The Captains Golf Course -
Port Course
Is Port #8 the most controversial hole on the Cape?
1000 Freemans Way, Brewster, MA 02631
508-896-1716
18 Holes, Par 72
Sister course of The Captains’ Starboard Course
Design
BOGEY
Some Cape Cod courses are restricted by lack of space, but Captains is on an impressive swath of land. There’s plenty of room to house two full-size, spacious courses: the Starboard Course and Port Course.
Whenever a property has two courses, there’s always a debate about which course is better. These courses share many similarities, but we liked Starboard a bit more than Port as it felt a bit more cohesive.
Port has several holes where the design felt forced and disconnected from the rest of the holes.
The most controversial hole on Port is certainly #8. A par 5 where driver, wedge, wedge is in play. Some of the more experienced players in our group called it “the worst hole in America!” That was until one of them eagled it and thus deemed it “the best hole in America!” Like we said, controversial.
On quite a few holes, being long of the green is dead. So choose your approach clubs carefully.
Playability
PAR
Like Starboard, most of the holes lack of water and deep woods making this a fairly playable course. However, there are a few holes on Port where you need to clear swampy areas.
A few quirky holes will mess with your score. Higher handicappers will want to play #8 safe - there’s no need to be a hero. A couple relatively short par 5s should forgive some of your mistakes and hopefully let you get 1-2 shots back.
A nice touch is the presence of “family tees” which creates an option ~3000 yards shorter than the tips. A great step to growing the game!
There are a few longish distances between holes, but walking or riding are both perfectly viable options.
Views
BOGEY
As an interior course without much water, there are not a ton of dramatic views.
The views that you’ll get throughout are quintessential Cape Cod pines and sand.
Vibe
PAR
The two side-by-side courses sharing a clubhouse, practice green, and starting areas creates an energy with twice the normal amount of people milling around.
There are a number of nautical features located throughout the course - like boat cleats as tee markers, wooden moorings bordering some fairways, and each hole named after actual, real-life captains! While this could get cheesy, we think that they pull it off nicely, subtlety reminding you of the rich nautical tradition that exists here on Cape Cod.
Condition
PAR
Solid condition tee to green.
Firm, fast fairways can give you a few extra yards with some nice runout.
Greens were the highlight for us. While there wasn’t a ton of break, they tended to run really true.
Practice Areas
PAR
Two large putting areas - one near the first tees and one located in front of the clubhouse welcoming you as you walk in from the parking lot.
While there is a driving range, unfortunately it is located down the street a bit. You have to drive there…
19th Hole
BIRDIE
Nice grab and go window to get a sandwich or a hot dog at the turn.
Full restaurant with large outside patio.
Logo
PAR
We think the logo is good, but not great…
We’d like to see a more modern, fun spin on the captain/nautical motif as there’s lots to work with…
Memorability
PAR
The Port course is solid, but the few quirky holes really stand out- not necessarily in a great way. You will remember how you fared on #8.
We think you’ll remember the maritime tributes throughout the course that serve as a reminder that you are on Cape Cod and that your golf experience should be fun!
There are not a ton of wow moments, but we think the overall consistent conditions will leave you wanting to come back again.
We’ll remember thinking how The Captains Golf Course seems to be making some smart decisions about their future. In a world where many courses (including Cape Cod courses) are deciding whether to abandon golf to convert their land into solar farms, it was refreshing to see that Captains recently completed an installation of solar panels over the parking lot. Hopefully, more courses will follow their lead.
Join us on our quest to play all of the courses on Cape Cod. Here’s a handy reference of all of the public and private options. How many have you played? Which course (and logo) is your favorite?
Poster is 16 inches wide x 20 inches high.
(Frame not included, but shipping is!)
