Smoking a Cigar on the Golf Course

To smoke a cigar on the golf course, choose one sized to last most of your round, keep it out of the way during your swing and your playing partners' shots, shield it from wind between holes, and never drop ash or butts on the course. A cigar and a round of golf are a classic pairing because both reward a relaxed, unhurried pace. The trick is enjoying yours without slowing play, bothering your group, or leaving a mess behind, and that comes down to a little planning and plain courtesy.

Pick a Cigar That Fits the Round

A full round of golf takes several hours, and a single cigar will not last the whole way, nor should you rush one to try. Instead, choose a cigar sized to burn for a meaningful stretch, then pace yourself. A robusto or toro in a medium ring gauge is a popular choice because it burns steadily outdoors and lasts long enough to enjoy without dominating your attention. If you want to smoke across the whole round, bring two and plan a break in between. Our guide on how long does a cigar take to smoke helps you match cigar size to the time you have, and how to choose your first cigar covers picking a strength and shape you will actually enjoy.

Handle Wind and Open Air

The course is wide open, so wind is a constant factor. A breeze burns your cigar faster and hotter and can knock the burn crooked, so smoke a little slower and shield the foot with your cupped hand or your body when you light and puff. A torch lighter is essential; soft flames simply will not survive on an exposed fairway. Our dedicated guide on how to smoke a cigar in the wind covers positioning, lighting, and touch-ups that all apply directly on the course. Between holes, keep the cigar in the shelter of the cart or your body rather than letting the wind race it down.

Mind Your Swing

A lit cigar and a golf swing do not mix. Never swing with a cigar in your mouth or in your hand; the motion can send ash flying, burn you, or ruin the cigar, and it throws off your mechanics. Before your shot, rest the cigar in the cart's ashtray or a designated holder, or set it down safely where it will not roll into grass or dirt. Pick it back up only after you have played. The same goes for putting, where a dangling cigar is a distraction to you and everyone on the green.

Be Considerate of Your Group

Not everyone loves cigar smoke, so read your playing partners. Keep the smoke downwind of others when you can, do not puff clouds over someone lining up a putt, and avoid smoking right in a partner's face on a shared cart. If you are playing with strangers or in a more formal setting, a quick, friendly check that nobody minds goes a long way. This is the same consideration our cigar etiquette guide applies everywhere: enjoy your cigar without imposing it on the people around you.

Never Litter Ash or Butts

This is the rule that matters most on a golf course. Do not flick ash on the greens or fairways, and absolutely never toss a cigar butt on the course. Butts do not decompose quickly, they damage the turf that crews work hard to maintain, and a smoldering butt is a genuine fire risk on a dry course. Use the ashtray in your cart, carry a small portable ash holder, or field-strip and pack out your butt. Leaving the course as clean as you found it is basic respect for the grounds crew and the players behind you.

Keep It Relaxed

Above all, do not let the cigar slow the round. Keep pace with your group, set the cigar down when it is your turn to play, and treat it as a companion to the game rather than the main event. If it goes out while you are focused on a hole, no problem; how to relight a cigar shows how to get it going again cleanly. Done with a little courtesy and care, a cigar makes a good round of golf even better.