“Golf is a good walk spoiled” – Mark Twain
“Sometimes too much drink is barely enough” – Mark Twain

Twain hit the tee on the head. If we juxtapose the quotes above, we are left with one of the most endearing and entertaining transformations of golf since Happy Gilmore. Bar Golf, or Pub Golf as referred to by the British, is one of the most honored and enjoyable forms of drinking. What it lacks in competitiveness and skill it makes up for in camaraderie and debauchery, all masqueraded around under the guise of polos and pastels. For those of you already acquainted with the general rules of bar golf, skip to The Course. For those who are not familiar with bar golf, what follows are a simple set of guidelines.

Attire: While bar golf is by no means the PGA Tour, there is still a standard of acceptable attire when competing. In short, wear in the bar what you would on the green. Polos, button-downs, sweaters, khaki pants and shorts are all proper selections.

Given the at times competitive nature of the sport, sweat bands around the head and wrists are not only fashionable but justified as well. The general rule of thumb is pastel or madras.

The Rules of Bar Golf:

The number of bars for the night is analogous to the number of holes on a golf course.

Each bar is referred to as a “hole”, and each hole has a “par”. The par for each bar is the number of drink(s) set for each bar. For example, if the par for Mellow Mushroom is 2 shots of tequila, then players (or teams) must shoot two shots of tequila. Please note that the hole is only completed if the player/teams finishes their drink(s).

Otherwise, a penalty point is added to their score. Should one elect to do an additional shot or drink, they would then be under par and would subtract an amount of points off the par equivalent to the number of shots or drinks over par.

If a player/team does not make par, then they must add the number of points equivalent to the number of shots or drinks missed. Be sure to appoint someone in charge of keeping score, preferably the designated driver. This helps to avoid arguments as the night progresses. Above all else, be sure to have a designated driver for the evening.

Course One: The Camel City Open

Hole 1: Foothills Brewery - 638 W. 4th St. Par: One shot Stoli;, one pint house brew

Hole 2: Speakeasy Jazz - 410 W. 4th St. (1056 ft) Par: Martini of player’s choice

Hole 3: Mellow Mushroom - 314 W. 4th St. (253 ft) Par: one shot tequila

Hole 4: 6th & Vine - 209 W. 6th St. (1584 ft) Par: one glass wine

Hole 5: Finnegan’s Wake - 620 Trade St. (190 ft) Par: one pint Guinness, 1 car bomb

Hole 6: Elliot’s Revue - 701 Trade St. (443 ft) Par: (detox) one bottle beer

Hole 1: Shorty’s –Benson Par: one drink per team member

Hole 2: Freddie B’s – 513 Deacon Blvd. (6547 ft) Par: one drink per team member

Hole 3: Pure Chrome – 505 Deacon Blvd. (52.8 ft) Par: one drink per team member
*****Bonus – ride a motorcycle and lose a point!*****

Hole 4: Foothills Brewery –638 W. 4th St. (14,625 ft) Par: two samplers per four or five team members; three samplers for a team of six

Hole 5: Opera House – 853 Reynolda Rd. (5016 ft) Par: one drink per team member

Hole 6: Tap Room – 473 West End Blvd. (633 ft) Par: one drink per team member

Hole 7: Black Bear –1131 Burke St. (3960 ft) Par: one drink per team member

Hole 8: Fusion – 1001 Burke St. (633 ft) Par: one drink per team member

Hole 9: Burke Street – 1110 Burke St. (53 ft) Par: one drink per team member