brewster – HappyCapeCod

[One Particular] Harbor Lights Mini Golf, Brewster

by Jeff Shaw

The best view on “Underpants” Road. Photo credit: J. Shaw

A new standard has been set in the latest edition of mini golf on Cape Cod – and it’s happening in Brewster. [Sorry Yarmouth, which I previously described as the Mecca of Mini Golf.] Move over tidal sand flats, historic sea captains homes and acres upon acres of conservation lands, and make way for the best of Brewster – 18 holes of the most legit mini golf on Cape Cod one could imagine. (Well, not exactly, this version is likely platinum)

But first, some jest. For close to a decade, I chuckled every time I passed by Harbor Lights Mini Golf. The laughter had nothing to do with the golf course, and everything to do with the name of the road on which it is located – Underpass Road. Swap the first letter “s” and insert the letters “nt” and voila, you have Underpants Road! This comical gem was first uttered by beloved Eric Williams, of Cape Cod media lore/story telling fame (my personal favorite; and of course the Cape Cod Fun Show) – and locked onto my inner middle-schooler humor. The joke still holds strong.

A legit practice green. Photo credit: J. Shaw

Clothing references aside, as readers may recall, mini golf is serious business on Cape Cod. Competition aside, Harbor Lights Mini Golf is doing it right and others, please take note.

Beer and Wine is Available for Purchase! (Ice Cream, Too)

While this may appear counter to “family friendly,” variety is nice. (And may help you eke out a victory if your competition is a little tipsy on those trickier holes.) The suds also softens the blow of the screaming that follows a say, 5-year-old inevitably hitting their ball into the koi fish pond. Wondering where to place your beverage when it is your turn to putt…

Mini bar tops are “truly” a legit amenity. Photo credit: J. Shaw

Mini Bar Tops at Each Hole!

…fear not, there is a mini bar top at each hole! Speaking of holes…

Holes Numbers 6 and 10 are Legit!

No need to spoil the surprise, but remember, it’s just mini golf. Actually, it’s not just mini golf, it’s big business. So much so…

Harbor Lights Apparel is Legit!

Sunday red felt appropriate for bookend holes-in-one. Photo credit: J. Shaw

…they sell branded sweatshirts, t-shirts and best of all, hats! Pricey sure, but my oldest made not just one hole-in-one, but two holes-in-one, “bookends” on the round (Holes #1 and #18). [Fast forward two months, we were playing at Pirate’s Cove Mini Golf (Yarmouth location) and one of the staff at the counter commented how cool his hat is and that they (the local franchise) want to sell hats but corporate isn’t into it yet (paraphrasing).] Of course the oldest could not go home empty handed after that stellar performance. But it wasn’t too much of a hit to the wallet because…

Cash Discount!

Harbor Light offers a cash discount, the equivalent of the credit processing fee. Now sure, 3% of $30 or so isn’t too much for a single transaction. However, it will add up once the Mini Golf Masters weekly league night debuts!

I could not fathom a better location for such an event.

October 13, 2026

“Double Plays” on Cape Cod

The Chatham Town Band and Chatham “A’s” Anglers play on the same day four (4) times in 2026, a so-called “Double Play.”

“Summer Fridays at 8:00pm means one thing; it’s band time in Chatham.” The same can be true, albeit different times and days, in Brewster, Yarmouth, Harwich, Barnstable, Falmouth [with their respective town bands]. Summer days (and nights) also mean Cape Cod Baseball League games. And wouldn’t you know it, there are many opportunities to catch a “Double Play” (band concert and baseball game on the same day in the same town) all summer long!

Here’s your guide to Double Plays this summer (while the bands play at the same time weekly; game times vary and are subject to change).

by Jeff Shaw

Fridays in Chatham. The Chatham Town Band plays at Kate Gould Park in Downtown Chatham at 8:00pm. Prior to the music (or even after), catch a few innings of the Chatham A’s at nearby Veteran’s Field, first pitch 7:00pm. Double play dates (4): June 19, June 26, July 10, July 24.

Sundays in Brewster. The Brewster Band plays at Drummer Boy Park off Route 6A in Brewster at 6:00pm. Prior to the music (or even after), catch a few innings of the Brewster Whitecaps at Stony Brook Field, first pitch 5:00pm. Double play dates (4): June 14, July 5, July 12, July 26.

Mondays in Yarmouth. The Yarmouth Summer Concert Series is located at Parker’s River Beach at 6:00pm. Prior to the music (or even after), catch a few innings of the YD Red Sox at Red Wilson Field, first pitch 5:00pm. Double play date (1): July 20.

Tuesdays in Harwich. The Harwich Town Band plays at Brooks Park in Harwich Center at 7:00pm. Prior to the music (or even after), catch a few innings of the Harwich Mariners at Whitehouse Field, first pitch at 4:30pm, 5:30pm or 6:30pm. Double play dates (5): June 16, June 30, July 14, July 21, July 28.

