US Open Golf Cocktails: Six Beyond the Lemon Wedge, Plus 2026 RTDs
The U.S. Open’s official tournament cocktail is the Lemon Wedge highball: 12-year-old Scotch, club soda and fresh lemonade built over ice, finished with a lemon wedge. The USGA announced it in 2022, and it’s still the drink to beat for watch parties. We’ll walk you through the recipe, the 2026 hospitality update, and easy batch-friendly pours.
TL;DR:
- Build the Lemon Wedge over ice, add Scotch first, then lemonade and club soda, stir gently, and finish with a lemon wedge and tee pick.
- The 2026 ready to drink partner supplies premixed, noncarbonated iced tea and lemonade at hospitality spaces; chill cans for several hours and serve over ice.
- For pitcher batches, multiply the liquid measures but reserve carbonated mixers until serving; add water if pouring without ice, and keep extra ice nearby.
- The Transfusion combines vodka, ginger ale, grape juice, and lime; batch the liquids without ice, then pour each serving over ice.
Table of Contents
- 1. How do you make the Lemon Wedge highball?
- 2. What does the USGA’s 2026 RTD partner mean for your watch party?
- 3. Which six golf cocktails should you pour besides the Lemon Wedge?
- 4. How do you batch drinks for a crowd?
- 5. What garnishes and props make the setup feel like a tournament?
- 6. What’s our take on hosting for golf fans?
- 7. Ready to stock your bar for the tournament?
- FAQ
- Sources
1. How do you make the Lemon Wedge highball?
The recipe the USGA published pairs a 12-year-old Scotch with club soda and fresh lemonade, garnished with a lemon wedge and a golf-tee pick. The announcement dates to 2022, so think of it as the tournament’s original signature drink, not its newest partnership. Here’s a host-friendly build:
- Blended Scotch
- Club soda
- Fresh lemonade
- Plenty of ice, a lemon wedge and a golf-tee pick
Fill a tall glass with ice, add the Scotch, then the lemonade and club soda. Give it one gentle stir so the drink settles to its dilution, then garnish. Serve it in a commemorative cup if you have one, because it makes the whole thing feel like a clubhouse pour.
Why does the highball work so well for golf? The USGA noted the format preserves the spirit’s flavor while staying refreshing in warm weather. For you, that means quick builds, consistent dilution and no fancy tools. Anyone can pour one between shots on TV.
Pro Tip: Squeeze your lemonade fresh and chill the glasses in the freezer before serving. The first sip stays crisp from start to finish.
2. What does the USGA’s 2026 RTD partner mean for your watch party?
Don’t mix up the Lemon Wedge with the newest hospitality news. In 2026, the USGA named an official ready-to-drink iced-tea and lemonade partner for the U.S. Open and U.S. Women’s Open. It puts a premixed, noncarbonated cocktail in concession and hospitality spaces. Two drinks, two different years, two different jobs.
The brand lead behind that partner explained that RTD iced-tea and lemonade formats suit golf outings because they’re ready to pour and cut down mixing work. For a host, that’s a real upside. There’s no shaker bottleneck, portions are easy to control, and prep is close to zero while you’re glued to the leaderboard.
Some quick tips for serving RTDs at home:
- Chill every can or bottle for at least a few hours before the broadcast starts.
- Open and serve over ice with a fresh lemon wedge so it feels like a poured drink.
- Keep a nonalcoholic option on the table, like plain iced tea or lemonade, so everyone has a glass in hand.
3. Which six golf cocktails should you pour besides the Lemon Wedge?
Golf has a long drinks bench. Golf Digest’s ranking of the best golf drinks covers the Transfusion, Azalea, Frozen Transfusion and Arnold Palmer/John Daly variants, and Golf adds a lime vodka spritz. Here’s our short version, with measures you can scale.
- Transfusion: vodka, ginger ale, grape juice and a squeeze of lime, over ice. Easy to batch in a pitcher without the ice. Serve it in a tall glass with a lime wheel.
- Azalea-style vodka lemonade: vodka, lemonade and a splash of grenadine. Single-serve builds look best because the grenadine sinks in a pretty gradient. Serve it with a cherry on a pick.
