My friend has an outspoken self-regard for his golf game, a character trait that only grew worse after Brandel Chamblee casually asked if he’d played in college. He’s also a profound cheapskate, taking the back route to the parking lot to avoid tipping a club-cleaner. Thus, if he were ever to get an ace at one of the media events we occasionally play – forcing him to choose between bragging about the shot or shut up to avoid paying for a 70-player round of drinks – my pal would spontaneously combust.
There’s nothing in the Rules of Golf requiring a player to buy drinks for the clubhouse after a hole-in-one or even spring for the foursome. And yet, the custom has evolved into an enduring tradition, albeit one that can get awfully expensive.
“Some of these tabs can run well over a thousand dollars,” says Bill O’Brien, Vice President of Operations at Troon Golf. “Imagine explaining to your wife that you had an ace and then spent a mortgage payment at the bar.”