smell was none other than Marion’s Pie Shop, but also that I had not visited the bakery in quite some time. Now, I’m the kind of person that tends to take signs in nature or odd coincidences as a hint to do something. In this case, the sweet air was a sign to pay homage to Marion’s Pie Shop. (Admittedly, this is not a big ask as it is down the road from the house and already has quite the reputation.) The smell of what could only be a cinnamon nut roll that helped me power through the final incline of the run got stronger as I approached the shop.

If you are not familiar with the area, Marion’s Pie Shop is the only restaurant along a fairly long residential stretch of Route 28 in West Chatham. It was not always this way. The former Ridgevale Restaurant, with the beautifully polished white 1930s Rolls Royce parked in front, use to be next to Marion’s toward Ridgevale Road (townhouses are now there) and former Flemings Seafood Restaurant, was a little further down Route 28 closer to Cockle Cove Road (a conservation area/park is there now). There also use to be another motel across from Marion’s to complement the nearby Seafarer Inn. Fortunately, Chatham Pottery and an art gallery are the other commercial “anchor tenants” in the area of what I playfully call, the Ridgevale Road Business Association. The walkability of these businesses is a great benefit of living in the neighborhood.

Unfortunately, this run was a 6:30am start, so Marion’s Pie Shop was not yet open when I rolled up around 7:30am. As I stepped through the open door, a polite college-aged youngster, likely a seasonal employee said, “Sorry, we open at 8:00 a.m.” That was fine considering my sweaty state. After some small talk, what did surprise me was his answer when I asked him about what kind of coffee they had available. The muted response was, “just the Keurig,” Ugh! For this bakery with such a huge following, those sweet heavenly smells, comfy outdoor seating, charming broken seashell driveway, it’s hard to believe “just the Keurig” was the answer. Especially with all the local coffee roasters such as Beanstock (Wellfleet), the Art of Roasting (Chatham) fighting to get playing time in our morning routines. Indeed, the coffee culture is strong (coffee pun intended) on the Cape (albeit, a bit snobby), but like wine, “Life is too short to drink bad coffee!”

The picture does not do these jumbo muffins justice.

The first attempt to taste, not just smell, Marion’s sugary goodness, was a big fail. By the time I got back to the house, showered, figured out the plan of the day, I returned to learn they were out of almost every freshly baked breakfast item. And I didn’t feel like a spinach croissant. Fortunately, that was Saturday, and on Sunday, I arrived by 8:00am and grabbed a wild blueberry muffin (and for fun, the Chatham muffin, the latter being basically baked sugar in muffin form. I recommend splitting the Chatham muffin with at least one other person!) The wild blueberry muffin was delicious, still warm from the oven, perfect portion and did not need to be toasted or smothered with butter. It was an easy reminder why this neighborhood bakery has stood the test of time. And if you were wondering, the bakery was started (by Marion) in 1947, and the current owners, Cindy and Blake Stearns, continued her tradition since 2003.

While Marion’s breakfast selections are winners, my next visit will focus on their “side dishes,” i.e., potato salad, cole slaw, pasta salad and baked beans. If these side dishes are close to the level of the breakfast goodies, I’ll happily get in line at 8:00 a.m. on a Sunday; whether or not the smell of a cinnamon nut roll is in the air.

What is your favorite neighborhood bakery?