Presented by Corona Premier
Summer's here and that means the patio or deck at most golf clubs are in full party mode, serving food and drinks outside for all to enjoy.
Some 'hangs' are better than others, especially 19th holes with a killer view of the golf course where you can watch fellow hackers make a rare birdie or mimic the double that drove you to drink.
With pandemic restrictions mostly gone, golfers are loving the return of food and beverage service at clubhouses everywhere. There's nothing like a chance to sit down and relive the round with your buds over a few suds. Here's a few of the best places to imbibe:
Don't see your favorite? Let us know in the comments below.
Crossing Nines at Granite Links - Quincy, Mass.
Granite Links features two patios worth frequenting: the patio off of the Tavern restaurant and Crossing Nines, an outside patio bar that offers the best views of the course and the Boston skyline. The tent and patio bar at Crossing Nines is adjacent to the driving range with a menu loaded with signature drinks and good golf club food.
The Deuce at Pinehurst No. 2 - Pinehurst, N.C.
Courtesy of Pinehurst Resort
Pinehurst No. 2 is such a lovely walk but such a grueling test of golf that sitting down afterward to reflect and relax comes highly recommended. What better place than the veranda overlooking the 18th green that's an extension of The Deuce, a casual restaurant/bar where popular menu items include the Taterman Tots, southern buffalo chicken salad, Reuben and an array of craft cocktails and beers. Watching players finish their rounds will help you better appreciate Payne Stewart's putt to win the 1999 U.S. Open. Nobody else makes anything on that green. One other tidbit: any golfer who makes a 2 on No. 2 can show their scorecard at The Deuce to receive a collectable coin.
Brooks Bar & Deck at Edgewood Tahoe - Stateline, Nev.
Edgewood Tahoe roams the shores of Lake Tahoe. It's one of the most beautiful spots in public golf thanks to the snow-capped mountains (sometimes even in summer) as a backdrop to the shimmering water. The rustic clubhouse cozies up to the shore with the Brooks Bar and Deck, a legendary spot to enjoy a meal. Craft beers and a wide variety on the menu will satisfy.
Lakeview Bar at Arcadia Bluffs - Arcadia, Mich.
Patio seating at the Lakeview Bar at Arcadia Bluffs is first-come, first-serve, so it's tough to get a seat, especially around the stunning sunsets that dip below Lake Michigan. A bagpiper plays at dusk in summer as well. Dinner reservations are encouraged to find a seat inside, especially near the windows of the Sun Room. For those looking for a more casual experience, gather round the Adirondack chairs to watch golfers wrap up their rounds.
Sticks at the Inn at Spanish Bay - Pebble Beach, Calif.
The Tap Room at Pebble Beach might be more famous, but the patio at Sticks is more California cool. The seating around the outdoor fire pits fills up fast in the mild and cool climate of the Monterey Peninsula. The bagpiper that plays at dusk daily starts his walks near the ocean before finishing near the patio adjacent fourth green. Craft cocktails, comfort food and big screen TVs give Sticks a sports bar vibe inside.
The Heckle Deck at Sweetens Cove - South Pittsburg, Tenn.
Okay, so we're going rogue with this one, considering that Sweetens Cove doesn't have a liquor license or a clubhouse. It's BYOB (stop at Andy's Liquor on US-72 to stock up). Golfers can enjoy a cold one at the fire pits or better yet, the heckle deck. It's 19th-hole minimalism at its finest.
Ryder Cup Bar at Kiawah Island Golf Resort - Kiawah Island, S.C.
What better way to recuperate from getting your teeth kicked in on one of the hardest - and most beautiful - golf courses in America than by enjoying a drink and lunch while watching those in the groups behind struggle home? Playing The Ocean Course is a rite of passage, as is taking in the apres-golf atmosphere, either from a table on the patio or a deck chair nearer the 18th green.
Caledonia Golf & Fish Club - Pawleys Island, S.C.
This Lowcountry beauty - the course that launched Mike Strantz's career - is a wonderful journey through Spanish moss-draped oaks, past gator-infested ponds and around winding sandy waste areas. After a round, it's a must to linger on the porch, watching golfers play up the 18th hole and seeing if they can carry the water to the long, slender green. The Cajun chicken club sandwich from the clubhouse restaurant is tremendously satisfying. (Note: Caledonia can get crowded, and if you get shut out there, head across the street to True Blue, where the food and views are similarly excellent.)
Golf Club at Newcastle - Newcastle, Wash.
This 36-hole semiprivate club in the Seattle suburb run by OkiGolf offers not one but two patios with stirring views of the Pacific Northwest's natural beauty and Seattle skyline (on a clear day). The Calcutta Grill's patio is first-come, first-serve for dining or drinks. The Wooly Toad's private patio (for ages 21 and up) delivers views of the Olympic Mountains and Puget Sound.
Blackwolf Run - Kohler Wis.
From a perch above the connected 18th greens on its Meadow Valleys and River courses, visitors to Blackwolf Run can enjoy a double bratwurst and a pint of Wisconsin's own Spotted Cow beer while watching groups finish their rounds at both Pete Dye designs. The rustic cabin decor only enhances the feeling of being away at a summer camp for golfers. (Note: The new Baths at Blackwolf Run short course has its own outdoor hangout area with more of an upscale snack bar vibe. Also a good spot.)
