Our toast to the game’s finest brews 

Cheers! 

Cheers to golf, the activity that we love and loathe, that rewards and punishes, that is the namesake of this very website. 

Cheers to you, the golfer, for your pars, birdies and bogeys, for your one-putts and 1-up wins, for your tops, chunks, slices and hooks even, because, hey, the worst day playing golf is better than the best day working, as that random playing partner likes to remind you.  

Cheers to golf beers, the cold companion to this game, the liquid that both honors our victories and soothes our wounds. 

And cheers to these rankings, which recognizes the best in golf brews! 

Four cheers in all, and that is by design. This is the fourth annual version of these ratings, and the memories are happy and hoppy. Year one, we were whimsical; the author simply tried to find the top beers with golf in the name. Year two, our home-brewed project grew; Chad Underwood, a golf and beer aficionado from Ohio, joined the panel, and together, we ranked the best overall golf beers and the best beers at golf clubs, along with the best beers with golf in the name. Last year, we added again; Scott Coleman, co-founder of the outstanding and ever-creative Cushwa Brewing Company, was welcomed aboard, and he gave this exercise additional legitimacy. 

Year four sees a similar move, and our pint glass is similarly overflowing with excitement, as Ryan Guthy has pulled up a stool at our bar. Guthy is one of the co-founders of Wicked Weed Brewing, one of the country’s craft beer powerhouses. Yes, we now have a foursome. 

Here’s the best part, though:

The trio and the author went to work. There are no hangovers here. 

We’re rating the best beers with golf in the name. We’re rating the best beers at golf clubs. We’re rating the best overall golf beers. Our findings are below. 

But before we begin, two important notes:

Our rankings should be labeled as a conversation-at-the-bar starter, and not an end all, be all. Regionality plays a large role here, as does taste, and we’re just four golfers who also like their suds. 

So … if you think a beer should be in any of the ratings …

Please email me (nick.piastowski@golf.com), or reach out over Twitter (@nickpia). Bonus points if you want to mail me a sixer, of course. Then, around next year at this time, I’ll post the ratings again. Shoot, you could end up in the panel even.

With that, here are the 2024 ratings. Cheers!

Best beers with golf in the name (top five, in alphabetical order) 

— Duck Hook by Southern Pines Brewing Company, Southern Pines, North Carolina: Yeah, this will make the list. We now need someone to put out a “Banana Slice” hefe.  

— Pin High Pilsner by Market Garden Brewing, Cleveland: An obvious returnee. A portion of the beer’s proceeds are donated to support youth golf educational programs at Cleveland Metroparks Golf Courses.

— Ridin’ Birdie by Wrong Crowd Beer Company, West Chester, Pennsylvania: Said one of our raters: “Delicious hazy IPA brewed with comet and amarillo hops.”   

— Tart Path Only by Dogleg Brewing Company, Vista, California: Unsurprisingly, Dogleg has a few contenders. We’re fans of puns, too.

— Yippie IPA by St. Andrews Brewing Company, Scotland: We don’t like mention of the ‘Y’ word, but we’ll make an exception. The St. Andrews Brewing Company is also a sponsor of LPGA pro Gemma Dryburgh, a friend of the ratings.

Bonus! From Guthy, who’s named more than his fair share of beers: “White Tees. Still not being used in the market — but a name I love for a Belgian white/wit. An everyday beer for the everyday golfer. 

Best golf club beer (top nine, in alphabetical order) 

— 1854 IPA, brewed for Philadelphia Cricket Club by Conshohocken Brewing Company, Conshohocken, Pennsylvania: A returnee. Philly Cricket also gets a PGA Tour event this year.  

— Allegheny Airstrike, brewed for Allegheny Country Club by Links Brewing Company, Pittsburgh: From one of our raters: “During World War II, Allegheny Country Club was used as an airport, and this beer followed. If you’re nice to the staff, you can also have an “airstrike” delivered to your group.”

— Bandon Pale Ale, brewed for Bandon Dunes by Hop Valley Brewing Company, Eugene, Oregon: Another returnee. Enjoy one of these in between rounds of your 36-hole days. 

— Cliff Hanger, brewed for Whistling Straits by Eagle Park Brewing Company, Milwaukee: The Whistling Straits beer returns. Good name, good beer.  

— False Front, brewed for Rolling Green Golf Club by Levante Brewing Company, West Chester, Pennsylvania: Wrote a reader: “Don’t forget False Front. Made for Rolling Green Golf Club, an homage to architect William Flynn’s dastardly green designs. A delicious IPA, also sold under the name Cloudy and Cumbersome.”

