Playing golf high: Is cannabis good for golf in Vancouver?

Mark Twain once said that golf is just a way to ruin a nice walk. With all due respect to the legendary author and cultural powerhouse, Mr. Twain just must not have been puffing on the right fire before he hit the links. Weed and sports have always gone together like philly and blunt but it’s only recently talked about at the highest levels. Of all sports, it’s golf that’s emerging as a stoner passtime. 

Vibe Check 

Before you bring your dab rig to the golf course there’s probably a few minor words of caution we should point out. 

Know Your Limits 

Heavy hitters who know the score on weed and golf, play through. For everyone else, just because weed and golf go together doesn’t mean you get completely faded before you hit the links. To avoid making bad golf shots and having a day in the rough, a little weed might go further than a lot of weed. If you’re not used to playing golf high then we recommend a “start low and go slow” approach. When it comes to avoiding adverse effects, you can always smoke more but you can’t smoke less. A balanced product that includes CBD might be a wise choice for the novice stoner golfer.

Water Is Your Friend 

Especially if you’re responsibly enjoying a few cocktails while you play through, cannabis + outside + alcohol = dehydration. We’ll get to the hypocrisy of being able to consume a beer and not a bowl in a moment. But yes H2O is your friend on the course. We’ll let you google how to know if you’re drinking enough water but those who know, know. 

And Now A Word on Etiquette 

Depending on where you hit, some shenanigans may be tolerated. At a driving range or a 9-hole beginner golf course there’s a certain amount of “Happy Gillmore” behaviour that might fly under the radar. However if you’re fortunate to get onto a higher level course there’s an expectation that you’ll follow the dress and behaviour codes. Again nothing a few clicks won’t clue you into but we felt like you should know. 

Is your foursome down with the green? 

Obviously if you’re hitting the course with your crew and everyone’s a cannabis connoisseur then fire up and ignore this paragraph. However if you’re in “mixed company” of smokers and non you may want to check in advance if everyone is cool with the burning of trees during play. You’re going to be spending anywhere from three to six hours with your foursome so it’s good to know what’s what. A survey of BC Golfers shows that the older players may not be as comfortable as the younger ones with burning one on the fairway. 

Are Vancouver Golf courses Cannabis friendly?

Golf Courses In Vancouver

Before we drop you a list of the best courses in the Vancouver golf scene we do need to talk about public consumption for a minute. In Metro Vancouver you will find few places where smoking cannabis is permitted. The best public golf courses are under the same rules as parks and therefore weed isn’t allowed unless it’s otherwise posted. The private courses may have their own official and unofficial rules around consumption. If you’re not comfortable consuming on the down low then we recommend an edible before you hit the greens. A more discrete approach than puffing on a big blunt is a portable vape but even these are technically not allowed so users beware. 

Before we drop some product recommendations to elevate your next round of golf, here are some of the most popular public and private courses that are a short travel from our shop. So be sure to swing by to scoop your green before you hit the greens. 

Langara Golf Course

A traditional-style golf course located on the south slope of Vancouver, Langara is almost 100-years old. With its rolling greens and tight fairways, this is a course that demands accuracy. A highly walkable course, Langara is only a few minutes away from our shop so stop in to gear up before tee off. We should also mention the Langar College golf program including scholarships for golfers. 

Fraserview Golf Course

If you’re looking for tree-lined fairways on one of the best public golf courses in Canada, then Fraserview is not to be missed on the Vancouver golf course review. River views with varied terrain and topographic details, Fraserview Golf Course is perfect for all skill levels and was voted one the Most Underrated Golf Courses in Canada. They also have a sweet driving range for practice and warm-up. 

Queen Elizabeth Pitch & Putt

This par three course is perfect for beginners and those just out to hit a few balls and have a few laughs. Also just around the corner from THC, this is definitely a place to try out mixing smoking and putting greens. At $15 a round, playing here can be including as part of a day of outdoor stoner fun (LINK – Call back to outdoor activities article). 

Stanley Park Pitch & Putt

If you want to combine a day of hazard free golf with a trip to Stanley Park, then read on. With a deadly view of the city and a forgiving short 18-holes this course is definitely worth a try for the stoner crowd. Without water or sand traps to trip you up, the beginners and the less serious golfer will love it. 

McCleery Golf Course

On the other hand, if you’re a scratch golfer (or know what that means) you may be better heading to McCleery Golf Course. This Ted Baker designed course is peppered with water hazards and narrow fairways. Just because it’s a hard course doesn’t mean it’s any less beautiful than the courses we just mentioned. Mature trees nestled next to the Fraser River, you really can’t beat it. Check out their discounts for sunset, twilight and early bird tee-offs. 

Rupert Park Pitch & Putt

If you find yourself on Vancouver’s east side and want to work on your short game, this place is your jam. This gentle, beginner friendly course, has four holes and doesn’t require advance booking. It’s perfect for an impromptu session on the links. The mountain views and the creative use of water and trees makes this another of the incredible golf courses in Vancouver. 

Murdo Frazer Pitch and Putt Golf Course

Another of the gentle rolling pitches that we’ve been highlighting, Murdo Frazer offers a nine-hole pitch and putt for beginners and those looking to sharpen their short game. It comes well reviewed as “so much fun” and we recommend you check it out the next time you’re in North Van. 

Marine Drive Golf Club

In contrast to the best public golf courses in Vancouver, Marine Drive is a private course with lots of rich history and club champions. This is for the more experienced golfer but it’s not just for the pros as it’s “playable for the recreational golfer”. Whether they are open to recreational marijuana is a question that doesn’t appear in their FAQs. So this is definitely one of the places you’ll want to review their etiquette guide before teeing off. 

