After an amazing round of golf, is there anything better than (beer) tapping out at the 19th hole?
Yes, especially when you continue the party away from the course.
Later, when you want to take the celebration to another level, there are certain cities and towns on the planet that have extensive menus of places to party. Whether you want an ale, lager, stout, single malt or any other celebratory libation, you can find them at my Top 10 favorite places to party after golf.
Bartender, may I have drum roll please:
1.DUBLIN, IRELAND
Great golf courses like Portnarnock Golf Club, The K Club Palmer Course and Druids Glen will draw you to Dublin and its dizzying line-up of pubs will take your celebration game to unparalleled heights. Whether you want a place to drown your sorrows or dance the night away to traditional Irish music, you don’t have to look far. If you’re not particular about where to drink, just head to the Temple Bar District and you’ll find an ample menu of possibilities to display your “A” game. Here are some suggestions to get you started: The Long Hall, one of the oldest pubs in Dublin, Brazen Head, near the Guinness factory, the oldest pub in Ireland, dating back to 1198 and O’Donoghue’s if you like traditional Irish Music.
2. EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND
The most populous city in Scotland, Edinburgh accommodates its citizens with lots of places to play golf and drink. I love the courses in East Lothian like Muirfield, North Berwick, Gullane, Dunbar and Musselburgh. If you don’t have a GPS or don’t want to mess with chasing down addresses, just head to Edinburgh’s Royal Mile, where you’ll find lots of places to eat and drink. Some don’t miss pubs in Edinburgh are Deacon Brodie’s Tavern (pictured), The Last Drop, Peartree House and The Brauhaus.
3. ST. ANDREWS, SCOTLAND
With the Old Course, The Castle Course and other St. Andrews Links Trust courses, Kingsbarns, The Duke’s Course and several other great places to tee up, this wonderful village is golf nirvana. Following the obligatory photo-op on the Swilcan Bridge and perhaps a selfie with the ocean crashing in the background at Kingsbarns, it’s time to hit the pubs. These are a few of my favorite places to soak up and enjoy St. Andrews’ wonderful golf lifestyle: Dunvegan Golfer’s Corner Bar, (pictured) a magnet for Americans who’ve just played the Old Course; Jigger Inn , a gathering place for international tourists, locals and caddies adjacent to the Old Course Hotel and The Keys Bar.
4. LOS CABOS, MEXICO
There’s nothing quite like playing golf, engaging in some world-class deep sea fishing where the Pacific Ocean meets the Sea of Cortes and celebrating your fabulous luck with an ice cold Tecate, Pacifico and a shot of Tequila. Popular haunts include The Giggling Marlin, Cabo Wabo (pictured), Happy Ending Cantina, Nowhere Bar and Baja Brewing Company. Among the courses to play in the area are Quivera Los Cabos, Cabo Real Golf Club, Cabo del Sol and Palmilla Golf Resort.
5. SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA
When you combine abundant sunshine, more than 90 golf courses and a phenomenal beer culture, you’ve got one of the world’s best places to tee up and clink beer glasses after the last putt has fallen. For golf, Torrey Pines, Grand Del Mar Resort and Spa, La Costa Resort & Spa and Rancho Bernardo Inn are great resort choices. You can also venture to Carlsbad, about 30 miles north of San Diego, to take tours of the numerous golf manufacturers, like Titleist and Callaway, who have equipment plants there. When it’s time for some hops and barley, you should know San Diego has 35 breweries. While Portland, Denver and Chicago are craft beer capitals, San Diego can hold its own against any of them.Heading the list of must drink places, include Ballast Point Little Italy, Coronado Brewing Co. and O’Briens American Pub.
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6. MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN
After playing Whistling Straits and the Irish Course in Kohler (about an hour drive from Milwaukee) and area layouts like Ironwood and Brown Deer, rest assured, this brew-happy city has lots of celebration options such as great bars, german restaurants with exceptional beer and brewery tours where you can immerse yourself in everything beer. When it’s time to start partying, head to popular watering holes like Wolski’s Tavern, Mo’s Irish Pub and McKiernan’s Irish Pub & Grill
7. ORLANDO, FLORIDA
In southwest Orlando near courses like Bay Hill, Grand Cypress Resort, MetroWest, Walt Disney World and Waldorf Astoria Golf Club, there are some excellent places to imbibe after a day on the links. Some of my favorite 19th holes are The Pub Orlando at Pointe Orlando, Crooked Can Brewing Company in Winter Garden and Rocco’s Taco & Tequila Bar on Sand Lake Road.
8. MYRTLE BEACH, SOUTH CAROLINA
With more than 100 golf courses and a slew of sports and beach bars, you’re never very far from a place to tee up or a bar stool to sit and enjoy a frosty cool one. Popular spots to imbibe include Ocean Annie’s Beach Bar , Oceanfront Bar & Grill and American Tap House. Here’s the complete menu of Myrtle Beach golf courses.
9. SLIGO, IRELAND
Sligo, in Northern Ireland, is noted for its plethora of pubs with live music and, of course, the amazing County Sligo Golf Club at Rosses Point. Other great courses to play in the area are Enniscrone, Strandhill and Castle Dargan. My favorite pub is Hargadon Bros, which always has some great toe-tapping Irish Music. Other noteworthy pubs include Shoot The Crows and Thomas Connoly Pub.
10. GULF SHORES, ALABAMA
This Gulf of Mexico beach destination makes the list for two reasons: It has nine golf courses, including prime time layouts like Kiva Dunes, Craft Farms and Lost Key and it has the Flora-Bama Lounge, (pictured) the quintessential party roadhouse. Located on the Florida-Alabama border it’s a combination oyster bar, juke joint and seafood shack. If you really want to party, plan your golf trip in late April when the rollicking Mullet Toss Festival is staged at the Flora-Bama Lounge. During the day at this ultimate beach bar, you can shed the golf duds, slip into your bathing suit, order a frosty longneck and you’ll forget all about those shanks, three putts, errant drives into pool screens and exploding bunker shots that fly the green.