Bringing Drinks/Coolers on to the Course

[Dave2512]

This is on the CO liquor license application.

OATH OF APPLICANT

I declare under penalty of perjury in the second degree that this application and all attachments are true, correct, and complete

to the best of my knowledge. I also acknowledge that it is my responsibility and the responsibility of my agents and employees

to comply with the provisions of the Colorado Liquor or Beer Code which affect my license

[Ernest Jones]

I'm not sure how it works legally, but I have been to restaurants in NY and NJ that allow you to bring your own wine or beer and charge you a corkage fee.  The majority of them that I've been to do not have a liquor license but some do.

Yep, I've seen that in licensed restaurants. I think it's a fairly new designation, I know in the past it's always been you're either licensed or you're BYOB but it seems like there is a hybrid now.

[Dave2512]

I've seen it where distilleries and breweries are next to restaurants. I skimmed the CO liquor code, it's like a novel, and there are several ways to be licensed. Everything from temp. licenses for street fairs to wholesaler licenses. My grandma owned a tavern and licensing was a complicated process. Someone from the state would come out and perform a compliance audit every year.

[Patch]

I take a couple of bottles of water in with me to start with. $1.75 for a 12 ounce water is a bit of a stretch I think for a course to charge when the buy it for $1.99 for a case of 24. Liquor, and soda I purchase at the course. They can  charge as much as they want for liquor as far as I am concerned. Sell it too cheap, and you have a lot of drunk drivers cruising home, or to the next bar. Most of the courses around here have coolers of water on the course, but I am not sure where it comes from. Maybe a water hose inside the cart barn. .  Food I purchase at the course, but I also bring in a snack too. After I pay my greens fee, I Usually spend at least another $20 on the course if there is a beverage cart running around. If no cart, then a soda, or beer at the 19th.

Four of us were golfing at a high end course the other day, where a caddy was mandatory. The caddy, drinks and food were included in the greens fee. There was this young lady carting around with those free beverages. After it was all said and done, she probably made a couple of hundred bucks off of us in tips. We even bought her a few beverages. Of course we took care of our caddies too. Yes, we did bring in water with us. Not sure where that pint of Bacardi came from. Quickest 5-1/2 hour round I ever played.

[DrvFrShow]

I bring my own Gatorade and stuff like that and have it stuffed in my golf bag and will continue to do so.

[Fourputt]

so this was something that popped in my head due to the "taking a range ball" thread and the ethics of doing so.

many, if not most, of the courses i have been to have signs saying either "no outside drinks" or "no coolers" and i would take that to mean alcoholic beverages that have not been purchased at the course. nobody is going to mind if you bring a refillable water bottle, that would be dickish.

so, any thoughts to those who ignore those requests and hide their six pack of PBR in their golf bag or who have a small cooler covered by their windbreaker and head covers?

do/would you do it?

In Colorado it's not just ethics, it's illegal to bring alcohol onto the course if they have an extended liquor license to cover the course (It takes a special license to allow consumption outside of the building premises. In Colorado, bars cannot sell alcohol to go - package liquor is only sold in liquor stores.).  They are within their rights to boot you off the course.  It's no different from going to a bar and trying to bring your own liquor or going to a restaurant and bringing your own food.

Legal or not, I wouldn't do it - I'm not that tight.  I can afford a beer if I want one, although I rarely drink when playing.  Many courses here will sell a six pack with ice to keep it cold.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave2512

No.

I would ask what laws don't have their basis in some type of moral conduct/obligation or ethics? But that is probably for a different thread.

Liquor laws are usually pushed by the liquor industry.  Obviously they want to protect an establishment which obtains all or part of its revenue from liquor sales.  The law also goes to keeping some sort of control on where public consumption of alcohol can legally occur.

