Kalen,
people tend not to go out drinking at golf clubs since drink driving became unacceptable socially. As for using taxis this is more usual in cities but out in the sticks they are just too expensive plus many cabbies do not want half cut punter throwing up in the back of their taxi.
As for a pub culture, up here around me it is a desert with no decent pubs to speak of. I have to travel 25 mins by car to find a decent one with good beer and a bit of atmosphere. I take a slightly different view to some of the others when it comes to pubs shutting. Where I grew up and spent my early post school years we have a really good pub/real ale scene with lots of different excellent pubs. In my village with just over 2000 people we has over a dozen pubs and bars supported by many of the locals from the surrounding area. It is a drinking culture where you went to have a chinwag and a few pints a few times a week.
People walk, take the bus or taxi or sponsor a driver. The drink driving and smoking ban had little or no effect.
Up here many of the local drink to get smashed. Once there was super cheap alcohol available from the supermarket I guess most bought there and drank it elsewhere. Dingwall with 4500 people has 4 pubs and bars none of which are any good.
Having said that, on the couple of nights I've sampled the Glaswegian nightlife with Mr. Carlton there were several decent pubs and pints on offer so I guess it might be more this area.