UNC graduates offer advice for surviving senior bar golf

Seniors may be putting on their polos and visors, but they’ll be grabbing drinks instead of golf putters.

The most unofficially official event for the UNC senior class — senior bar golf — will start around 10 p.m. tonight. The event isn’t actually a game of golf, but rather similar to a bar crawl, involving several bars on and around Franklin Street. However, preppy country club attire is encouraged.

UNC graduate (and former DTH assistant editor) Ryan Schocket’s advice to seniors participating this year is to heavily pregame beforehand since the lines to get into the bars to buy drinks are usually long. Despite this, he said he enjoyed himself.

“I’m pretty sure I had a good time,” he said.

Schocket said people shouldn’t worry that they look ridiculous, but rather enjoy the time with friends and fellow classmates.

“Get into it,” he said. “Don’t act too cool.”

Fellow UNC (and DTH) graduate Kendall Bagley also participated last year as a senior. She said she had an overall positive experience, but things were chaotic at times, especially with the lines and number of people.

“It was a super fun experience, but it was also one of the most hectic nights I’ve had,” she said.

Bagley and her group, however, were fortunate enough to be able to attend about half of the bars on the list — an impressive feat in itself.

“It’s not even possible to get to every bar unless that’s your specific goal,” she said.

Golfers are given out “score cards,” which award points for the number and types of drinks you consume at each bar. Like the real game of golf, those with the fewest points win.

However, Bagley said points don’t really matter at the end of the night.

They also have the chance to bring a caddy — usually a junior — who must still be of legal drinking age. The caddy is meant to help the golfer finish their drinks to get the proper points.

Bagley’s advice to participants is to start early. Choose a select few bar favorites to spend more time at later on.

“Don’t follow your normal night-out routine,” she said.

Senior Marisa Chayavivatkul, who plans on bar golfing, said she is looking forward to spending time with friends before the school work begins to pile on at the end of the year.

“I’m really excited because it’s kind of the last time before everything gets hectic,” she said.

Bar golf is one of the last chances for many in the senior class to collectively go out at the same time before graduation.

“It’s a night that’s designated to seniors, almost like a ‘thank you,’” Schocket said.

@MariaMullis2017

swerve@dailytarheel.com