Wednesdays in Barnstable. The Barnstable Town Band plays at Hyannis Village Green at 7:00pm. Prior to the music (or even after), catch a few innings of the Cotuit Kettlers at Lowell Park, first pitch at 4:30pm and/or Hyannis Harbor Hawks at McKeon Park, first pitch at 6:00pm, respectively. Double play dates (1-Cotuit: July 18) (3-Hyannis: July 8, July 15, July 29).

Thursdays in Falmouth. The Falmouth Town Band plays at the Lin Whitehead Band Shell at 7:00pm. Prior to the music (or even after), catch a few innings of the Falmouth Commodores at Guv Fuller Field, first pitch at 6:00pm. Double play dates (3): June 18, July 7, July 16.

July 15, 2026

Save Millstone Road or Sidewalk for Kids, Brewster

The intersection of Route 137 and Millstone Road, Brewster. Photo credit: Jeff Shaw.

by Jeff Shaw

Like many, I tend to take Millstone Road, the 2.5-mile residential road, when getting around in Brewster. The winding, somewhat scenic road, connects Route 137 near a Cape Cod Rail Trail (CCRT) crossing and Route 6A across from the Sea Camp property (and near a different CCRT crossing). I say “somewhat scenic” because while many homes are set back from the road and separated naturally by trees, scrub pine and deep woods, the roadway lacks sweeping views of ocean, fresh water ponds, dunes or gardens that showcase the Cape’s natural beauty.

Also like me, you may have noticed some colorful lawn signs dotting the landscape along the shoulder of the road. The signs illustrate the battlelines of a multi-year campaign on the future of the road. Indeed, the opposing positions are: “Save Millstone Road,” i.e., preserve the “scenic” character of the road or “Sidewalks for Kids,” i.e., make the road more pedestrian-friendly for all users.

A Save Millstone Road lawn sign on Millstone Road. Photo credit: Jeff Shaw.

This hyperlocal political hot potato dates back to 2015, when the town adopted a Complete Streets policy, backed by $10 million in funding. Complete street policies intend to make roads more pedestrian and bike friendly. In Millstone Road’s case, the proposal included a five foot bike lane and five foot sidewalk, in addition to the 11 foot two-way vehicle travel lane. Just shy of $6 million is available for the project.

According to the Brewster Town Administer, almost 25 percent of the town lives on or off Millstone Road. So yeah, there are bound to be strong opinions worthy of signage.

Not living in Brewster, it is easy to say, build the dang bike lane/sidewalk already! And down with nimbyism! While tempting, I also understand homeowners worrying about paving over grassy areas, narrower driving lanes and having to double-check for passing bicycles and vehicles every time they turn into or out of, their driveway.

A Sidewalks for Kids lawn sign on Millstone Road. Photo credit: Ellen Shaw.

The town does have a Bikeways Committee, but the link is invalid to their Comprehensive Strategy. The plan, reviewed and approved by the Board of Selectman, probably provides additional context and/or economic and community benefit information.

Indeed, a quick glance at a Cape Cod Commission (CCC) map re: Biking in Brewster, suggests building the bike lane and sidewalk makes sense. Just look at this map.

Millstone Road is sandwiched (Cape town pun intended) between 1,900 acre Nickerson State Park (with its own 8-mile paved recreational trail network) and the 30+ mile Cape Cod Rail Trail, the majority of which runs through Brewster. Enabling more people to travel safely to these recreational areas (not to mention nearby Cape Cod Bay side beaches), is a benefit for residents and visitors.

Further, according to the CCC map, Millstone Road is already deemed a “Regional Bicycle Road,” albeit a dangerous one given the twists and turns of the shoulder-less road.

Having written much about biking on Cape Cod, I’m super biased. I say, build the dang bike lane/sidewalk! But be sure to maximize the “occasionally buffered grass strips” that would help preserve the character of Millstone Road, too.

July 5, 2022

Visit All 10 Cape Cod Baseball League Parks in One Weekend

by Jeff Shaw

The distance between the teams located farthest from one another is 47 miles. Photo credit: Google maps.

The month of June is known for many things; graduations, maximum daylight, outdoor concerts and endless replays of Alice Cooper’s Schools Out [for summer]. But on Cape Cod, the month of June means the beginning of a wonderful tradition and summer rite of passage: the Cape Cod Baseball League.

If you need a refresher, ten teams located between Wareham (just off-Cape) and Orleans, (Lower Cape), compete annually in this officially NCAA sanctioned summer league. (Though, as many books point out, the origins of organized baseball on Cape Cod are local and amateur.) Most professional scouts love to be assigned to the Cape League because of the concentration of teams. As an example, the distance between Wareham and Orleans, the two farthest outposts of the 10-team league, is a mere 47 miles. Conversely, teams in leagues in larger geographical areas may be separated by 47 miles each!

Indeed, closeness and geography makes the Cape Cod Baseball League special. So why not see for yourself and visit each team’s ballpark this summer? Below is a plan to do just that…in a single weekend. You read that right, it can be done:

Double Header Weekends. The weekends of June 17-19 (Father’s Day) and June 24-26 both have double headers on Sunday. The earliest double header begins at 2pm (at Cotuit) and the latest double header begins at 5pm (at Chatham). Meaning you can easily catch three complete games and probably see even more games if you only stay for a few innings and move along. Watching three complete games sounds like the ultimate ‘summer catch’ [Cape League-based movie pun intended]!

