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 extended 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 Quays Bar in the Temple Bar District, which has traditional Irish music and dancing:
The Porterhouse (pictured), a four-story, fun and and drink palace with balconies and giant copper vats situated at the edge of Temple Bar District and
Brazen Head, near the Guinness factory, the oldest pub in Ireland, dating back to 1198.
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),
Cafe Royal Circle Bar,
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 Hotel Lounge Bar, a magnet for Americans who've just played the Old Course;
Ma Bell's, a high-energy pub set in the basement of the St. Andrews Golf Hotel;
Jigger Inn (pictured), a gathering place for international tourists, locals and caddies adjacent to the Old Course Hotel;
Golf Place, a less than a minute walk from the Royal & Ancient Clubhouse and the
One Under Gastro Pub at Macdonald Rusacks Hotel, which overlooks the 18th hole of the Old Course.
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 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
Hamilton's Tavern,
Toronado and
O'Briens American Pub.
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 places like
Wolski's Tavern (pictured),
Foundation Bar and
Palm Tavern.
7. ORLANDO, FLORIDA--In southwest Orlando near courses like Bay Hill, Grand Cypress Resort, MetroWest, Walt Disney World and Waldorf Astoria Golf Club, there some excellent places to imbibe after a day on the links. Some of my favorite watering holes are the
World of Beer on Dr. Phillips Boulevard,
Raglan Road Irish Pub & Restaurant (pictured) at Downtown Disney and
Bar Louie on Sand Lake Road. If you love beer and enjoy a frosty one or two after golf, the World of Beer has more than 500 selections.
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. For those who want a beach view with their drink, try
Ocean Annie's Beach Bar (pictured),
Oceanfront Bar & Grill and
Mango's on the Beach. If you want to catch a game on a big screen, head to
Overtime Sports Cafe, Five O'Clock Somewhere and
Broadway Louie's. Here's the complete menu of
Myrtle Beach golf courses.
9. BANFF, CANADA--After you play the 27 holes of Stanley Thompson designed golf at the Fairmont Banff Springs Resort in Alberta, Canada, I highly suggest taking the five-minute walk into the village of Banff, a popular ski resort town. Let's face it, skiers have perfected the art of partying away sore muscles and Banff has more than a few places to celebrate your great fortune of being in a stunning mountain setting. Places to party, include
St. James Gate Olde Irish Pub, (pictured), Tommy's Neighbourhood Pub and the
Aurora nightclub. Some other don't miss courses to play in the area are Canmore Golf & Curling Club and Silvertip.
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.
