You don’t need to actually golf to have a swinging time at a cannabis classic
It’s understandable if the idea of the New England cannabis community enjoying several annual golf outings seems odd at first. In a culture that was largely underground for decades only to appear in public in the parking lots of rap and jam band shows to the dismay of the typical Caddyshack set, tees and trees seemed an unlikely companion as recently as a few years ago.
But as it turns out, there’s a lot of crossover between those who smoke green and those who play on them (plus a whole lot of fresh puns to mine). In addition to weed industry executives who meet clients at country clubs, cannabis consumers of all stripes enjoy the chance to spark under an open sky and roll around in go-karts. Who would have thunk it?
Seeing a lane for strokes and tokes, Boston Cannabis Week introduced their golf tournament in 2019 (and will kick off this year’s festivities on the course later this month), while this Monday, Stem Haverhill hosted their second-annual Green Goddess Invitational, a women’s event benefiting Patriots Helping Vets. There are still more to come, and last Friday, Cannabis Creative Group and Joint Venture Company brought out more than 400 pot people for putting and in-person networking for the second TeeHC Open at the Highfields Golf & Country Club in Grafton. Ticket sales benefitted the Cannabis Center of Excellence, Hilarity for Charity, Massachusetts Fallen Heroes, and No Mutts Left Behind.
With a base camp featuring a small village of vendors passing out samples and swag, the day was stacked with entertainment for golfers and non-participants alike. Especially if you like getting high. On the fairways, sponsors set up games and supplied party favors; I don’t golf, but I teed off on 18 holes. Even a passing monsoon couldn’t dampen the fun, with golfers and layabouts alike hunkering down puffing joints until the skies cleared for a culminating concert.
The TeeHC Open promised to be a different kind of cannabis mixer, and it definitely met the mark. The setup, with chairs and tables scattered across three different congregation areas, made for major off-course mingling, while the music and activities kept people busy for the long haul. With infused drinks and dabs flowing and the apparent absence of authorities who have spoiled other open-air weed parties over the past few months, it was a shining example of how a social consumption sporting event should swing. -Chris Faraone
