Cognizant's 'Beer Trap' marks the legacy of Palm Beach Gardens man who died from cancer

PALM BEACH GARDENS — A family has made a tradition out of sitting on their back porch with signs offering free beer to thousands of golf fans at what is now the Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches.

Deep Chopra’s porch, which fronts the golf course grounds, has become a staple destination at the tournament over the years.

Many attendees make a point to stop by to take photos with the sign — about 8 feet tall and wide – attached to the screen. It features the message “The Beer Trap” in bold letters and has been shown at Cognizant for the past nine years.

Alongside the words is a photo of a brown bear statue that sits just steps away. It marks the area known as “The Bear Trap,” which signifies the tough 15th, 16th and 17th holes at the Champion Course at PGA National.

It is accompanied by two smaller signs, one with the words “free beer yesterday” and the other “free beer tomorrow.”

Many say it is a trap indeed — Chopra doesn’t actually give out free beer.

He did for two tournaments in 2016 and 2017 until tournament staff asked him to stop because his free beer competed with those for sale elsewhere on the course.

To Chopra, the practice is much more than a running joke. It is a nod to the legacy of his former neighbor, Larry, who died around four years ago from pancreatic cancer.

Larry was the first to sit outside with the signs in his backyard when the four-day tournament came around each year. He did it for five years.

“When my friend passed away, his wife told me that I was the only one she would trust to take care of the signs and present them on the right occasion every year,” said Chopra, 50. “So she gave them to me and we’ve been displaying them ever since.”

Chopra and Larry played golf together every chance they got, usually twice a week.

“We really enjoyed each other’s company,” Chopra said. “We complemented each other in golf because he was left-handed and I am right-handed.”

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Chopra is an avid golf player and fan of the Cognizant tournament.

“I thought golf was just for older people, but I wish I started playing earlier,” Chopra said. “I love the atmosphere of being out on the greens with friends. It's just so peaceful and calming to me.”

Chopra plans to start a hashtag #TheBeerTrap to bring more attention to the ritual each year and his friend's legacy.

Maya Washburn covers northern Palm Beach County for The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida-Network. Reach her atmwashburn@pbpost.com. Support local journalism:Subscribe today.