One of my favorites indulgences is having a cigar. Whether it be on the golf course, after a round, maybe having a casual one with friends… I love it. I also love a cold beer but smoking a cigar relaxes me in a different way. I typically don’t smoke and drink while I’m playing a round but I’ve been known to dabble. I’ll also admit that I’m not the most advanced cigar smoker but I’ve done my fair share of exploring stogies on the course the past few years. So if you’re looking for the best golf cigar I’ve got a few recommendations for you.
TLDR at the bottom
Best Golf Cigars: Know The Basics
First Things First: Health Disclaimer
Hate to be a Debbie Downer but I don’t want to drone on and on about how I like cigars without at least giving you the facts.
Cigar smoking can cause cancers of the lung, oral cavity, larynx and esophagus as well as cardiovascular disease. Those who smoke cigars heavily or inhale deeply also increase their risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema.
That information brought to you by The American Lung Association.
Moving on… Before we jump into the best golf cigars recommendation I think it’s important the novice smokers have a few tips for the best way to enjoy a cigar on the golf course. Over a few years of smoking I’ve been able to learn the basics. So lets do a quick Cigar 101 for all the newbies out there…
Picking Your Flavor
This is about as basic as it gets but it’s still important to know. If a cigar has a lighter brown wrap that would indicate a more mild smoke. If the cigar is a darker brown then you have a more bold tasting smoke. Simplest explanation I found in a Google Search of “Basics of a cigar” was from Cigars International and they state:
“There are three main components that make up a cigar: the filler, the binder, and the wrapper. The filler is comprised of a group of approximately 6 leaves that are combined in the binder leaf to create a “bunch.” Finally, the wrapper leaf is wrapped around the outside as the finishing touch”
Cigars, very much like golf courses, will have a wide variety of price ranges. Tastes vary in both golf an cigars. I might play my local municipal course for $50 and think it’s the crown jewel of golf. While someone else might prefer the private country club. I might like a dark, bold flavored cigar. You might prefer a mild, light smoke. Each to his own. So in the same vein as muni’s vs private clubs, you could buy a bold flavored high-end cigar for $40 and hate it. Then go slum it and buy a cheap mild smoke for $2 and love it.
In General New Cigar Smokers Prefer Lighter, More Mild Smokes.
If you want to go down a rabbit hole of finding exactly what your preferences are, how cigars are made, the different types of cigar leaves, definitions of flavor “notes”, and god knows what else go here. For those that want the cliff-notes, we proceed…
Smoking on the Course? Equip Yourself with the Right Tools
I believe a lot of cigar aficionados would say the best way to light a cigar is with matches. The golf course doesn’t provide the best setting for lighting matches so you’ll need a bigger boat. A cigar takes a solid flame to get a well rounded burn, the best way to get this a butane torch. Sure they cost a few dollars more but if you try to light a cigar with your standard 7/11 lighter? While you’re at it you might as well pee into the wind, only difference is the 7/11 will get you “pissed off” while peeing into the wind will get you…. ba-dum-tiss
Picking up a $10-$15 butane torch is worth the investment from your local cigar shop. I’ve had some good luck with asking the clerk for a recommendation on the top lighters. I went to Home Depot and grabbed a can of butane and I’ve been able to get a lot of lit cigars from a small investment.
Golf Or Cigar Talk? Should You Go With A Cut Or Punch?
Ahh the age old question, do you think I can cut it around those trees or should I just punch it out? For me in both golf and cigars the answer is always punch it out. Even if you’re a novice I’m assuming you’re aware of a cigar cutter. It wasn’t until recently that I experienced my first v-cut for cigar, highly enjoyable. However, not everybody is probably aware of the punch. A punch just provides a circular cutout at the end of the cigar, which should provide a cleaner cut, more concentrated flavor, and typically burn the cigar for longer. A lot of butane lighters now come with a punch build in. There’s nothing wrong with using a cutter, it’s strictly a preference. If you’d rather get through your cigar quicker then a large cut would do that while a punch could help the cigar last longer.
Cigar Etiquette On The Golf Course
If you do decide to bust out the stogie on the course there’s a social rules you might want to follow. I know, more rules in golf …how fun. You’re not gonna get kicked off the course for some of these violations so just consider these some friendly reminders more than rules.
- Control Your Smoke
- Be mindful of where your smoke is going once the cigar is lit. Do NOT light it up around the clubhouse without permission. If you’re riding in a cart make sure your playing partner is ok with the smoke. Depending on winds of the course your smoke could be blowing in the face of someone trying to hit or just doesn’t like it. Be courteous.
- Don’t Ash On The Green or Tee Box
- I’m not sure if the ash will damage the green or tee box but this is also common courtesy. If for some reason your cigar ash does fall by accident be sure to brush it off. I’ve actually found the back of my putter can scoop golf balls and cigar ash quite effectively.
