The Presidents Cup has not even reached the weekend, but fans are already split over Medinah’s $10.50 beer, with some calling the price reasonable and others saying it is too much.
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NUCLR GOLF posted the tournament’s alcohol prices on X on September 22. The post, credited to reporter David Rumsey, listed a Transfusion and other mixed drinks at $14, Michelob Ultra at $10.50, and Smartwater at $6. Rumsey had shared more prices shortly before that. Michelob Ultra was listed at $10.50, while Stella Artois and other premium beers cost $11.50. Signature cocktails were $14, and a souvenir Stanley cup was priced at $35.
Golfweek’s concession report from the same day confirmed the main prices and showed more of the menu. Michelob Ultra costs $10.50, while Michelob Ultra Zero is $9.50. Goose Island 312, Stella Artois, Kona Big Wave, and Nutrl Vodka Seltzer are all $11.50. There are also plenty of non-alcoholic drinks, including Coke, Coke Zero, Diet Coke, Sprite, lemonade, Gold Peak Tea, Powerade, water, and Smartwater. Food prices are also listed. A cheeseburger costs $11.50, an all-beef hot dog is $7.50, a BBQ chicken sandwich is $11.50, and a triple-decker club sandwich costs $12.50. Wraps are around $11.75.
Fans on X had very different reactions to the prices. Some thought they were actually pretty reasonable.
“If the beer is 16 oz, then it seems reasonable,” one fan wrote. Another said, “Honestly, not horrible.” Others called the prices “not bad” and “cheap.” One fan even said the prices were cheaper than Allegiant Stadium.
But not everyone agreed. One fan called them “overpriced,” while another simply responded, “Unreal.” The $9.50 price for Michelob Ultra Zero also drew criticism, with one fan saying non-alcoholic beers should cost around $5.
The price debate matters because the Presidents Cup is one of the PGA TOUR’s premier global events, bringing 24 players together for four days of U.S. vs. International team competition. Medinah has plans to accommodate around 35,000 spectators each day, which could make this one of the most-attended Presidents Cups ever. For fans attending on a grounds ticket, parking is an additional cost, with general parking starting at $17 plus taxes and fees. With spectators spending much of the day at the course, food and drink prices become part of the overall cost of attending. That makes a $10.50 beer worth talking about.
So, are Medinah’s prices expensive? It really depends on what fans are comparing them to. Compared with last year’s Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black, the prices at Medinah look much lower. Compared with a regular stadium or a local bar, though, they still feel like typical sports-event prices.
At the 2025 Ryder Cup, a 16-ounce Michelob Ultra or Bud Light cost $15. Premium 16-ounce beers were $16, while some 19.2-ounce beers cost $19. A 25-ounce Michelob Ultra was $18. Wine started at $14, while a flute of Moët & Chandon Brut cost $22. Cocktails were also more expensive. Classic drinks such as a Bloody Mary or margarita cost $17.50, while specialty drinks such as the “All-American Transfusion” were $19.50.
That puts Medinah’s $10.50 Michelob Ultra about $4.50 cheaper than Bethpage’s $15 beer. Its $11.50 premium beers are also well below Bethpage’s $16 to $19 range. There is one important difference, though. Ryder Cup tickets at Bethpage included unlimited food and non-alcoholic drinks at concession stands around the course. Alcohol was the only part fans had to pay for separately. Some competition-day tickets cost as much as $749.51. Presidents Cup tickets at Medinah do not include the same all-inclusive food and drink package. That means fans have to pay separately for food and drinks, even if the alcohol itself is cheaper than it was at Bethpage.
A direct comparison with the 2024 Presidents Cup at Royal Montreal is harder. Itemized beer and cocktail prices from that event were not widely reported. What is known is that 2024 tournament tickets ranged from $8 for some early practice rounds to $150 for Saturday club-level access, before concessions.
So, there is not enough public information to make a direct dollar-for-dollar comparison between the 2024 and 2026 Presidents Cup concession prices. For now, Medinah’s drink prices seem to have given fans something else to argue about before the golf even gets going.