U.S. Open Cocktail Recipes from Shinnecock

by | Jun 20, 2026 | Bartending Knowledge, Cocktail Recipes, Home Bartending & Entertaining | 0 comments

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U.S. Open Cocktail Recipes from Shinnecock

Behind the bar at Shinnecock for the 126th U.S. Open, we served golf-day drinks that were refreshing, simple, and built for a crowd. These recipes bring that same watch-party energy home with three easy cocktails inspired by what we were pouring during tournament week.

Quick Answer: What Drinks Should You Serve for a Golf Watch Party?

For a golf watch party, serve drinks that are light, refreshing, easy to batch, and simple to build over ice. The best options are citrus-forward cocktails, tall highballs, iced tea lemonade drinks, and minty club soda cocktails. For a U.S. Open-inspired menu, try The Lemon Wedge, a Shinnecock Southside, and a Sun Cruiser John Daly.

Working behind the bar during U.S. Open week gives you a real feel for what people actually want to drink at a long outdoor event. The best drinks are not overly complicated. They are cold, balanced, fast to serve, and easy to enjoy while watching the action.

This guide turns a few of those tournament-week favorites into easy home cocktail recipes you can use for a golf watch party, backyard barbecue, summer hosting setup, or Long Island event. Each drink is built with simple ingredients, practical prep tips, and a hosting-friendly approach.

The Lemon Wedge

The Lemon Wedge is a simple Dewar’s lemonade highball made with whisky, lemonade, club soda, and fresh lemon. It is crisp, easy to drink, and perfect for a long afternoon of golf.

The Lemon Wedge Dewar’s lemonade highball inspired by the U.S. Open at Shinnecock
Style: Highball Glass: Tall cup or highball Best for: Watch parties Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

  • 1.5 oz Dewar’s whisky
  • 3 oz lemonade
  • Top with club soda
  • Squeeze of fresh lemon
  • Lemon wedge for garnish
  • Ice

How to Make It

  1. Fill a tall glass or event cup with ice.
  2. Add Dewar’s whisky.
  3. Pour in lemonade.
  4. Top with club soda.
  5. Squeeze in a fresh lemon wedge.
  6. Garnish with a lemon wedge and serve cold.

Hosting Tip: Keep the lemonade and club soda chilled before guests arrive. This keeps the drink colder, brighter, and easier to serve quickly.

Shinnecock Southside

The Shinnecock Southside is bright, minty, and refreshing. It is built with gin, lime, simple syrup, mint, and club soda, making it a clean summer cocktail that works especially well for golf days, brunches, and outdoor parties.

Shinnecock Southside cocktail recipe with gin lime mint and club soda
Style: Southside Glass: Collins or highball Best for: Summer afternoons Flavor: Mint and citrus

Ingredients

  • 1.5 oz gin
  • 0.75 oz lime juice
  • 0.75 oz simple syrup
  • 6 mint leaves
  • Club soda
  • Mint sprig for garnish
  • Ice

How to Make It

  1. Add gin, lime juice, simple syrup, and mint to a shaker.
  2. Add ice and shake briefly.
  3. Strain into a tall glass over fresh ice.
  4. Top with club soda.
  5. Garnish with mint and serve.

Hosting Tip: Batch the gin, lime juice, simple syrup, and mint ahead of time. Add club soda only when serving so the drink stays fresh and bubbly.

Sun Cruiser John Daly

A John Daly is the golf-day version of an Arnold Palmer, traditionally made with iced tea, lemonade, and alcohol. This version keeps it simple with Sun Cruiser Classic Iced Tea and fresh lemonade for an easy, low-lift tournament watch party drink.

Sun Cruiser John Daly cocktail recipe with iced tea vodka and lemonade
Style: John Daly Glass: Highball Best for: Easy hosting Flavor: Iced tea and lemonade

Ingredients

  • 1 can Sun Cruiser Classic Iced Tea
  • 2 oz lemonade
  • Fresh lemon wedge
  • Ice

How to Make It

  1. Fill a tall glass with ice.
  2. Pour in Sun Cruiser Classic Iced Tea.
  3. Add lemonade.
  4. Stir gently.
  5. Garnish with a fresh lemon wedge.

Hosting Tip: Keep the cans chilled and pour to order. It is one of the easiest ways to serve a consistent drink without slowing down your bar setup.

How to Serve These Drinks at a U.S. Open Watch Party

The key to a great golf watch party bar is keeping the menu short, cold, and easy to execute. You do not need ten different cocktails. A better setup is one citrus drink, one minty drink, one iced tea or lemonade option, beer, wine, water, and a non-alcoholic option.

Simple Watch Party Bar Setup

  • Pre-cut lemon wedges, lime wheels, and mint sprigs before guests arrive.
  • Keep club soda, lemonade, and canned drinks chilled in a cooler.
  • Use clear cups or branded event cups for a cleaner presentation.
  • Set out a small garnish tray so drinks feel polished without slowing service.
  • Keep plenty of ice on hand. For outdoor parties, plan for more ice than you think you need.

Best Menu Format

For a golf-day cocktail menu, keep the drink names simple and easy to read. A three-drink menu is usually enough for a backyard watch party:

  • The Lemon Wedge for whisky and lemonade drinkers.
  • Shinnecock Southside for guests who want something crisp, minty, and refreshing.
  • Sun Cruiser John Daly for an easy iced tea lemonade option.

Why These Drinks Work for Summer Events

These U.S. Open-inspired cocktails work well for summer events because they are easy to build, use familiar ingredients, and do not require complicated prep. They are also flexible enough for backyard parties, golf outings, corporate events, graduation parties, and Long Island summer hosting.

U.S. Open Cocktail Recipe FAQ

What is the best cocktail for a golf watch party?

The best cocktail for a golf watch party is usually a refreshing highball, iced tea lemonade drink, spritz, or minty citrus cocktail. Drinks like The Lemon Wedge, a John Daly, and a Southside work well because they are easy to serve and easy to sip over a long afternoon.

Can I batch these cocktails ahead of time?

Yes, but do not batch carbonated ingredients too early. For the Shinnecock Southside, batch the gin, lime juice, simple syrup, and mint, then add club soda when serving. For The Lemon Wedge, keep the whisky and lemonade ready, then top with club soda fresh.

What is a John Daly drink?

A John Daly is an alcoholic version of an Arnold Palmer. It is typically made with iced tea, lemonade, and vodka or another spirit. This version uses Sun Cruiser Classic Iced Tea and lemonade for a simple golf-day build.

What should I serve with these cocktails?

These drinks pair well with casual summer food like sliders, wraps, grilled chicken, seafood, fruit, chips, dips, and light appetizers. For a golf watch party, keep the food easy to grab and the drinks easy to refill.

Do I need a bartender for a backyard golf watch party?

For a smaller group, you can serve these drinks yourself with a simple setup. For larger parties, a bartender helps keep drinks consistent, garnishes organized, and guests served without the host being stuck behind the bar.

Hosting a Summer Party on Long Island?

Bartend Long Island provides professional bartending for backyard parties, private events, corporate gatherings, golf outings, showers, birthdays, and summer celebrations across Long Island.

Contact Bartend Long Island to check availability for your next event.

Bartend Long Island is sharing these recipes from a hospitality and event bartending perspective. This content is intended for at-home entertaining inspiration and is not an official recipe guide from the U.S. Open, Shinnecock Hills, Dewar’s, or Sun Cruiser. Please drink responsibly and follow all local laws.