A John Daly is an alcoholic Arnold Palmer made with vodka.
The cocktail combines vodka with lemonade and iced tea, making it the boozy counterpart to the non-alcoholic Arnold Palmer. Its name is a playful reference to American golfer John Daly and echoes the drink’s golf-themed predecessor.
The drink became popular at Whiskey Creek Golf Course in Fort Myers, Florida, during Daly’s 2005 appearance at the Dirty Gator Open. Bartender Daton Lewis is credited with popularizing the name there. Daly later objected to commercial use of his name without authorization and formed GIASI Beverage Company with two friends in 2010; an official bottled cocktail reached the market in 2013.
Vodka is the defining spirit in the standard version, although recipes can use sweet-tea vodka for extra tea flavor. Do not confuse it with the Lee Trevino, or Juan Daly, which uses tequila instead. A Southern-Style John Daly is another variation made with bourbon and mint.