Lawmakers tee up bill that would allow BYOB on Arizona golf courses
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- An Arizona House bill would allow, but not require, golf courses to let patrons bring their own alcoholic beverages.
- The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Alexander Kolodin, argued that allowing BYOB would lower costs for golfers and remove the stigma of lawmakers preventing it.
- An opponent of the bill, which passed the House Commerce Committee by an 8-2 vote, cited concerns about golfers driving under the influence.
A state lawmaker believes golfers in Arizona are playing with a handicap and he’s got the solution: Let them bring their own booze onto the course.
A BYOB policy for the numerous golf greens in Arizona would help cost-conscious golfers save money. It would also erase the stigma of lawmakers being branded as the party poopers who prevent such liberties, Scottsdale Republican Rep. Alexander Kolodin explained as he presented House Bill 2411 to the House Commerce Committee.
The bill is not a mandate for a BYOB policy, course operators would have to allow it. The legislation would apply to golf courses of more than 1,000 yards that are licensed to sell liquor.
The bill was inspired by a visit to the Cowboy Golf Classic in Prescott, where Kolodin and three fellow lawmakers saw a sign that specifically banned carry-on cocktails and cited the state law that makes it so.
He saw a similar admonition at the Orange Tree Golf Course in Scottsdale and spotted a statewide issue that he said needed solving.
“It does annoy me, as a member of the Legislature,” Kolodin said. People are out on the course to relax and have a good time and it’s not a good look to have lawmakers blamed for dampening their spirits, he said.
He said the measure would help golfers save some money because, as one course operator noted, “everything is cheaper at the gas station.”
It prompted him to dub the bill “the Inflation Reduction Act of 2025.”
Lawmakers drank up the bill, but not without some stipulations.
Rep. Laurin Hendrix, R-Gilbert, said he’s not a drinker and did not want his vote for the bill to be seen as a change in his behavior.
Likewise, Rep. Walt Blackman, R-Snowflake, cast a “yes” vote as he noted: “I want to make it clear, I do not drink!”
The bill passed on an 8-2 vote. Tempe Democrat Janeen Connolly voted no, citing safety concerns.
“Golfers drink a lot,” she said. “And then they leave the golf course in their automobiles.”
Rep. Betty Villegas, D-Tucson, also voted no but did not explain her reason why.
Reach the reporter at maryjo.pitzl@arizonarepublic.com or at 602-228-7566 and follow her on social media @maryjpitzl.
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