What happens when The King’s classic gets a little Kentucky courage?
With the 2025 Ryder Cup heading to Long Island’s challenging Bethpage Black this September, there’s no better time to toast golf’s greatest legends—and naturally, Arnold Palmer reigns supreme. This elevated take on The King’s signature drink is a creation from our friend, and golf cocktail expert Sean Briggs. Sean knows that even a classic can be improved with a sophisticated twist, and his Bourbon Arnold Palmer is liquid gold, perfect for making an ordinary round an extraordinary one.
A Drink as Legendary as the Man
The Arnold Palmer’s origin story is pure golf lore. As the legend goes, Palmer was at a Palm Springs restaurant in the 1960s and ordered his usual off-menu mix of iced tea and lemonade—a refreshing combo he’d enjoyed since his amateur days. A woman at a nearby table overheard his order and told the waitress, “I'll have that Palmer drink.” In that moment, golf’s most iconic beverage was born.
The timing coincided with some of Palmer’s most dominant years, especially in the Ryder Cup. Playing on six victorious U.S. teams between 1961 and 1973, he set the American record with 22 match wins. His charismatic, go-for-broke style and the passionate following of "Arnie's Army" were instrumental in transforming the Ryder Cup into the patriotic spectacle we cherish today.
How To Make The Bourbon Arnold Palmer, with Sean Briggs
From the Fairway to the Flask
The parallels between Palmer's golf philosophy and his drink are uncanny. Both were straightforward, honest, and accessible. Palmer played bold, attacking golf and drank a simple, refreshing beverage. This bourbon upgrade honors that spirit while adding a layer of refinement he would have appreciated as he matured from a young champion into the elder statesman of the sport.
This Bourbon Arnold Palmer is perfectly batched for your Firelight Flask® 750, making it the ultimate companion for Ryder Cup viewing parties or your own weekend rounds. The flask is designed as an all-in-one cocktail solution, so you can leave the cooler and extra cups at home. Its vacuum insulation maintains the ideal temperature for up to 24 hours, while the two magnetically integrated tumblers ensure you and a friend can share the moment in style.
Palmer once said, “What other people may find in poetry or art museums, I find in the flight of a good drive.” We believe there’s also poetry in the perfect drink, shared among friends, whether you're watching Team USA on home turf or trying to break 80 at your local muni.
Explore our premium golf flasks here.
Bourbon Arnold Palmer Recipe
(3-4 servings, fits the Firelight Flask® 750)
Ingredients:
- 6 oz bourbon whiskey
- 7 oz fresh lemonade
- 7 oz strong-brewed black tea, cooled
- 3 oz honey syrup (equal parts honey and warm water)
- 1 oz fresh lemon juice
- Lemon wheels for garnish
Instructions:
- Brew the black tea and allow it to cool completely. In a pinch, off-the-shelf unsweetened iced tea works.
- Make the honey syrup by mixing equal parts honey and warm water until the honey is fully dissolved.
- Combine the bourbon, lemonade, cooled tea, honey syrup, and lemon juice in a large pitcher.
- Stir well and taste. Adjust sweetness with more honey syrup if desired.
- Chill the mixture in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
- Pour the chilled cocktail into your High Camp Firelight Flask® and head out. Garnish individual servings with a fresh lemon wheel.
Pro-Tip: The Firelight Flask® 750 features a wide mouth for easy, funnel-free filling, so you can prep your cocktail without spilling a drop.
A Toast to The King and Team USA
Arnold Palmer was famously modest about his drink, often joking that he’d order “a Mr. Palmer” at Augusta National just to see the waitresses smile. We think he’d get a kick out of this bourbon upgrade—it has the same honest character as the original, but with a little more backbone for life’s bigger moments.
So here’s to The King, to American golf, and to drinks that taste like victory. Mix up a batch, toast Palmer’s enduring legacy, and get ready to cheer on Team USA at Bethpage Black. Because watching great golf is only made better with the perfect drink in hand.
