Fore! The Caucus Brief Golf Selection

With the exception of those who used their vacation days traveling to warmer climes, and the die-hards who braved the cold and wet over the winter, most golfers in the Washington, D.C. area have been waiting for these:  the warm, sunny and humidity-free days of spring to dust off their clubs and hit one of the many great golf courses in the area.

Golf is beloved for many reasons… it’s a chance to get out of the house or the office, enjoy a little friendly competition with friends, clients and colleagues, and all with the blissful quiet of silenced mobile phones.  It’s also the one sport where smoking cigars is not only permitted, but often encouraged. It enhances the camaraderie shared amongst players, provides additional opportunities for bragging rights, and in some cases, the meditative qualities of smoking a great cigar will improve your game.  At least we like to think so…

There are of course a few points of etiquette when it comes to cigar smoking and golf.  Which cigars will take a few points off your score? (No promises, but read on…) Enter, the Caucus Brief Golf Selection.

First and foremost, plan ahead and stop into the store or order online before getting to the Pro Shop.  While many courses sell cigars today, you can expect to pay two to three times the usual retail price, and there’s no guarantee those cigars have been well cared for.

When selecting cigars, think about with whom you’ll be playing.  How often do they smoke cigars?  Are they a beginner or occasional cigar smoker who may not be ready for a big commitment, or are you playing with seasoned cigar smokers who will appreciate a special selection? Is there someone there you’re trying to impress? In any case, it’s considerate to bring enough to share. We’ve compiled a short list to meet the demands of novices and aficionados alike down below.

Before leaving home, make sure you have a cutter.  A golf tee piercing the end of the cigar in a few places will do in a pinch, but having your preferred cut will start you off on the right foot.  There’s already enough that can go wrong during the game.  You’ll also need a great wind-resistant lighter in your bag.  And some extra balls. Some of us find those really come in handy.

Now for a few points of etiquette:

• If some in your foursome do not smoke, it’s polite to make sure they don’t mind if you do.  Switching partners in the cart can make the next 18 holes more enjoyable for everyone.
• When you’re checking the wind before teeing off, also keep that same direction in mind while smoking, so as not to needlessly bother someone who doesn’t share your appreciation of a cigar’s aroma.
• While you can rest your cigar on the fairway, or somewhere in the cart that won’t create a burn mark, don’t rest your cigar on the putting green, or ash on it for that matter.  It should be left pristine for the next players to come through.
• By the same token, properly disposing your finished cigar is important. If an ashtray isn’t available, completely extinguish your cigar with water or the remaining dregs of your beer and toss it in the trash.  A clean course is appreciated by everyone.  Just make sure it’s completely out.  We don’t want to start any fires no matter how much you might want to burn the course down if it didn’t go so well.

Hopefully, it did go well.  If the score isn’t what you’d hoped, remember:  you just spent a few hours with great company, even if the best company in the group was that cigar you thoughtfully chose!

The Caucus Brief Golf Selection:  Long enough to get you through at least the front nine, if not the whole course, these cigars will never let you down.

“The 7am Tee Time” – Ashton Classic Churchill: A perfect choice with your morning coffee or the first Bloody Mary, this Dominican blend with its Connecticut Shade wrapper (actually grown in Connecticut) is a wonderful mild cigar to start the round off right.

“The Snowman” – Arturo Fuente Double Chateau Natural: For the beginner or occasional cigar smoker, this cigar is a nice mild blend, and the cedar packaging makes it look like a winner. It’s easy on the budget too, so you won’t be too offended if it gets left behind after just a few puffs by someone without your same love of the leaf.

“Big Dog’s Gotta Eat” – Timeless Panamericana Julieta: Nothing feels as good as hitting your driver just right… unless you’re doing it while smoking a cigar that has the same oomph.  This Nicaraguan and Costa Rican blend is medium to full bodied, and is packed with flavor.

“The Chicken Stick” – Caucus Churchill: Everyone has their go-to club.  The one that never lets you down. Meet the Caucus Churchill.  At just $7.95 per cigar, Georgetown Tobacco owner and President David Berkebile blended a real winner made exclusively for us by Rocky Patel. This Honduran and Nicaraguan blend with a Sumatra Oscuro wrapper may be the best cigar your friends have never heard of. Introduce them, and they’ll be sure to thank you!

“The Ace” – Davidoff Aniversario #3 Tubo: While most of us will never experience a hole-in-one, the feeling we get while smoking this Davidoff certainly comes close.  The Aniversario line was launched on Zino Davidoff’s 80th birthday in 1986.  This is a great choice when thanking someone for including you in their game, or impressing clients when you sit down at the clubhouse after your round.  Or, to just smoke and savor, because you deserve it.