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Golf has long had a reputation as a gentleman’s game — quiet, slow, and, for some, a little too proper. But lately, something’s changed out on the fairways. Golf is getting younger, looser, and a lot more social. Today, golf and drinking are America’s favorite duo.
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According to the National Golf Foundation, participation in the sport has grown steadily since the pandemic, with more than 26 million Americans hitting the links in 2024 — the highest number in two decades. What’s more surprising is who is showing up. Millennials and Gen Z now make up nearly half of all golfers, drawn by the sport’s mix of sunshine, leisure, and, increasingly, lifestyle appeal. For many, golf isn’t just about chasing par — it’s about the vibe.
And nothing fuels that vibe quite like the drinks cart.
The “19th hole” — the clubhouse bar — has been a staple since the game’s early days in Scotland, when rounds often ended with a whisky toast. But the modern drinks cart, trundling between holes with coolers of beer, seltzers, and cocktails, emerged in the mid-20th century. Country clubs realized that golfers didn’t want to wait until the end of the round to unwind — they wanted the bar to come to them. By the 1970s, the mobile bar-on-wheels had become a defining feature of American golf culture.
Today’s carts are often mini craft bars, stocked with canned cocktails, local brews, and even espresso martinis. Some courses — especially resort and public ones — now market their “signature cart drinks” as part of the experience. Social media has only amplified the trend, with golfers posting videos of their “cart girl” cameos, boozy birdies, and “swing juice” rituals.
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Critics might argue that mixing alcohol with a precision sport is a contradiction. But for many, that’s the point. The rise of casual nine-hole rounds, music-playing carts, and golf simulators at bars like Topgolf and Five Iron Golf has blurred the line between sport and social outing.
In short, golf has become less country club and more clubhouse party. Whether you’re there for the swing or the seltzer, it’s clear: golf’s new golden age comes with a buzz — on and off the course.
