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Pop singers and members of the “Rat Pack” Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin at a celebrity golf tournament in October 1971.
Golf may be famous for clubs, balls, and tees, but arguably one of its most beloved conveniences is the beverage cart. According to a “fun nugget” from an article on Golf.com, this mobile refreshment station may owe its origin to none other than two members of the Rat Pack.
At the Desert Inn Golf Club in Las Vegas (now the site of Wynn Golf Club), legendary entertainers Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra reportedly refused to play the full 18 holes unless cocktails were within reach. To accommodate them, the resort staff modified a golf cart–stocking it with a variety of drinks, and rolled it along the course. Voila: the beverage cart was born.
“Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra used to tee it up here [Wynn Golf Club], but they would never play an entire 18 unless cocktails were provided. So what happened? Desert Inn, as it was called at the time, said we have a solution for this. We’re going to create a golf cart, but stock it full of all of the possible cocktails that Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra could possibly want.
“So yes, you’re hearing this right: You can thank Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra for inventing the beverage cart. And what better place for it to be invented than right here in Las Vegas.”
Showmanship Meets Necessity
This story isn’t just about lazy golfers; it’s golf meets showbiz pragmatism. Sinatra and Martin weren’t just performers–they were icons who shaped culture. That the cart’s creation is tied to their whims underscores how entertainment and indulgence often collide on the green, especially in the glitzy glare of Las Vegas.
Of course, golf carts didn’t spring from thin air (they already existed), but transforming one into a moving bar was sheer creativity. It perfectly captures Vegas’s penchant for excess, where convenience and indulgence reign supreme.
But hold your martinis–there’s an older, equally charming origin story. At St. Andrews in Scotland, the world’s oldest golf course, a retired caddy named David Anderson supposedly wheeled out refreshments in a simple wheelbarrow for players in the 1850s. Imagine ginger beer, milk, and perhaps a nip of whisky on the 19th hole. This makes golf’s earliest drink service decidedly humble–a far cry from sleek beverage carts.
So, was the beverage cart born in St. Andrews or Vegas? The answer may depend on how glamorous you prefer your golf lore to be. Some fans lean into the rat-pack legend because it’s vivid, nostalgic, and captures that Las Vegas entertainment ethos; others prefer the grounded, origins-in-Edinburgh version.
The Beverage Cart’s Evolution and Impact
Regardless of its true birthplace, the beverage cart quickly became a staple of modern golf, and a profitable one at that. According to industry reports, these carts can recoup their cost in under a month and then produce upwards of $1,000 in daily sales–jumping to $5,000 during tournaments or special events. That’s a win-win for operators and golfers alike.
More than a money maker, the cart satisfies a simple human desire: refreshment. It adds ease, comfort, and a social vibe to the round. That mid-game sip of soda pop, or even something stronger, changes the experience. The beverage cart isn’t just serving drinks; it’s serving convenience and camaraderie.
Alyssa Polczynski Alyssa Polczynski is a multimedia journalist covering Major League Baseball for Heavy.com. She has experience as an editorial producer for MLB.com and contributed to the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR). More about Alyssa Polczynski
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