- Light It Strategically
- Lighting a cigar can take a little bit. You’ve got to get it out of the packaging, cut/punch it, and then light it. Getting a solid, even light takes a few seconds. Make sure you have enough time to do all this without your group waiting on you.
- Seriously, Light It Strategically
- This is really for your enjoyment but I try to time lighting my cigar at the time of the round I can enjoy it the most. I don’t take a cart when I golf so I usually wait until the flatter part of the course so I’m not walking up hills with a cigar. Also I like to finish it around 18 if I smoke on the course so I tyipically light it around hole 13 or 14 for a good 45 min smoke. You want to enjoy your cigar so make sure you’re lighting it at the right time of your round.
So now that we’ve covered some cigar basics in taste, equipment, and etiquette lets get to the good stuff. Let’s rundown the best golf cigars.
Best Golf Cigar: The People Pleaser
Ashton Classic Connecticut Churchill – $14
I get no affiliate kickbacks or money from this so if you find this helpful, throw me a follow on social or subscribe to the newsletter. I appreciate it. That being said, this is the classic cigar. If I were going to compare this Ashton Churchill to a club in your bag, I’d call it a 7-iron. This cigar isn’t packing a huge punch so it’s not the driver, it’s also not a nub cigar so that takes the wedge out. This cigar is a good solid smoke, it’s an easy swinging 7-iron right down the middle with the Ashton Churchill. If you’re looking for a mild smoke for you and the rest of your group, this is it. It’s a little long and narrow but should provide a mild smoke that takes up a few holes to burn. This is your gold standard, best golf cigar, Tony agrees.
Best Golf Cigar: My Recommendation
Davidoff Nicaragua Robusto – $19
While the Ashton Churchill might be the gold standard of people pleasing cigars, this is what I’ve found to be my favorite. The Davidoff Nicaragua Robusto is my favorite cigar. To me it’s perfect. It’s classified as a “medium/bold” flavor and takes about 45 mins to smoke. I like the flavor of an Ashton Churchill just fine but the Davidoff packs more of a punch and I like it. In beer drinking terms, Ashton Churchill is your basic domestic pilsner aka Miller Lite. Nothing wrong with a Miller Lite, solid beer. The Davidoff Nicaragua Robusto would be a craft beer, likely a New England IPA. Not a super hoppy West Coast IPA or as powerful as a Porter but a solid flavorful beer. In both cigars and beers that is the sweet-spot. Everything about this cigar is in my wheelhouse, the price is appropriate, the taste is bold but not overpowering, and the 45min length of smoke is exactly what I look for in a cigar.
Best Golf Cigar: For The People Who Love Sugar
Acid – Blue Kuba Kuba $11
So I’ve given you the biggest people pleasing cigar and my favorite cigar. There’s a lot of different people out there with tastes that differ greatly from mine so I’m throwing out the Acid – Blue Kuba Kuba because I hate this cigar but a lot of people like it. Do NOT buy this cigar for someone who smokes cigars a lot. Unless this is their brand for some reason. These cigars are heavily flavored…sorry “infused”. To be perfectly clear, these cigars taste fine, they’re actually pretty flavorful and taste pretty good. For some reason the flavor and taste sticks in my mouth way more than a traditional cigar and it’s just too overpowering for me. I drink my coffee with a little bit of milk, no sugar. If you have someone in your life that drinks coffee with extra cream and extra sugar, this cigar is for them.
Best Golf Cigar: For The Dirty Harry’s
Backwoods Cigars – $10 for 5 (local pricing)
Listen a lot of people don’t like to smoke a full cigar on the course, I get it. Not wanting to be huffing and puffing about their score and their cigar at the same time is understandable. So for those that don’t want a robust smoke on the course Backwoods cigars offer a lighter option. Backwoods are also flavored but I don’t find the taste to be overbearing. The flavor of Backwoods cigars are much more subtle than the Acid cigars. Swinging a golf club with a full cigar in your mouth is a tough task, even going for a putt while taking a puff is a challenge. With a Backwoods though? I’m pretty sure I could Dirty Harry one of these cigars for an entire round and still shoot pretty good.
I definitely wouldn’t look that cool and I’d probably end up shooting a 130, so I’ll probably pass for now.
Best Golf Cigar: TLDR
- Top Pick: Ashton Classic Connecticut Churchill – $14
- My Pick: Davidoff Nicaragua Robusto – $19
- For The Mt. Dew Drinker: Acid Blue Kuba Kuba $11
- For The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly: Backwoods – $10
There are endless amounts of cigars out there that you can enjoy, if you partake then I highly encourage you to get out and explore. The Davidoff is my current favorite but I am mixing up my cigar choices regularly to see if there’ something out there I enjoy more. I haven’t smoked a Davidoff in quite some time so I might just have to go pick one up. I hope you enjoyed my guide to the best golf cigar, find it to be true to you, or it helps you find your favorite.
Hit em’ straight.
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