Last Weekend. The July 29-31 games are the last regular season weekend games. If you are savvy, you can catch games (heading East) at Hyannis (6pm) Harwich (6:30pm), Orleans (6:30pm) and Chatham (7pm) on Friday; start Saturday in Brewster (4pm) and then proceed West to Wareham (6pm—crossing the bridge should be okay on a Saturday), then head back over the bridge and down to Falmouth (6pm). On Sunday, start in YD at 4:30pm, then head West to the second half of the Cotuit game (4:30pm) and then the middle of the game at Bourne (6pm).

Unique Game Locations. Four Cape League teams will travel off-Cape for regular season game play. The first game between YD vs. Hyannis will be Wednesday, July 20 at 11:00am at Dunkin’ Donuts Park in Hartford, home of the Class AA Hartford Yard Goats, affiliated with the Colorado Rockies. The second game between Bourne vs. Wareham will be Monday, July 25 at 6:45pm at Polar Park in Worchester, home of the Worcester Red Sox. And of course, don’t forget the All-Star Game on Saturday, July 23 at 6:00pm in Wareham.

Pinned locations of all ten Cape Cod Baseball League teams, color coded by West and East Divisions. Photo credit: CCBL.

Below are the addresses to the fields of all ten teams.

Fields: https://gatemen.org/schedule/directions-to-ccbl-fields/

Brewster Whitecaps (Eastern Division)

Stoneybrook Elementary School, 384 Underpass Rd, Brewster, MA 02631

Chatham Anglers (Eastern Division)

Veteran’s Field; 702 Main Street, Chatham, MA 02633

Harwich Mariners (Eastern Division)

Whitehouse Field; 75 Oak Street, Harwich, MA 02645

Orleans Firebirds (Eastern Division)

Eldredge Park; 78 Eldredge Park Way, Orleans, MA 02653

Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox (Eastern Division)

Red Wilson Field; 210 Station Avenue, So. Yarmouth, MA 02664

Bourne Braves (Western Division)

Doran Park, 220 Sandwich Road, Bourne

Cotuit Kettlers (Western Division)

Lowell Park; 10 Lowell Avenue, Cotuit, MA 02635

Falmouth Commodores (Western Division)

Guv Fuller Field, Main St., Falmouth Center

Hyannis Harbor Hawks (Western Division)

McKeon Field; 120 High School Road, Hyannis, MA 02601

Wareham Gatemen (Western Division)

Clem Spillane Field, Rte. 6, Wareham Center at 54 Marion Road and Viking Drive

June 3, 2022

Shoe Pole on Tubman Road, Brewster

by Jeff Shaw

On a recent drive to Mayflower Beach (bay side), I spotted a curious sight. Something you surely have seen before, perhaps in your neighborhood; discarded shoes. But these pairs were not merely abandoned on the side of the road, they were nailed neatly to a telephone pole!

As most locals, insiders, and GPS afficionados may know, Tubman Road in Brewster is a wonderful short cut to Route 6A from Chatham. The intersection of Route 137 and Route 6A tends to back-up from vehicles attempting to turn left on the bustling Kings Highway. Drivers and bikers alike can avoid the slog and exhaust fumes by barring left just after the Cape Cod Rail Trail crossing near Ferretti’s.

This curious “shoe pole” can be found along a wooded area about a quarter of a mile from the Brewster Sportsman’s and Civic Club. My first theory attempted to connect the shoes and the gun range, perhaps target practice fodder. Alas, most of the footwear appear in remarkably good shape.

About three dozen shoes hang, sadly, like a Christmas tree in February. Sagging and out of place. To continue with the analogy, the “ornaments” range considerably, from flip-flops, to hiking boots, to running shoes, of all sizes and colors. If the shoes didn’t have a nail hammered through the toe box, they would probably be eligible for donation.

Theory #1: The shoes were targets from nearby Brewster Sportsman’s and Civic Club. Doubtful.

As for the backstory, details are thin. As in non-existent. My half-ass internet research (a term of endearment coined by Bill Simmons of the Rewatchables Podcast) revealed a similar footwear telephone pole in Perkins, Missouri of all places. Sadly, there was no obvious connection to Cape Cod. Yet another theory debunked.

Interestingly, there have been past attacks on telephone poles in Brewster. Just last summer, a FedEx truck “struck one pole, toppled another and damaged a third while knocking out power for over 200 neighbors.” Fortunately, the driver was not injured and no pedestrians were involved in the accident.

The scene of an accident between a FedEx truck and telephone poles, about four miles from Tubman Road. Photo credit: CapeCod.com

That incident happened at Slough Road at James Burr Road, over four miles from Tubman Road, so a FedEx related theory is also unlikely.

So, three thin theories, all of which have been debunked. Looks like local intel will be needed to solve the mystery. Otherwise, the shoe pole will just remain a curious sight along a short cut to Cape Cod Bay.

April 4, 2022