[Fourputt]

I've seen it where distilleries and breweries are next to restaurants. I skimmed the CO liquor code, it's like a novel, and there are several ways to be licensed. Everything from temp. licenses for street fairs to wholesaler licenses. My grandma owned a tavern and licensing was a complicated process. Someone from the state would come out and perform a compliance audit every year.

My old home course changed franchises for the restaurant operation several years ago and they were new to golf.  They had obtained their liquor license, but only for the restaurant, and they didn't realize that it didn't extend past the outdoor balcony on the clubhouse.  They had to reapply and get approval for the license to extend to the golf course, and as a result, there was no liquor at all allowed on the course for at least a month after the season began.

I bring my own Gatorade and stuff like that and have it stuffed in my golf bag and will continue to do so.

So..... you're just cheap then.

[Kenny Lee]

I drink like a damn fish when I play golf. Usually between 8-15 beers per round.

I will buy them at the course, unless they are gouging me. I'm comfortable paying up to $3 per beer. If they charge more than that, I'm bringing a 12-pack with me.

[jbishop15]

I voted no, but I don't feel that strongly about it. It takes away tips from the cart person so I'm not really into it in that regards.

[Patch]

I drink like a damn fish when I play golf. Usually between 8-15 beers per round.

I will buy them at the course, unless they are gouging me. I'm comfortable paying up to $3 per beer. If they charge more than that, I'm bringing a 12-pack with me.

If I ever get back to Ohio, I will look you up.

[bernie]

I bring beer on the course but only a few and I usually buy some on the course as well.

[RFKFREAK]

I don't think I've ever drank while playing, and, if I have, it was a long time ago and only happened once or twice.

@colin007 knows that, for me, I usually a bottle of water, a couple Diet Cokes, and Questbars in the bag with me and I see nothing wrong with it.

I organized a scramble last year and one of the things I asked the course when setting it up was whether people could bring beers on to the course while playing and they said no problem.  I don't know if that's their standard policy or if they were extending a courtesy because of the number of people playing or because the guys know me, but I was a bit surprised by that.  They don't have a cart girl but they do sell food and drinks at the 19th hole.

[Pretzel]

So..... you're just cheap then.

I would call that merely being frivolous or budget-conscientious. I do the same thing myself if I feel like having a gatorade or anything, because I'm a soon-to-be-broke college student.

[colin007]

So I guess, with the posts saying it's illegal to bring alcohol on to the course, does it fall under one of those things that people do knowing it's illegal and just not caring? Like speeding? Because I will bring a flask with me, or a couple of beers. I don't care that it's illegal. That's just me. But the food thing. The course says, "NO" do you still bring it? I didn't think that would be illegal under any circumstance...So....?

[Yukari]

I usually drink protein shakes during my rounds.

Until they start selling protein shakes, I will be bringing mine.

I even asked the course to have it stocked.  But no go as there is not high enough demand.

[Dave2512]

So I guess, with the posts saying it's illegal to bring alcohol on to the course, does it fall under one of those things that people do knowing it's illegal and just not caring? Like speeding? Because I will bring a flask with me, or a couple of beers. I don't care that it's illegal. That's just me. But the food thing. The course says, "NO" do you still bring it? I didn't think that would be illegal under any circumstance...So....?

Then it becomes a matter of whether or not you care if your fees are enough for the course to remain financially stable. If the head pro told you their profits were entirely from food, bev and range balls and that greens fees are just enough to cover operating expenses would it impact your decision. It doesn't have to be a legal issue.

[Strandly]

I'm pretty sure they don't allow you to bring in your own water at movie theaters or sporting stadiums.

Yeah but how likely are you to heat stroke out while watching a movie or ball game.

The liquor banning seems reasonable but I can't think of a good reason for a business to ban plain old water.

[meenman]

I always support the cart girls at the course. Even the old bastards tip the girl $1 for giving them ice for their water.

If you cant afford it, i guess you shouldnt be drinking there. My $30/month f+b minimum is usually covered in the first round i play. Besides buying from these girls is the best way for me to recruit them as employees.