Pubgolf FAQ

Pubgolf is a pub crawl scored like a round of golf. You visit a set list of pubs, and each pub is a hole with one chosen drink and a par. Your sips are your strokes, so the aim is finishing each drink smoothly and keeping your total score as low as possible.

Pick 9 or 18 pubs and set a drink and a par for each hole. At every stop, count the sips it takes to finish your drink; those are your strokes. Beating par means using fewer sips. Add up your strokes across the round, and the lowest total wins. Our How to Play guide walks you through it.

The rules are simple. Each pub is a hole with a set drink and a par, the target number of sips to finish it. Your sips count as strokes, and you do finish the drink. Challenges and knowledge questions can earn a power-up, while some dares cost a penalty stroke. Lowest total across the course wins.

Most games use 9 or 18 holes, mirroring a real golf course, with one pub per hole. Nine holes make a relaxed afternoon or a shorter route, while 18 is the full challenge. Keeping the stops close together makes the round easier to walk between drinks.

Scoring mirrors golf. Par is the sip count you are aiming for on each drink, and the sips you actually take are your strokes. Come in under par and you gain on the field; go over and you drop back. Add your strokes from every hole, and the lowest combined total across the round takes the win.

A normal pub crawl is just moving between pubs with no structure. Pubgolf adds a scorecard, a set drink and a par for each hole, and a clear way to win. That scoring turns a casual outing into a friendly competition, giving your group a shared goal and plenty to talk about between stops.

The point is to turn an ordinary crawl into a game with structure, banter and a bit of friendly rivalry. The scorecard gives everyone a shared focus, the challenges keep it lively, and chasing a low total keeps the group together. It is a memorable way to celebrate a birthday, stag, hen or catch-up.

Popular challenges include answering a trivia question, swapping your drinking hand, telling a joke that lands, or a no-blink staring test. Get one right and you earn a power-up; miss a dare and you pick up a penalty stroke. Keep them fun and inclusive so everyone in the group can join in.

Each hole is matched to one drink, and the mix keeps the round varied. Common picks include a lager, a cider, a glass of wine, a spirit and mixer, or a short cocktail. Par is set to suit the drink, so a pint carries a higher par than a small measure. Choose drinks your group enjoys.

A scorecard is what makes it Pubgolf, since it holds each hole, its drink, its par and everyone's strokes. You can keep score on paper, but it is easier to share. PubgolfClub gives you a live shared scorecard that updates for the whole group on your phones, plus a printable option if you prefer pen and paper.

Yes. Non-drinkers are welcome and can play the exact same round using soft drinks, alcohol-free beer or mocktails, with a par set for each choice. The scoring, challenges and knowledge questions all work the same way, so nobody is left out. Everyone chases the same low total and shares the same fun across the group.

Yes. Pubgolf is strictly for over-18s, and everyone taking part should drink responsibly, know their limits and look after each other throughout the round. Line your stomach, pace yourself between holes, keep water handy and plan a safe way home. Played sensibly, it stays a fun and friendly day or night out.

No. Drinks are not included and are purchased separately at each pub during the round. This gives every group the freedom to choose drinks that suit their preferences and budget. The Pubgolf game provides the route, drinks, pars, challenges and scoring, while you order and pay for your drinks directly at each venue.

Most groups spend about 2 to 3 hours on a 9 hole round, while the full 18 holes fills an afternoon or an evening, around 5 to 6 hours. That works out at roughly 20 minutes per pub, and because nothing is booked you set the pace yourselves.