Is Drinking Allowed On PGA Tour Golf Courses?

Although drinking is a bad habit for your health and mind, many people still indulge in taking such a substance, and that includes certain golfers.

In light of this statement, you may have wondered before, is drinking allowed in the PGA Tour while on a golf course, whether as a professional, or a spectator?

In this article, we will explain to you the nuances behind whether or not drinking is allowed on PGA Tour Golf Courses, as a spectator, or a professional player.

Is Drinking Allowed on Golf courses in general?

It depends. Drinking is generally allowed on golf courses, as long as your conduct is non-disturbing. However, the committee of professional tournaments can prohibit drinking by designating it as etiquette breach, resulting in a disqualification, even though the Rules of Golf do not ban drinking.

Outside of the PGA Tour golf courses, drinking is generally allowed on golf courses, for both players and spectators alike.

Cracking a cold one with the boys (slang for drinking beer with friends) is one of golf’s finest pleasures for many people across the globe. It is sometimes encouraged in casual play, somewhat in the pursuit of capitalism. Many golf courses do not let you bring your own alcohol, as they sell alcohol themselves.

For example, golf courses will sometimes employ “cart girls”, which are employees who drive an elongated golf cart stacked with a drink bar. You can see cart girls a couple times per golf round if your local golf course employs them, and you can buy alcohol from the cart.

However, if you will be drinking while playing or spectating casual golf, make sure you keep yourself hydrated, and you do not drink too much.

Although alcohol can temporarily soothe some pain, both physical and psychological, it can negatively affect your performance. If you drink too much, alcohol can also get you kicked out of the golf course.

When you are drunk or heavily under the influence, you do not filter yourself enough, and your actions become erratic and irrational.

If you disturb the peace on the golf course, bug other players, shoot the golf ball dangerously almost hitting other people, you will be escorted out of the golf course. If things get too out of hand, you may even be arrested, or injure someone.

Drink responsibly, and you can have a great time while out on a golf course with your friends. However, the best way to prevent any issues is to not drink at all, and become a master of your own emotions and happiness.

Is Drinking Allowed In The PGA Tour While On A Golf Course?

If you are a spectator, you may drink alcohol purchased on site of a PGA Tour golf course. If you are a professional player, drinking is usually prohibited on a PGA Tour course & will result in disqualification, especially as you climb the professional ranks and become more publicized.

On PGA Tour Golf Courses, spectators are fully permitted to drink alcohol that they purchase on site, but they cannot bring their own alcohol.

Furthermore, despite being allowed to drink, spectators must still conduct themselves with the proper etiquette. In fact, the PGA Tour reserves itself any right to remove any spectator who is aggressive, rude or disruptive.

The sale of alcohol during PGA Tour events is obligatorily halted at the end of the playing time for each day.

If you are a PGA Tour volunteer, then you are prohibited from drinking while on duty, and discouraged from drinking off-duty while you are still in uniform.

On the other hand, professional PGA Tour golf players are usually prohibited from drinking on the golf course during events.

Even though the Rules of Golf do not explicitly prohibit alcohol at all, the event committee usually defines drinking alcohol during an event as being a serious breach of golfer’s etiquette, resulting in a disqualification.

The PGA Tour generally does not wish to promote alcohol, especially towards the younger segments of their audience. This mindset is reflected in the committee’s decisions concerning alcohol’s legality in PGA Tour events.

However, especially in lower levels of professional golf, often less publicized, some committees will not fuss over your preference to drink a little, and you will not be disqualified from the event for drinking.

You need to inform yourself with the committee of the event you are attending to know if you are allowed to drink on the golf course.

Are Professionals Allowed to Drink while on a PGA Tour Golf Course?

On PGA Tour golf courses, professional players are usually not permitted to drink, notably because drinking can affect performances, and the PGA does not wish to promote drinking to the younger segments of their audience.

Overall, on PGA Tour golf courses, professional golf players are prohibited from drinking because the PGA Tour event committees generally consider drinking to be a breach etiquette, despite the Rules of Golf not specifically prohibiting drinking alcohol.

However, some PGA Tour golf players still find ways to drink in secret, either to soothe their physical pain, help them calm down, or just because they feel the desire to drink.

One example of such a professional player drinking on a PGA Tour golf course is Rocco Mediate, who drank on Tour for years, without however ever being caught.

One of the ways professional golf players get away with drinking during PGA Tour events is by pouring alcohol inside of Thermos containers, or other kinds of bottles that do not look suspicious.

Are Spectators Allowed to Drink while on a PGA Tour Golf Course?

On PGA Tour golf courses, spectators are allowed to drink. However, spectators cannot bring their own alcohol, and must purchase alcohol on site. Spectators need to be mindful of where their behaviour while under the influence, and be respectful of others.

As mentioned up above, spectators are welcome to consume any drinks that they buy on PGA Tour golf courses from the concessions. However, spectators are not allowed to bring their own drinks. This ensures superior safety on PGA Tour golf courses. It also allows the PGA to control the strength of alcohol consumed during their events.

Spectators are not allowed to bring much with them on a PGA Tour golf course. They are thoroughly searched to make sure no prohibited items fly under the PGA radar.

Even though alcohol is permitted and can make good additional chunks of revenue for the PGA, spectators must still drink responsibly. Do not get drunk, and do not disturb the peace. If you do, the local PGA staff will kick them out of the event, without refund.

Prohibited Items on PGA Tour Golf Courses

Although drinks are allowed to be purchased by spectators on PGA Tour Golf courses, you cannot bring your own drinks, nor other prohibited items.

For starters, you are not allowed to have bags larger than a small purse (6”x6”), including carrying cases, backpacks, camera bags or chair bags.

Furthermore, any bag you cannot bring clear plastic, vinyl or other carry items larger than 12”x6”x12”.

You cannot bring glass cups or bottles besides those for medical needs to tend to a child.

On PGA Tour Golf courses, you cannot have computers/laptops, sports memorabilia, fireworks, laser pointers, seat cushions with pockets, knives, firearms, other weapons, cameras, selfie sticks, posters, signs or banners.

In addition, you cannot bring radios, televisions, portable speakers, motorcycles, bicycles, mopeds, skateboards, hover boards, similar objects, or drones.

Lounge chairs or big chairs that feature foot rests are prohibited.

If you were hoping on bringing your pet with you, you are out of luck, because animals are prohibited, except for service pets.

To get a list of the items permitted on PGA Tour Golf courses, you can click here.

Conclusion

There you go! After reading this article, you have learned that on a PGA Tour golf course, drinking is usually permitted to spectators and forbidden for players. However, spectators still need to respect proper golf course etiquette, and not get drunk, or they will get kicked out of the event.

We would like to remind you that even though you may see some of your idols drinking outside of tournament play, not everything they do must be modeled! Never drink and you will be healthier, and richer! Alcohol is one of the pitfalls that can ruin your golf career!

Drinking excessively is bad for your health! Do you have stories of people drinking too much while on a golf course? What crazy stories do you have? Let us know in the comments down below!