Permission to Celebrate Summer

A Long New England Winter... and Today's Reality Check

This past winter felt like an absolute marathon, a grueling stretch of freezing temperatures and gray skies that made it feel like warm weather would never actually arrive. We spent months bundled up, waiting for the ground to thaw, our beautiful, rugged fairways to wake up and our greens to heal.

Even now, as I sit here writing this while staring out at an all-day summer-soaking rain, the universe seems determined to test our patience. But despite what today's radar says, the calendar doesn't lie: summer is officially here, the course itself is in great shape, and golfers have absolutely earned the right to trade heavy jackets for something a bit more tropical.

From Tweezers at Shinnecock to Culture Shock in Devens

Two weeks ago, I was on a reporting trip to Shinnecock Hills for the U.S. Open. As a Media Science major who is still very much learning the unwritten, century-old laws of this game, it was a beautiful, terrifying eye-opener. It’s a place of hushed, sacred tones. The grass is manicured with tweezers, the history weighs a million tons, and the overall vibe is very "please do not make sudden movements, breathe too loudly, or make direct eye contact with the leaderboard." I loved the pure, high-stakes drama of it, but it felt like entering an elite secret society where I had to constantly check if my outfit was perfectly conforming to tradition.

Then I came back to Devens, looked at the flyer for July 24th, and experienced a moment of total, wonderful culture shock.

At Red Tail, we are throwing the 2026 Boardshorts & Birdies Open Golf Tournament.

A Glorious Glitch in the Golf Matrix

On paper, if you are a strict golf purist, this event probably makes you roll your eyes in absolute disgust. We are taking a premium, championship layout and explicitly telling people to show up in vibrant Hawaiian shirts, bucket hats, and summer shades. We are turning a game of intense concentration and quiet discipline into a four-person scramble fueled by on-course tasting tents, live grilling right up at the turn, and an authentic Hawaiian Luau BBQ waiting at the finish line.

As a relative outsider, I was initially a little confused. How does a sport pivot from the absolute reverence of a Major championship to a full-blown backyard summer festival on the fairways?

But then the strategy clicked for me. Boardshorts & Birdies is a glorious glitch in the golf matrix. It proves that you can deeply respect the architecture of a spectacular golf course while still wanting to eat a pulled pork slider on the 10th tee. For anyone else who looks at golf from the outside and feels a little intimidated by its stuffy, country-club reputation, this event is the ultimate permission slip to just let loose.

Now, to be clear: we aren’t hauling in dump trucks of sand to build a literal beach like our friends over at Tunxis are doing. Instead, we are leaning into pure, high-energy festival vibes. For one Friday in July, it’s not about agonizing over your handicap or whispering on the greens. It’s about celebrating the sunshine, turning up the music, and enjoying the summer we all waited so patiently for.

We Weighed in, Now It's Your Turn

If you are a total golf traditionalist, I want to hear from you:

Are you genuinely horrified by the idea of tropical shirts on a championship course, or are you secretly already picking out your bucket hat? If you’re a casual player or a total outsider like me, does an event like this actually make the game feel a little more welcoming?

Drop your thoughts in the comments below—let’s settle the debate.

And hey, if you aren't ready to brave the scramble in a floral print just yet, you can still come experience the course the old-fashioned way. The rain is eventually going to stop, the fairways are calling, and you've earned a round.

👉 Book Your Next Tee Time at Red Tail

Ready for Summer's Hottest Golf Event? Pack your best floral shirt, loudest bluetooth speaker, favorite bucket hat and leave the umbrella behind. I'll see you at the luau!

👉 Get Your Tickets for the Boardshorts & Birdies Open at Red Tail!