The 17th century English poet John Milton must have been thinking of me when, in 1669, he wrote Paradise Lost.  And then he wrote its sequel, Paradise Regained, in 1671. 

That is exactly how I felt after playing the Ocean Edge Golf Club, the only Nicklaus-designed course on Cap Cod. Located in Brewster, Massachusetts, about a halfway down the Cape, it’s approximately a four-hour drive from downtown Albany.

I was there for their grand opening in May of last year.  I had the opportunity to play it two days in a row, and that was not enough for my unquenchable appetite to play a course that is destined to become one of the top layouts on Cape Cod.  I wanted to play it day after day.  This where the “Lost” manifested itself.

Paradise Regained was realized when I was invited back this May to see what Mother Nature had wrought in a short 12 months.  Architects can design but only Mother Nature can mature.  And only that maturity can produce the perfection I ultimately knew was there.

The Ocean Edge Golf Course is a unique blending of architectural skills on a perfectly suited landscape.  Lots of elevated tees add to the natural beauty and the course meanders through the 335-room resort property.  It is where most golfers stay as they enjoy perfection.  However, one or two prerequisites to play the course are that you have to stay at the resort, or the other is you have to be a member of the club, that is limited to 300 members.

You may have noticed I haven’t described any of the holes.  They are all beautiful and so designed that once you tee off with 10-minute intervals, you have your own private paradise for there are no parallel fairways.

The Ocean Edge Golf Course is also designed for all levels of play.  The Championship tees extend to 7011 yards.  The resort yardage is 6093 yards.  Seniors and ladies will find a comfortable 5205 yards from the forward tees.  Choose wisely! Your enjoyment of the course will depend on your choice of tees.

Does the Ocean Edge Resort sound expensive? Not really, if you take advantage of their unlimited golf package. An astute management is well aware of the economic times we are all living in.

For example, Ocean Edge Resort if offering a very attractive golf package.  It includes endless golf, coupled with a one bedroom villa and daily breakfast at $175 per night.  For the tennis enthusiasts, Ocean Edge Resort has one of the finest USPTA-certified complexes on Cape Cod.  And there are lots of other amenities unique to their complex.

But you know better than I what your budget will bear.  Visit them on their website at Http://www.oceanedge.com/golf/ Let them make you an offer you can’t refuse.

For the rest of Cape Cod, there are endless opportunities to play golf.  Each little town has at least one golf course.  Some have several.  All of them are competing for the golfing vacationer.  Thus we have competitive pricing that golfers can appreciate. You will find outstanding course that would normally be in the $100 - $125 range far below that amount.  Cape Cod offers golf for much less ranging from $25 for a smaller Par 3 course to $70 for the more competitive high-ended resorts.  (Cart will be $18 more.)

Mary (my bride of 58 years come August 18) and I went to Cape Cod two days early than scheduled at the Ocean Edge Resort.  We found very comfortable accommodations at the Corsair/The Cross Rip oceanfront motel in Dennisport.  A long-established motel complex, it has been attracting a large group of vacationers who return year after year.  The Corsair/The Cross Rip, like every other motel or hotel in this Hyannis area, has prearranged golf tee times at most of the golf courses in the area.  They scheduled us for the Hyannis Golf Course on Tuesday and the Captain’s Golf Course located I n Brewster on Thursday.  We had played both courses in the past and found the once again to be very pleasant golfing experiences.

I particularly enjoyed returning to the Captain’s Golf Resort that boasts two great courses, the Port and the Starboard.  Each has its own identity and it is difficult to choose between them.  They are both great layouts.  And meeting head pro Mark O’Brian once again is always a great experience.  A congenial Irishman, he’s the ultimate head professional.

The Hyannis area is also the home of some of the finest easting establishments on the Cape.  Mark Downey, owner of the Corsair/Cross Rip motel, made arrangements for us to eat at the Yarmouth House Restaurant.  It was a great choice!

Delicious prime rip for me, succulent lobster for Mary and Mark didn’t disappoint us. We even met the owner Ted Zambelis who joined us for a round of golf the following day. It’s a good thing Ted owns a restaurant – he would never make it on the PGA tour! For more information on Corsair/Cross Rip, visit www.corsaircrossrip.com

Hopefully I whetted your appetite for a golf vacation on famous Cape Cod. It’s a great summer get away but if you’re not into spending time on the beach, you can forego your trip until labor Day.  You will find the highways less congested, more available seats in the restaurants, and reduced rates in all the motels and golf courses.

But before you do anything else, contact the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce at www.capecodchamber.org.  This will help you with your vacation plans and they will send you a wealth of materials on all aspects of a glorious Cap Code vacation.

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