Five games the club has collected, invented and refined over the years. None of them are compulsory — but they do liven up a Tuesday, and knowing the rules stops you being the only one holding a pint in the wrong hand.
Woodruff is the club’s ongoing drinking game, named after the old club boat.
It is not mandatory, but it helps liven up any social gathering. There are a few
basic rules, so if you are listening carefully then we’ll begin…
Which hand
On even days of the month (ie. 20th, 14th, etc.) you drink with your left hand.
On odd days of the month (ie. 21st, 15th, etc.) you drink with your right hand.
On pub crawls you will be given a list of pubs with either port (left) or starboard (right) next to them, you must use this hand to drink with.
On special occasions (trips etc.) the half hour rule may be invoked. Minutes past the hour are right hand and Minutes to the hour are left hand, unless the reverse half hour rule is invoked, or the 15 minute rule.
Technicals and self-woodruffs
Calling a Woodruff on a person drinking non-alcoholic drinks is a self woodruff on you, so take care!
Calling a false woodruff on a person is a self woodruff on you, so take care!
Licking beer off of the wrong hand is a technical woodruff for whoever did it.
Drinking with no hands or both hands or a straw is a technical woodruff for whoever did it.
Drinking from the wrong hand of someone else is a technical woodruff for whoever did it.
Double (or more) stacking drinks for more than 10mins forces a woodruff on the owner … so get drinking them.
There are also many other technical rules, which you will pick up along the way.
The penalty for a Woodruff is you must down your drink.
Thumbs rule
If a member of the club puts their thumb on the table, everyone else must put the same
thumb on the same table.
No, it doesn’t have to be a thumb — or even a table, for that matter.
And yes, it can be a breast or a willy … if it’s yours.
Golf ball
On occasion a golf ball may be dropped into your drink. This, as they say, is not good.
At times the social sec may designate a different object the “golf ball”, and
it will be announced on the evening.
Down it goes.
Mobile phone abuse
It may well be your boss about a million pound deal. However, if you are caught using one
in a social environment and you are drinking, then you will have to drink up two fingers
worth.
Pub diving — a game inspired and devised by UPSAC
This is a drinking game which was invented some time ago by Giles Eccleston, and developed
and refined by Laura Coombs and Luke Kierman. It was designed as an alternative to Pub
Golf. Diving attire on the pub crawl is optional and can add to the fun, especially when
wearing fins.
The general dive plan
At the start of the evening each person is given a qualification card. This will have the
pub route on it, a copy of the rules and a list of dives. Each dive has a selection of
drinks listed — these are the drinks you must choose from to complete that dive.
Next to each type of dive there are two boxes for you to get signed by your buddy, as
with a log book. The first box is for the first time you complete that dive, and it must be
completed with an instructor or experienced diver, to get new and old members of the club
talking to as many people as possible. The second box is for the second time you complete
that dive, and this can be completed with anyone of any level.
The rules
You must have a buddy for every drink/dive.
You and your buddy must drink the same drink.
You can’t complete all dives with the same buddy.
You can complete as many dives as you like in one pub, but a surface interval between dives is advised.
At least one dive must be completed with a Sports diver or higher.
The second time you do a dive it can be with anyone of any level.
The dives
Tropical Dive: Reef, Cocktails, Bacardi Breezer, Etc.
Ice Dive: Fosters Ice, Smirnoff Ice, Carlsburg Ice, Etc.
Night Dive: A dark drink i.e. Guinness, Black Sambuca, Dark Rum, Etc.
Wreck Dive: A Shot!
Decompression Dive: A Pint followed by a shot!
Low Visibility Dive: Anything you can’t see through i.e. Baileys, Etc.
Extended rules
To add to the complication, there are a few more rules for instructors.
If you are an instructor and you are diving with another instructor, then you must drop
your shot into your pint for a decompression dive. Choose your shot carefully.
The qualification card. Two signature columns: your first go at a dive needs a Sports Diver or higher, the second can be with anyone.
Play along
Club night is every Tuesday
8:30pm at the Brass Monkey. New members always welcome, no diving experience
and no drinking required.