- Arnold Palmer and spiked John Daly: iced tea and lemonade, with vodka for the spiked version. Batches beautifully in a dispenser. Keep a no-vodka pitcher beside it.
- Frozen Transfusion: blend vodka, grape juice, ginger ale and ice into a slushy. Blend in rounds for a crowd, and serve it in short cups with a straw.
- Vodka lime spritz: vodka, lime juice and club soda. Build each one to order, since the bubbles fade in a batch. Serve it over lots of ice.
- Classic highball variations: swap the Scotch for rum or vodka and keep the lemonade and club soda. Single-serve is easiest. Serve it with the same golf-tee pick for a matching look.
4. How do you batch drinks for a crowd?
Batching is just multiplication. Take any single-serve recipe and multiply the liquid ingredients to suit the number of guests, but hold back carbonated mixers and ice until the last minute.
- Dilution: add a little water per serving to a batch you plan to serve chilled without ice, then stir.
- Ice: allow plenty of ice for each drink, and keep extra in a cooler so refills never run dry.
- Logistics: pre-batch in a labeled dispenser, set out a single-serve garnish station, and chill everything before serving.
- Food pairings: salty pretzels or sliders work with the highballs, and fruit skewers suit the lemonade drinks.
For nonalcoholic guests, swap the spirit for extra iced tea or club soda and keep the garnishes the same.
Pro Tip: Mix the batch the night before, but add club soda and ginger ale to each glass as you pour so the fizz stays alive.
If you’re running a friendly club event next to the viewing, a live stroke play leaderboard from Chase Birdies keeps everyone following the scores while the drinks flow.
5. What garnishes and props make the setup feel like a tournament?
Small touches go a long way, and most cost almost nothing.
- Lemon wedges for highballs and lemonade drinks, cut a few hours ahead and covered in the fridge
- Lime wheels for Transfusions and spritzes
- Cherries or orange slices for the Azalea style
- Golf-tee picks, small flag signs and ball markers as table props
- Tongs or individual picks for shared garnishes, so hands stay off the fruit
- A branded bottle or merch item near the bar as a focal point for photos
6. What’s our take on hosting for golf fans?
We think the best golf drinks are simple, cold and easy to repeat, because nobody wants to miss the back nine at the shaker. Our rule is one signature highball, one batchable crowd-pleaser and one nonalcoholic option. For more ideas, browse our 19th hole vodka cocktails.
— Chip Mulligan
7. Ready to stock your bar for the tournament?
We make a vodka built for golfers, and every bottle comes with a branded ball marker. Here’s how to get set up:
- Grab a bottle of Broken Tee Vodka, our golf-crafted vodka for the Transfusion, spritz and spiked John Daly.
- Add some Broken Tee merch, like hats and glassware, to make your watch party feel like the clubhouse.
FAQ
What is the popular cocktail at the US Open?
The Lemon Wedge highball is the U.S. Open’s official tournament cocktail. It combines 12-year-old Scotch, club soda and fresh lemonade, and was announced by the USGA in 2022.
What is the famous golf cocktail?
The Transfusion is one of the best-known golf drinks. It mixes vodka, ginger ale, grape juice and lime, and it shows up on Golf Digest’s list of the best golf drinks alongside the Azalea and the Arnold Palmer.
What is the best alcoholic drink to drink on the golf course?
Light, refreshing drinks work best, like a vodka lime spritz, a Transfusion or a spiked iced tea and lemonade. They’re easy to carry, simple to make and don’t weigh you down in the heat.
What are some popular golf cocktails?
Popular picks include the Transfusion, Azalea, Frozen Transfusion, Arnold Palmer and John Daly, plus Bloody Mary variations. Golf.com’s course-friendly list also features a lime vodka spritz.
Sources
- USGA, Dewar’s Announce Official Cocktail of U.S. Open
- Sun Cruiser Official Ready-to-Drink Cocktail of U.S. Open, U.S. Women’s Open
- Our definitive* ranking of the 11 best drinks in golf | Golf Courses | Golf Digest