Point Grey Golf & Country Club

According to SCOREGolf, Point Grey is one the Top 100 courses in Canada. From the churning Fraser River to the historic Scottish inspired course design, playing here will be best enjoyed by an experienced golfer with either a membership to this exclusive club or a great friend who does! 

University Golf Club

Designed as a club for “non-members only”, this is a public golf course and driving range that plays and feels like a private one. Located in the heart of the University Endowment Lands and Pacific Spirit Park, this historical golf course is only a short drive away from our shop “hint hint”. A mature landscape that is both “challenging and forgiving”. A gentle slope also makes this top rated public course available for those wanting to walk the course instead of renting a cart. Take that, Mark Twain! 

Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club

Look if you’re playing at the private golfer’s oasis known as Shaughnessy you’re likely not a noob when it comes to weed and golf. This championship course has been host to four Canadian Opens and its par 73 and 7045 yard distance is built for serious golfers. As they say “the majestic backdrop isn’t the only thing that will take your breath away.” Be a pretty cool spot to snag a lowkey golf + weed pic, not that we would ever encourage such behaviour. 

What are the best strains for spending the day on the links?

Pre Rolls 

Whether you roll your own or snag some pre-rolls from our shop, having ready rolled joints will save a lot of hassle on the links. Here’s a few we love to spark up before we say FORE. 

Blue Dream 10 0.3g pre-rolls by Pure Sunfarms 

A popular West Coast cultivar, Blue Dream is a fruit-forward, sativa-dominant cross of Blueberry and Haze. Aromatic and flavourful, Blue Dream presents notes of blueberry, lemon, forest pine, dairy, and pepper, from dominant terpenes including myrcene, alpha-pinene, and caryophyllene. Its frosty, fluffy buds are formed from sage green leaves, with sprigs of bright orange pistils. These sativa dominant “dog walkers” are perfect for a slow, steady day of blazing and golfing. 

Amherst Sour Diesel 10 0.5g pre-rolls by Common Ground 

Amherst Sour Diesel is a Chemdog and Amherst Super Skunk, Sativa-forward cross that features elongated, bright green, compact buds. In addition to a gassy aroma, it also delivers a complex flavour profile with a powerful punch of ripe fruit, incense, and exotic wood. At 0.5g this sativa dominant smoke might pack a bigger punch than the Blue Dream so you may want to smoke it in stages. 

Mango Haze 2 0.35g by Color Cannabis 

For the beginners or those who prefer a gentler lift before tee-time these smaller pre-rolls are also lower in THC and higher in CBD than the other recommendations we have shared in this category. Want to bring some calm energy to the course, this product will help you do it. 

Vaporizers

If you’re into consuming in a lowkey way a portable vape might just want you need. Discrete both in size and smell, a vape is also a great way to enjoy weed on the golf course. A word to the wise though, some of these products come in at 80-90% THC so a little can go a long way.  

Orange Tings Live Resin Cartridge 

Live resin cartridges give you the premium experience of live concentrates in a portable and easy-to-use format. Orange Tings Live Resin gives you plenty of citrus and sweet flavour, this is a bright sativa leaning bouquet. Definitely brings the power and the discretion you need to stay lit as you’re hitting the fairways. 

Honeydew Boba by General Admission 

General Admission creates quality THC distillate infused with botanical terpenes that complement the natural aromas of our strain selection. Bright, crisp and juicy; take a dive into our Honeydew Boba. Creamy and sweet notes of fruit and tapioca with a hint of spice, Honeydew offers a high THC potency with a slice of melon. One of our staff picks you can’t go wrong with this heavy hitting sativa.

BC God Bud Full Spectrum by Versus

If you’re looking for an indica dominant vape for recovery or relaxing after your round or we recommend having a BC God Bud vape in your golf bag. Of course some people prefer indica even during the round so if that’s you, this could be a great product to check out.   

Edibles

The most discreet way to consume weed while golfing is definitely an edible or two. Odorless and smoke/vaporless, an edible or soft cap will always take you where you need to go when you’re not able to light up. Here’s a few suggestions we have for your next golf outing. 

Real Fruit Strawberry by WYLD 

Wyld’s Strawberry 20:1 CBD:THC Enhanced Gummies are made with real fruit and enhanced with cannabis-derived CBD oil. Relaxing your body while keeping your mind sharp and alert. This CBD heavy hitting soft chew is a great CBD product both for your game as well as recovery. 

Sour Gummy Variety Pack by Chüz

Handcrafted in BC, Chüz Variety Pack has five unique flavours of sour fruit gummies with each one containing 2mg of THC. Each pouch includes five 4.5g gummies and flavours include; sour strawberry, sour wildberry, sour grape, sour lime and sour pineapple. With this tasty low dose of cannabis you can enjoy round long and share with your foursome. 

Jolts Electric Lemon Lozenges 10 pack by Edison 

Canada’s first 10mg THC lozenge is now available in an electrifying lemon flavour. Each pack of Edison JOLTS includes 10 sativa lozenges, for a total of 100mg THC. These are great for the experienced cannabis consumer but they are potent so if you don’t want to slice your tee shot into next week, go slow with these sativa dominant bad boys. 

Conclusion 

Wow that was a lot of information we just dropped. Please feel free to come back and check on this post as we make regular updates to help Vancouver stoners find the golf course and product that works best for them. Despite what Mr Twain said we feel that some fire weed, golf clubs, a beautiful day and your buddies is actually a great way to spend the day. In the meantime we look forward to seeing you in the shop and hearing about your latest round.