The 8 best cigars for golfing, recommended by a cigar expert

Men drinking and playing golf, the best cigars for golfing. — Sugar Golf Balls / Unsplash

Golf and cigars are a fantastic match, like peanut butter and jelly, chips and salsa, or chicken and waffles. You’re outdoors, on the green most of the time, if you’re a good shot anyway, and, hopefully, basking in beautiful weather. So, it’s a great time to light up and enjoy a puff or two between swings or while driving around on a cart. Of course, there’s always the point that you’re usually multi-tasking, so you probably don’t want to light up a super expensive cigar — you won’t get to enjoy it as much. What cigars are good to light up while golfing? You’ll be putting it down a lot, so it needs to burn reliably and offer a relaxing, enjoyable smoke when you do puff, but also, you don’t want it to break the bank and make you feel like you’re missing out if you can’t baby it the whole time.

Let’s discuss.

The best cigars for golfing: Top recommendations

More about the best cigars for golfing

Flavor and experience are essential, but when doing something like golfing, which requires multitasking, you want to choose cigars that burn reliably.

To break that down, you don’t want to baby the cigar while trying to play, relighting it several times, struggling to keep it well-lit, or fussing over it. It should stay lit, burn evenly throughout, and deliver lots of flavor. Moreover, you’ll be putting it down from time to time, maybe even often, to take your swings. So, you can’t go too cheap because cheap cigars aren’t always crafted well, but you don’t want to empty your wallet on an expensive stogie either because it won’t be your primary focus.

I’ve selected some excellent smokes you can light up on the green or while waiting in the rough. These picks should elevate your golfing experience and may even help your stroke.

601 Blue Label Maduro

Strength: Medium to full
Best size for golfing: Prominente

The Maduro wrapper makes this one a bit stronger than some other recommendations, but it’s a perfect late-morning to mid-afternoon smoke. It’s flavorful, not too intense or hot, and well-constructed. You’ll have no problem keeping it lit while doing other things, but every time you return, you’ll get a nice punch of zest. Sure, it’s not golfing, but I like to smoke these when doing yard work or mowing the lawn and want something with a decent amount of kick.

Aganorsa Rare Leaf Reserve Corojo

Strength: Medium
Best size for golfing: Toro

Yes, it’s one of my favorite smokes, so it’s on many of my recommended lists, but that doesn’t make it any less deserving. The Aganorsa Rare Leaf is uniquely blended and delicious, and, well, trust me when I say it’s an experience every time you light one up. Bring one or two of these bad boys on the course, and you’ll have a real good day.

Drew Estate Isla del Sol

Strength: Mellow to medium
Best size for golfing: Churchill

This infused Nicaraguan cigar from Drew Estate features a “Sun-Blessed” or sungrown Sumatra wrapper. That means it has a chocolatey-brown color with a plethora of sweet flavors to complement its look. Rich and creamy coffee and cocoa, an incredible aroma, and one hell of an experience await you. The sweetened cap is just the veritable icing on the cake.

JR Pure Origin Gran Vulcano

Strength: Medium
Best size for golfing: Toro Gordo

I’ve shared it before, but the JR Pure Origin Gran Vulcano is made of tobacco grown in the rich, volcanic soil of Ometepe, Nicaragua. As you might expect, it gives the cigar an incredible flavor you won’t find in many other brands or sticks. I recommend trying it at least once, but if you’re lighting one of these up while golfing, you might want to be careful. It will distract you a little because they’re so good. Even so, you’ll have a great time. Be sure to pack a couple extra for your buddies because once they smell it, they’ll want one, too.

Oliva Serie V Melanio

Strength: Full
Best size for golfing: Churchill or Figurado

Okay, I know I said stay away from full-bodied and stronger cigars while out on the course, but the Oliva Serie V Melanio is an exception. The flavors are dark and delicious, but the experience is not intense. You’ll love it if you pair it with some whiskey, a good pair, or a sweet beverage — like a Pepsi. This is one of those rare cigars that, hands down, will elevate whatever you’re doing, golfing or not.

Perdomo 10th Anniversary Champagne

Strength: Mellow to medium
Best size for golfing: Churchill

It might be mellow and mild but don’t make the mistake of thinking this cigar lacks flavor. The Perdomo Champagne offers a rich profile of flavors that are deep, heartwarming, and incredibly satisfying. Don’t believe me? How do cocoa, cedar, leather, cream, nuttiness, and subtle earth sound? I think it sounds fantastic and delicious, too — I’ve had a few already.

Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real

Strength: Medium
Best size for golfing: Toro or Churchill

Offering a remarkable medium-strength smoke, the Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real is ideal for just about any occasion, including a round of golf. Inspired by the original 1875 run of Romeo y Julieta’s famous cigars, expect a waterfall of complex flavors that aren’t too harsh, spicey, or hot, yet memorable enough to make your day.

Spanish Galleon Classic

Strength: Mild to medium
Best size for golfing: Presidente

Inexpensive and perfect for a regular day’s smoke, the Spanish Galleon Classic is also great out on the greens. If it happens to go out, or you spend a lot of time focused on your game and not the cigar, it’s not a big deal because you’re not emptying your wallet to stock up on these. The Connecticut wrapper and Dominican and Nicaraguan fillers will give you plenty of flavor to ponder while you wait for everyone else to shoot or line up your next shot, whichever comes first.

Bonus: Arturo Fuente Natural

Arturo Fuento Natural best cigars for golfing. — Arturo Fuente

Strength: Mellow to medium
Best size for golfing: Churchill

Okay, okay, I get it. You can’t have a list of great smokes without a Fuente option featured somewhere. Because I didn’t want to commit a cardinal cigar sin, I’ve included the Arturo Fuente Natural as a bonus. It’s a tad expensive for multi-tasking, but that’s okay. And if you smoke one of these on the course, your game will probably improve. If not, you’ll still enjoy it, so it won’t matter.

Get to know our expert

Maduro cigars in a lineup ready to smoke. — Briley Kenney / The Manual

I smoke cigars all the time, and I have many recommendations and plenty of advice to share with others. But none of those things qualify me as an expert. Really, it’s the years of experience, the time I’ve invested in the world of cigars, the excellent connections I’ve made with cigar makers and sellers, and the vast wealth of knowledge I’ve gained during that time. I know what goes into a good cigar, and I’ve certainly earned the right to recommend some to others, whether you’re a beginner and this is your first time smoking or have your own cabinet humidor stocked and maintained. Instead of waxing poetic, I’d rather let my recommendations and advice columns speak for me.