Joel Dahmen’s fame outpaces his stats. The PGA tour pro has one win and 22 top-10 finishes—impressive feats to be sure—but it was his turn on Netflix’s “Full Swing” that made him a household name. Partly for his relatable, self-effacing nature, and also because he relayed a couple of now-famous moments from last year: taking his shirt off at the 16th hole of the WM Phoenix Open, and slamming a few seltzers between successful qualifying rounds at the U.S. Open.
More recently, Dahmen has teamed up with The Finnish Long Drink, a brand that introduced the wildly popular long drink to U.S. consumers. In Finland, long drinks are traditionally made with gin and sparkling citrus, and served on tap at bars all over the country. It was born in 1952, when the government needed to create a drink that was both delicious and quick to serve during the Summer Olympics in Helsinki. It has since become Finland’s top-selling drink.
Dahmen was the face of The Finnish Long Drink’s Pantsdrunk for Cancer campaign. Kalsarikännit (or “pantsdrunk”) is the Finnish tradition of drinking at home while lounging in your underwear. So, the campaign donated $10 for each social media post that depicted someone enjoying a long drink sans pants.
Dahmen was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2010, so it’s a cause that hits close to home. He and his wife Lona started the Dahmen Family Foundation to raise funds for charities benefiting children and families through golf. The campaign is over now, but people can still donate to the foundation.
I caught up with Dahmen while he was in Austin to participate in the Shortie’s Classic, an annual nine-hole golf tournament at the Butler Pitch & Putt, a course that’s about as far removed from a tour-ready track as you can get. Dahmen talked about his new partnership with The Finnish Long Drink and life after “Full Swing.”
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