— Merion IPA, brewed for Merion by Workhorse Brewing Company, King of Prussia, Pennsylvania: One of our raters said it well last year: “I don’t know if it’s because it’s poured out of a red wicker basket handle, or because I’m on cloud nine after walking the hallowed grounds of Merion, or because I’m in a daze after their world-famous showers, but this beer, poured into a frosty cold mug, is a delight.”

— Pinehurst Deuceland Pilsner brewed for Pinehurst by Wicked Weed Brewing, Asheville, North Carolina: Said Guthy: “A pils we crafted, poured at The Deuce located at Pinehurst No. 2.”

— Pin Seeker Pilsner brewed for TPC Sawgrass by Mocama Beer Company, Fernandina Beach, Florida: Said one of our raters: “TPC Sawgrass partnered with Mocama to brew this crisp, Czech-style pilsner. Solid consolation after losing a sleeve of balls on No. 17.”

– The Ocean Course Pale Ale, brewed for Kiawah by Low Tide Brewing, Johns Island, South Carolina: Said one of our raters: “I have been lucky enough to play Kiawah’s Ocean Course a few times and always love finishing up a round on their scenic patio.”  

— Bonus! A muni beer! Fore Y’all Muni Lager, brewed for Charleston Municipal by Freehouse Brewery, Charleston, South Carolina: Said one of our raters: “A beer for the common man, often seen at one of the best munis in the U.S.”

— Bonus! A Masters beer! Crow’s Nest Wheat Ale: Who brews it remains unknown, though GOLF’s Josh Berhow tried to find out. 

— Bonus! A club cocktail! Frozen Tomahawk, mixed at Timuquana CC: Said one of our raters: “It tops the list of my favorite club drinks I’ve ever had. On a warm Florida day, this concoction of vodka, limonada, club soda, sugar and lime is as delicious as it is dangerous. Two of these on the back nine at Timuquana and the score won’t matter. Then again, for most of us, it probably shouldn’t anyway!”

Best golf beers (top 12, in alphabetical order) 

— All Day IPA by Founders Brewing Co., Grand Rapids, Michigan: Said one of our raters: “As the brewery says, it satisfies your tastes while keeping your senses sharp (until you don’t care anymore).”

— Bad Birdie Juicy Golden Ale by Four Peaks Brewing, Tempe, Arizona: A collab between Four Peaks and Bad Birdie, this beer is a golf-course treat. Right amount of ‘juicy’ taste. Lower ABV. Big, big fan.  

— Del’s Shandy by Narragansett Beer, Providence, Rhode Island: Said one of our raters: “A summer thirst quencher.”

— Freak of Nature by Wicked Weed Brewing, Asheville, North Carolina: Said one of our raters: “This is the best pre-round beer out there. It fires up your confidence and lets you swing away.”

– Greenskeeper Session IPA by Land-Grant Brewing Company, Columbus, Ohio: Back again. A nice nod to the folks who keep our courses running, too.

— Guinness Draught by Guinness, Dublin, Ireland: Said one of our raters: “I took my first pilgrimage to Ireland this year, and while it’s been mentioned in this article before, I can assure you that the recommendation is as perfect as you can imagine. My first round at Lahinch started with a jam biscuit and a proper pint of Guinness, and I couldn’t have been happier.”

– Heady Topper by The Alchemist, Stowe, Vermont: The author’s favorite beer. A bit stronger, but perfect for after the round. 

– Par Punch by Workhorse Brewing Company, King of Prussia, Pennsylvania: Incredibly smooth. Perfect. 

— Salty Golfer Pineapple Blond by Grand Strand Brewing Company, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina: Said one of our raters: “I had the pleasure of experiencing this beer with the Salty Golfer himself, a local legend around Pawleys Island. Just the right amount of pineapple to add a touch of sweetness.”

— Irish Red, Smithwick’s, Kilkenny, Irleland: Noted the rater who played golf in Ireland this year: “I quickly found that for some of us, Guinness doesn’t leave much room in the belly after a while. After a couple of days of golf amongst the dunes and links of Southwest Ireland, I found myself gravitating toward this wonderful, proper Irish beer.”

– Spotted Cow by New Glarus Brewing Company, New Glarus, Wisconsin: A returnee. For a lot of folks, undoubtedly the premier golf beer. 

— That’ll Play by Cushwa Brewing Company, Williamsport, Maryland: A favorite. A light lager with lime, it’s the perfect summer crusher. 

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