Quenching thirst with a refreshing cocktail on a scorching summer day while outdoors has a certain appeal. Particularly for an increasing number of American golf players, this go-to drink is none other than the Transfusion. As golf's prominence surged by a considerable 38% from 2019 to 2024, so did the popularity of this beverage in clubhouses nationwide.

A standard mix of vodka, ginger ale, grape juice, with a touch of lime, the Transfusion is a delightful, no-fuss drink. However, its fame appears to be limited to golf circles, with many outside this sphere being unfamiliar with it.

While the origins of the Transfusion are shrouded in mystery, it seemed to first appear around the mid-20th century and has been irrevocably associated with golf since. A popular unfounded tale credits former President Dwight D. Eisenhower as the drink's creator, although no evidence supports this theory.

According to Eric Bandauski, assistant director of food and beverage at Pinehurst Resort, North Carolina, the drink has been synonymous with the golf scene since the 1950s. Its uplifting effect and dark red to purple color have led to a common perspective that this cocktail is as revitalizing as a blood transfusion. Sherard Rogers, food and beverage director at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, mirrors this sentiment. Bandauski further attributes the beer's widespread acceptance to golf’s burgeoning younger demographic.

The minty beverage is a ubiquitous feature on golf course drink menus, with canned options emerging from companies like FORE Craft Cocktails, Link’s Drinks, and Cutwater. FORE alone claims to have produced over a million cans of its version since its introduction in May 2021, and it's the best-selling item on the residence bar cart at Tobacco Road Golf Club, Sanford, North Carolina.

The drink's prevalence doesn't stop at beverage sales. Golfing apparel company, Holderness & Bourne, reported that their Transfusion-branded hats have been their best-selling logo accessories for the past four seasons.

Christina McCall, Pinehurst’s director of procurement states the resort sold over 100,000 Transfusions in the last five years and anticipates selling over 20,000 more this year. Echoing this, Rogers says his golf courses sell 'north of 50,000' Transfusions annually.

Despite its golf-oriented popularity, the Transfusion hasn't penetrated mainstream cocktail culture yet. Bandauski believes its simplicity and quick preparation, making it suitable for golf courses, might be why it hasn't quite made it to mainstream bars. But he encourages cocktail enthusiasts to inquire about it at local bars, with the drink's main limitation being the availability of grape juice - cranberry juice isn't a valid substitute.

Those looking to shake things up can create a 'Confusion' by swapping vodka for tequila. Bandauski's team at PL8TE, a Pinehurst eatery, replace ginger ale with ginger beer and add muddled mint and fresh lime juice making for an equally delightful, slightly spicier, less sweet variant.

So, next time you're in the mood for a light and crisp highball, consider giving the Transfusion, a golf-inspired delight, a try. "If you know, you know," says Rogers, "and once people try a Transfusion, they realize, 'This is a great drink.'"