Best Golf Cigars

Golf is best played with a cigar – and we have a range of cigar recommendations for your next round. See the size, strength, and price criteria behind our suggestions, along with a few extra tips and must-have accessories that will help you get the most out of your next golf cigar.

Cigars and golf go together like bees and honey

It all comes down to one thing: relaxation. That stick is a fantastic sedative after you miss another three-foot putt, shank into the water, or find yourself washed-up on the beach. I speak from experience: I once played a round so bad, I lost a ball on every hole. Went through all 18 in the box, and watched the rest of the group finish the last hole from my seat in the cart. I didn’t mind much, because I was smoking one of my favorite cigars for the last 5 holes. (Meeting the beer cart again on 14 helped.)

Fewer things make a game of golf flow better than enjoying a cigar while you’re on the links.

What’s the best golf cigar?

Well, that’s the thing…the better question is, what’s the best golf cigar for you? Generally, a good golf smoke checks a couple of boxes: good flavor, not too strong, and big enough to get you through a couple of holes. Consider these variables:

• SIZE – For me, bigger is better; I prefer a Big Bertha-sized premium that lasts throughout the entire front nine. Then, I switch to a smaller smoke to finish the round.
• STRENGTH – I prefer driving over walking the course, and if it’s a 9-hole burner – I tend to lean mild to medium body in my cigar selection, and with the cigars I’m intending to share. I’ll save a fuller-bodied smoke for the second cigar, or with a drink or dinner after the round.
• PRICE – Padron? Davidoff? They’re country club classics, but those I tend to save for when I’ve finished my round and I’m tallying my scorecard out on the patio with a cold one. It’s ok to be budget conscious when bringing smokes to the course; because cigars commonly get dropped, squeezed, or roll off the cart, thrifty is the name of the game.

To gear up for your next golf game, here are a range of cigars I recommend for your round; some are golf course staples, some are tasty and well-made value box selections, Plus I’ve added an extra bundle pick that you’d be crazy not to grab for the whole group before you tee off.

Excalibur No.1 Natural by Hoyo de Monterrey

It’s been said that the Excalibur No.1 defined the term “golf cigar.” Hoyo’s Big Dog is stoked by a Honduran, Nicaraguan, and Dominican core wadded in a Connecticut Broadleaf binder, then finished in Connecticut Shade. The smoke provides a well-rounded, sweet and cedary profile padded with a suggestion of mocha java on a long, creamy finish. A tried n’ true classic that, at 7 ¼ x 54, will last most of the front nine.

Arturo Fuente Cañones Presidente

This mammoth club needs its own head cover. Fuente’s patented, Dominican-in-Cameroon staple recipe is blimped out to one of their biggest regular production sizes, an 8 ½ x 52 Presidente they call Cañones. Literally, cannons. A super tasty, medium-bodied banger that plays all the right Fuente notes. And I’ll bet if you spark it up on the #2 tee, it should burn through the turn and onto #10 or 11.

Ashton Classic Churchill

Another quintessential golf cigar, the Ashton Classic Churchill has spent so much time on the course it has its own green jacket. This mild n’ golden smoke is packed with extra-aged Dominican fillers and covered in a real-deal Connecticut Shade wrapper. As Ashton has these made for them at Chateau Fuente, quality is assured – expect a creamy smoke laced with notes of cedar, nuts, and coffee beans.

Montecristo Classic Churchill

Will it shave strokes off your game? No. Will it make your round more enjoyable? Without a doubt. This is, to me, Montecristo’s workhorse blend: medium bodied Dominican tobaccos with a Connecticut outer leaf, this blend – and this size in particular, I find – issues plenty of thick, chewy smoke laced with the usual wood and hay, but tinged with more cocoa and pepper than the standard-issue Dominican Monte. An excellent step up in your cigar game, even if your golf game is sub-par.

Macanudo Café Portofino

Decidedly skinnier than the previous selections, its slender shape and mild Dominican tobaccos are perfect for novice or casual smokers (translated: everyone) who want to burn one with their buddies while swinging the irons. And the triple fermented Connecticut shade wrappers make these ultra-smooth smokes. Because they’re in a tube, they’re easy to carry - toss a couple in your bag and keep ‘em fresh for the day, without them getting knocked around and broken.

