Golf is a unique recreational sport, because you can enjoy some alcohol while you play it.
I mean, I guess you can play pick-up basketball and have a beer on the sidelines, but that is probably ill-advised. And there are beer miles: runs where participants must drink four beers and run four laps around a track. If I didn't vomit from the laps, I would from the combination of beer and running.
Apparently, golfers drink. According to a study, "alcohol use is common among golfers, with over 80% reporting at least one standard serving of alcohol in the past week." That is higher than the 66% of adults who have consumed alcohol in the past week. (Courtney, et al, 2021)
That study also concludes that "golfers motivated by social status were more likely to consume any alcohol and to consume more alcohol than others." It also goes on to mention that this higher level of alcohol consumption by golfers compared to the general public is problematic because of the additional calories' affect on body composition and overall health. A recommendation of the study suggests further research to determine "whether golf culture warrants a targeted intervention to decrease obesity and cancer risk."
It's clear these authors have never played golf.
Here are some of the best drinks while on the links.
(n.b.: If you choose not to drink, for whatever reason, that is totally okay and I support that decision.)
The Golf Course's "Own" Beer
When the golf course has a brew specifically for them - or at least is related to the course - there is really no other beer to drink on that course.
Stock up on them at the clubhouse before the round, grab another one at the turn, and, unless you're planning on a refreshing cocktail after the round (see: Transfusion, Post-Round) enjoy one in a frosty mug in the bar.
A good golf course-specific beer is light, easy to drink (crushable, as they say), and has a lower alcohol content.
The Ocean Course Ale (Kiawah Island) and Lighthouse Lager (Harbour Town) are two that fit the bill and should be a staple when walking around those links and chasing a little white ball.
The Rain Delay Beer
Is there any more optimistic person than a golfer with a tee time? The forecast could say 80% chance of rain, the radar screen full of green and yellow, yet that golfer will be at the course for their tee time because "it's going to clear up soon."
Getting to the course early to hit some golf balls on the range before the round (got to get loose, after all!), the optimist golfer will find out that the range is closed because of the rain.
With limited options (not going to leave the course just yet!) and decreasing patience, one of the only things to do, besides refreshing the weather app every 11 seconds on their phone, they head to the bar, and knock back a beer (or two).
Other times, there is a pop-up thunderstorm that forces play to stop. The once-distant storm clouds are getting uncomfortably close. In that instance, it is time to head back to the clubhouse. If you're having a bad round, there's nothing a little rain delay beer can't help.
The Perfectly Timed Arrival of the Beverage Cart Beer
But maybe you're having a bad round and the weather gods are not looking out for you by forcing you to prematurely end the round. The sight of the beverage cart turning the corner after two doubles and a triple is a welcome one. Go ahead and get that six pack, it's usually cheaper. And then you won't have to worry about running out by the time you make the inevitable second triple bogey of the day.
The Member-Guest Tournament Third (and Fifth and Eighth and 10th and 13th) Hole Beer(s)
Face it, you aren't going to win the member-guest anyway. Because a 15-handicap is going to magically have their best rounds ever(!) and, you (like an idiot) didn't sandbag - er, manage your handicap - and actually maintained your handicap accurately. What were you thinking putting in that good round the week before the member-guest!?
You might as well get your money's worth and raid the beer coolers on every other tee box. Hope you didn't bet on your score in the Calcutta.
The Post-Round Transfusion
There are few things better about golf than a post-round transfusion on the patio or in an Adirondack chair watching the sunset over the golf course. Regardless of your score - it could have been the best round ever or one you'd want to immediately forget - there is something special about the golf course cocktail. After all, golf is just a game - one that we pay to play. You spent four hours in nature, with your friends, playing a game you love. The post-round transfusion doesn't know your score. It's always there for you, just like golf is. Kick back, relax, enjoy that transfusion, and maybe tell your significant other that pace of play was really slow.
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