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USA Today via Reuters

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USA Today via Reuters

The 2026 PGA Championship at Aronimink is offering fans plenty: free food and free water. But what it is charging for a 16-oz beer is what has the golf world talking.

The menu lists a 16oz Michelob Ultra at $15.00, a 25oz Michelob Ultra at $17.50, a 12oz Michelob Ultra Zero at $12.00, a 16oz Bud Light at $15.00, a 16oz Premium Beer at $16.00, a 16oz Bud Light Seltzer at $16.00, and a 12oz High Noon Vodka Seltzer or Vodka Tea at $16.50. The post drew 238 comments and 430 likes, with “brutal” surfacing repeatedly across responses.

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To put that in context, $16.50 for a 12-oz High Noon works out to roughly $1.38 per ounce. A standard High Noon 24-pack generally retails for approximately $50 to $63. Fans at Aronimink are paying much more than the retail rate per ounce for a single can.

This is not a new conversation for the PGA Championship. At Southern Hills in 2022, a viral concession menu showed an $18 Michelob Ultra and $19 Stella Artois, drawing frustration from players as well as fans. Justin Thomas, then ranked World No. 9, even commented on it.

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“I was just blown away because I’ve never seen a beer for $18 or $19 in my life.”

The 2025 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow offered no relief. A concession menu shared by Josh Carpenter of the Sports Business Journal showed 16oz Bud Light or Michelob Ultra at $14.50, a 19.2oz premium beer at $18.50, a 12oz High Noon at $15.50, and specialty cocktails ranging from $16.50 to $24.50 for a double. Year on year, the prices have only gone up.

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The contrast with Augusta National makes the numbers harder to ignore. The Master’s menu board shows pimento cheese sandwiches at $1.50, full sandwiches at $3, and drinks at $2. Augusta controls every item on its menu, which gives it complete pricing authority. The PGA Championship runs through hospitality partner Patina Group with commercial beverage sponsors, which removes that flexibility entirely.

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The PGA of America does offset some of the cost. At Aronimink, the ticket price includes all food and non-alcoholic beverages, and free water is available throughout the course. Breakfast items, hot dogs, cheeseburgers, chicken sandwiches, and snacks are all covered. Alcoholic beverages are the only items charged separately. The same arrangement was in place at Southern Hills in 2022 and Quail Hollow in 2025.

The price list going viral was one thing. The reaction it triggered made clear the frustration had been building for years.

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Fans sound off after the 2026 PGA Championship alcohol prices

“$16.50 for a 12oz High Noon is highway robbery,” one fan wrote.

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The retail math supports the frustration. A standard 8-pack of High Noon Hard Seltzer typically retails between $16 and $17, meaning a single can at Aronimink costs the same as an entire multipack from a store.

“I hate going to events due to having to drop $100+ just to stay hydrated on beer. I’ll stay home with my 24 pk of Coors for $22 and (hopefully) not miss a shot on the broadcast,” another fan commented.

At current retail prices, a 24-pack of Coors Light averages between $21 and $24, meaning six beers at Aronimink could cost more than a full case at home.

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“It is not a requirement to drink when attending. If the sales go down, maybe they will get the hint. But I doubt that will happen,” read another reaction.

That doubt is backed by a clear pattern. Prices at the 2022, 2025, and now 2026 PGA Championships have risen each year despite consistent public backlash, with the entry-level 16oz beer moving from $14.50 at Quail Hollow to $15.00 at Aronimink.

“Truly hope folks boycott these prices! Only way they will ever come down to reality,” a user commented.

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The idea has come up across multiple years, but PGA Championship attendance has remained strong, and with tickets selling and gates open, there is little financial incentive for organizers to adjust concession pricing.

Not everyone reacted with pure frustration. “Reason #3 to quit drinking,” one fan wrote, finding humor in a price list that has left most others furious.

Based on the trajectory, there is little reason to expect the 2027 menu to look any different.

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Written by

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Vishnupriya Agrawal

1,394 Articles

Vishnupriya Agrawal is a beat reporter at EssentiallySports on the Golf Desk, specializing in breaking news around tour developments, player movement, ranking shifts, and evolving competitive narratives across the PGA and LPGA circuits. She excels at analyzing the ripple effects of major moments, such as headline-grabbing wins or schedule changes, highlighting their impact on player momentum, course strategy, and long-term career trajectories. With a foundation in research-driven writing and a passion for storytelling, Vishnupriya has built a track record of delivering timely and insightful golf coverage. She has also contributed as a freelance sports writer, creating audience-focused content that connects fans to the finer details of the game. Her sharp research abilities and disciplined publishing workflow enable her to craft stories that go beyond the leaderboard, bringing context and clarity to the fast-moving world of professional golf.

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Riya Singhal

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