Golf fans will usually part with a good chunk of cash to watch the world's best golfers without kicking up too much of a fuss, but they'll get angry when they feel like they are being taken advantage of where food and drinks are concerned - especially when it comes to the cost of a pint of beer.
The start of the 105th PGA Championship was delayed because of fog, but fans had been enjoying - or not as it seems - having a cold one during the practice days. And it was on one of these warm-up days that the outrageous cost of a pint came to light - $17 to be precise.
One fan was injured when hit by an errant tee shot struck by Joel Dahmen, who dished out a $100 bill for the wounded spectator and said: "I got your beers today." It turns out that that will just be enough to buy five beers. This is plenty of ale, of course, but one would expect a bit more change from a $100 bill than $15 - and it's not clear whether that figure includes tax.
Shoutout to @Joel_Dahmen for hitting my calf with a tee shot today on hole #1! He proceeds to ask me how much a beer costs at the tourney and I tell him $17 a pop. He then pulls out a crispy $100 bill and says "I got your beers today." 💯 ⛳️ 🍻 pic.twitter.com/oLIenCUj5qMay 18, 2023
By contrast, the cost of a beer (not a full pint) at The Masters was around about the $5 mark, although this is the one golf tournament where fans, or patrons as they are known at Augusta National, are not asked to pay through-the-roof prices on concessions. And fans were quick to take to Twitter to voice their opinions, with many calling it "disgusting."
17 Bucks for a beer, disgusting!May 18, 2023
PGA of America and their reasonable concession pricing. 😬May 18, 2023
Holy hell beers are 17 bucksMay 18, 2023
The price of beer was also in the spotlight last year in Oklahoma, when a Stella Artois was priced at $19. This prompted a number of players to call out the PGA of America, with Justin Thomas tweeting: "Gotta treat the fans better than that!"
Kerry Haigh, the Chief Championships Officer, ended up issuing a statement, which said: "We’re comfortable with where we are, and we hope spectators will come out and have a great time and a great experience."
It does appear, at least, that the prices have come down a fraction for this year's tournament. Once again, though, those planning to enjoy more than one or two alcoholic beverages are just going to have to fork out.
