By Christopher Filkins
For decades, the relationship between cannabis and country clubs was defined by furtive teenagers ducking behind sand traps, groundskeepers turning a blind eye to the smell of “grass” mixing with fresh-cut grass. A possession charge could ban you from these manicured greens forever, your membership revoked faster than you could yell “fore!” The idea that cannabis professionals would one day stride through the front entrance, registration paid and tee times booked, would have seemed as unlikely as…well, Budweiser sponsoring outlaw bikers.
Yet here we are. In New England, a bastion of old money and traditional values, the TeeHC Open has been quietly rewriting the rules since 2022. Over 300 cannabis professionals now gather annually not in some warehouse on the industrial edge of town, but on the fairway itself, where dispensary owners and product brands discuss multi-state operations between putts and raise thousands for charity over post-round drinks.
The transformation from contraband to country club didn’t happen overnight, and understanding its trajectory requires looking at another unlikely American success story.
The Sturgis Blueprint
In 1938, nine motorcycles raced through the Black Hills of South Dakota. Led by Clarence “Pappy” Hoel, what began as the Black Hills Motor Classic would eventually become the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, today drawing 700,000+ attendees and generating nearly $800 million in annual tourism revenue.
But Sturgis didn’t grow on chrome and leather alone. When Budweiser planted its flag at the rally in the 1970s, everything changed. The beer giant didn’t just hang banners; it created experiences, brought the Clydesdales, and essentially told mainstream America that outlaw bikers were consumers worth courting. That partnership provided Sturgis with both cash flow and cultural legitimacy, transforming a regional curiosity into a global phenomenon.
The lesson? Outsider cultures become mainstream landmarks when an authentic community meets strategic sponsorship. …
Read More
Author: High Times Contributors / High Times
