Golf and Rye Straws: A Shared Heritage from St Andrews to the 19th Hole

Golf has always been a game rooted in both history and community. From the windswept dunes of Scotland to the meticulously maintained fairways of modern championship courses, every blade of grass and every tradition carries meaning. And while it may seem unusual at first glance, one unlikely companion has been linked to golf from its very beginning: rye grass.

⛳ From St Andrews to the Fairways of North America

At the legendary St Andrews Links in Scotland, often called the birthplace of golf, turf quality was always a matter of pride. As the game spread across the Atlantic in the late 19th century, course builders sought grasses that could endure foot traffic, recover quickly, and keep their lush color under changing seasons.

Enter perennial rye grass. Hardy, quick-growing, and resilient, rye became a staple for tees, fairways, and rough. By the early 1900s, rye grass was common across North America, shaping the very landscape of golf. To this day, countless rounds begin with a tee stuck into rye.

🍸 The 19th Century Cocktail Craze

Meanwhile, off the fairways, the 19th century was also the golden age of cocktails. The Tom Collins, first popularized in the 1850s, was a fashionable refreshment in both Britain and America. Gin, lemon juice, sugar, and sparkling water — crisp, refreshing, and often sipped through a straw.

And here’s where the link gets fascinating: in those early days, straws weren’t plastic, paper, or even metal. They were literally stalks of rye grass. Farmers would cut and hollow them, and bartenders placed them in cocktails. That means golfers of the late 1800s could finish a round on rye fairways, head into the clubhouse, and sip a Collins through rye straws. The same plant tied together sport and celebration.

🥤 The Clubhouse Connection — Pro Shops and Bars

Golf has always had a unique rhythm: a walk on the fairway, a purchase in the pro shop, a round shared with friends in the bar afterward. The pro shop and the bar aren’t just parts of the course — they’re the bookends of the golf experience. The pro shop equips you for the game, and the bar gives you space to celebrate it.

That’s why the story of rye straws resonates so strongly. When clubs and bars serve drinks with OG Straws made from Canadian rye grass, they’re not just reducing plastic waste — they’re honoring a heritage that spans St Andrews, rye fairways, and the 19th hole. And with every case purchased, $5 goes back into junior golf programs, funding green fees, travel, and equipment for families who might otherwise struggle to afford them.

🌍 Full Circle: Golf, Rye, and Giving Back

What began centuries ago on Scottish links has come full circle. Rye grass shaped the game of golf, rye stalks shaped the way we sipped cocktails, and now rye-based eco straws are shaping the future of sustainability and sport.

Every straw in the clubhouse isn’t just a tool for sipping — it’s a symbol of tradition, community, and commitment. A commitment to the planet, by cutting down on plastic waste. A commitment to the game, by funding youth golf. And a commitment to the culture of golf, where the pro shop and the bar remain united as the heart of every club.

From St Andrews to your local course, rye and golf have always walked together. Today, with OG Straws for Golf, they’re walking into a new era — greener, stronger, and rooted in tradition.