Chillin Moose Bull Moose Maduro Robusto Gordo

You know that one club in your bag that feels all sweet spot every time you hit it? Same feeling with Bull Moose. All big ring (60 and 70) selections, all Nicaraguan Habano tobaccos – right down to the oily Maduro wrapper. A lot of cigar in more ways than one: the Gordo churns out thick, medium-to-full bodied smoke layered with notes of dark chocolate and nuts; the finish is spicy, like the Moose walked across your tongue in golf cleats. Invigorating. But for the price? It’s a gimme putt.

Lunatic Hysteria by Aganorsa Leaf Toro

Why do you use TaylorMade balls? Because that’s what Rory uses. Why do so many boutique cigar brands use Aganorsa Leaf tobaccos? Because a lot of big name tabacaleras swear by it, too. We all know a winner when we see one, and I spy this Lunatic Hysteria. Expertly handcrafted with Aganorsa’s proprietary Nicaraguan long fillers and rolled in a San Andres wrapper, the smoke is a sweet n’ savory combo that’s full of coffee, earth, sweet spice, and hazelnut nuances. Fuller bodied – it would be good if you’ve already patronized the snack shack or beer cart before you smoke it.

Romeo y Julieta House of Capulet 10th Anniversary Toro

We talk a lot about the RyJ Capulet, but since a bounty of Connecticut wrapper cigars have made this list already, I’m switching gears here and recommending the Capulet 10th Anniversary instead. This Toro benefits from a tweak to the original settings: we’ve swapped out the Ecuador Connecticut wrapper for Ecuador Corojo, coupling the nutty-woody flavors of almond and cedar with baked bread, herbs and spice. Still enjoyably mild if you have the day’s first tee time, and a more flavorful chew toy to help pass the time while you hack through the high grass looking for your ball.

Rocky Patel Xtreme Toro

Sure, the name has a “grip it and rip it” kind of vibe, but Xtreme falls in the middle of the strength/body spectrum. If you asked me to describe the flavorful Nicaraguan and Honduran long fillers wrapped in Sumatra leaf, I’d say imagine Romeo 1875 on performance enhancing drugs. The woody and espresso flavors form an impressive foundation accented by pepper and sweetness. Cheap enough to take a few extras in the cart, in case you need a mulligan.

Bolivar Cofradia Toro

Allow me to salvage your Duolingo streak: Cofradia means "brotherhood" in Spanish. If that isn’t reason enough to share this stick amongst your foursome, then let’s talk flavor: Bolivar Cofradia burns dark and rich. And while you’d think that it would be hard to enjoy as a golf cigar, I argue it’s perfect: a medium-bodied, 4-nation blend hums with earth, cedar, and leather, along with tangy, sweet spice. I’ll also emphasize the oversized dimensions, which speaks to total smoking time - the affordable price makes this an absolute ace.

The Golf Cigars to Share with Your Group

You may be saying to yourself, “These are great – but how about some REALLY cheap sticks for knocking around the back 9?” Dozens of bundle options fit that bill: Perdomo Fresco, Odyssey, Quorum from JC Newman, our own Famous Smokes, Carnage, even our Famous Nicaraguan Series. And then there’s no shortage of Factory “somethings”: Factory Selects, Factory Seconds, Factory Smokes, Factory Rejects, Factory Throwouts…you get the idea. They’re all great.

But my favorite bundle golf cigar?

HVC Pan Caliente Connecticut Churchill

Not because it has HVC’s boutique pedigree. Not because it’s a Connecticut mixed filler. (But it is, though.) The real driver is that the price is right: for less than the cost of a golf ball, you get a medium strength, Nicaraguan-forward stick that displays varying amounts of nuts, earth, leather, coffee, and/or pepper. If you step on it after you take your drive or you run over it with your golf cart, who cares—there are 24 more just like it in the bundle. You can burn one every three holes without a care in the world—or share ‘em with your buddies without breaking the bank.

Two more tips for smoking on the course

Cigar holders and golf clips exist for a reason – try to avoid setting your cigar down on the green while you’re putting. The putting green is sprayed with a wild cocktail of chemicals and fertilizers to keep it green, so imagine how green they could make you. Pick up a Perfect Cigar Clip or the DivPro Cigar Holder/Divot Tool.

Another thing: carry a torch lighter; two or three jets are best. This is important because they’re wind resistant and the only way you’ll get a good light.