Massachusetts soon may cease being one of only two states that prohibits golfers from purchasing alcoholic beverages on golf course grounds, the Boston Globe reported July 22.

State lawmakers are considering a bill that would allow municipal officials to license the sale of beer or wine on golf course grounds. At present, only Massachusetts and Alaska do not allow any alcohol sales to golfers during their rounds of play.

The state House and Senate both have approved the local licensing measure, but must do so again before the bill can be sent to Gov. Deval Patrick for his signature. Some courses have ignored the existing law and already place beverage carts at various locations on the course, but there are some golfers who still would not like to see the law relaxed.

"I don't think it has any place out there, to tell you the truth," Joseph Proulx, a golfer at the Juniper Hill Golf Course in Northborough, said of alcohol. "Right now, you can go out with family, you can go out with kids, you can go out with a group of friends, and you don't have to worry about anyone being rowdy."

Some golf course managers believe allowing sales on the course would actually help courses do a better job of controlling consumption, given that some golfers presently try to sneak beverages onto the course. "Without being licensed on the course to sell, you can't monitor and you can't control it if someone stuffs some beers in their golf bag," said Kevin Osgood, president of a company that operates several courses in the area.