LINKS BREWING | PHOTO BY HUCK BEARD

Links Brewing Co. is filling a divot in the saturated beer market by catering directly to golfers.

The Carnegie-based business supplies suds to 16 local courses and makes private-label beers for Allegheny Country Club, St. Clair Country Club, Fox Chapel Golf Club, Chartiers Country Club and Oakmont Country Club, site of the 2025 U.S. Open.

Founder Jeff Becker’s goal is to see Links on tap at the top 50 golf courses in America. For now, he and his business partners — Kylie Shevchik, Matt Mohn, John Bryan and Ed Kilpela — are concentrating on their short game.

PHOTO BY HUCK BEARD

A new, 5,000-square-foot production facility opened in March, quadrupling the company’s beer-making capacity. The Links leaderboard includes crushable options ranging from a summer ale and a cherry wheat to a New England hazy and a pilsner. More tank space allows Becker to play around with different recipes. Mulligans —  batches that aren’t quite up to par, but are too good to dump — are put on tap; if enough people like it, it’ll get a name and be put into rotation.

Links is located in the rough, so to speak, and isn’t licensed as a traditional taproom. But visitors are welcome to drop by for a tour and sampling at The 19th Hole, a lounge nestled between the offices and the brewing equipment. There’s also a pro shop where you can pick up to-go cans and branded merchandise.

PHOTO BY HUCK BEARD

Links shares the building with Tri-State PGA, a section of the Professional Golfers’ Association of America representing Western Pennsylvania, Western Maryland and West Virginia. They’re planning to tee off on a high-tech collaboration this year (but asked that the details be kept quiet, please).

Golf has been a constant in Becker’s life. He met Matt Mohn, his future business partner, at the Highland Country Club in Ross when they were both 8 years old. The historical course closed in 2011, but it lives on through a namesake IPA.

Becker’s burning passion for making beer started at PFE Corp. Fire & Safety, the third-generation family business helmed on the North Side for two decades. In 2017, he set up a 17-gallon brewing system in the basement and churned out liquid gold that was perfect for tee time. As he networked with professional brewers and golfers from across the country, he realized the idea was a hole-in-one.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit and golfing was one of the few activities people could do while social distancing, sales increased. As demand grew, Becker upped his barrel capacity and recruited Shevchik, PFE’s former controller, to help with the day-to-day operations.

Now she runs the place like Rory McIlroy at the 2025 Masters.

Links participates in more than three dozen events a year, including charitable golf outings and beer festivals, where they set up a chipping green next to their booth. They get mobbed by attendees who’d rather sink a pint than a putt.

“Yes, we obviously align ourselves with the world of golf,” Becker says, “but we want everyone to love our beer.”