Organiser guide
The best man’s guide to the golf day
Done well, the golf day is the part everyone talks about at the wedding.
Golf is a classic bucks activity. Australian bucks guides regularly pair a round with a brewery, a whisky tasting or a pub dinner, and courses like Barnbougle in Tasmania and Noosa Springs on the Sunshine Coast come up again and again. Here’s how to do it well.
Step 1: Pick the course and the format
- Choose a public-access course with enough tee times for your group, and check the dress code, cart rules and what they allow for food and drink.
- A mixed-ability crew suits team formats: Ambrose or a Texas scramble, Bingo Bango Bongo, or Stableford with handicaps.
- If the group is large, book tee times in groups of four and plan the order so nobody waits.
Step 2: Set the tone
- Decide the vibe with the groom: chill, a bit of banter or full chaos.
- Skip anything that would embarrass the groom or his family in front of strangers.
Step 3: Plan the rest of the day
- Pair golf with something easy afterwards: lunch at the clubhouse, a brewery or the pub.
- Leave time between the last putt and the next thing. Rounds often run longer than planned.
Step 4: Give the golf a story
- Run a Groom’s Gauntlet: the groom plays a round with the deck stacked in fun ways, balanced with blessings so he’s never just the target.
- Give out awards at dinner: Biggest Blow-up, Best Recovery, the Wooden Spoon.
Step 5: Look after everyone
- No driving after drinking. Plan the transport.
- Respect the course: keep the noise down, no props that damage turf, and keep pace.
- Keep it simple: points and forfeits by default. If the group wants to track money, make sure it’s lawful where you are.