PROFILES IN GOLFAGE
(Men's Journal) Nearly every U.S. president in the past 110 years has hit the links. Here, the best and the worst of the pack.
The Leaders
President Donald Trump
Huge off the tee for a man his age and with a weird-but-deadly putting style. Trump is the best golfing POTUS by three or four shots a round. Known to snarf down a few hot dogs during a round, he doesn't bet much, preferring to play for bragging rights.
President Dwight D. Eisenhower
The first to be known as First Golfer, Arnold Palmer's pal played more than 800 rounds during his two terms in office and even put a putting green on the White House lawn. Decent player, lousy putter, a fiery competitor who'd fight like hell to win a $1 bet.
President John F. Kennedy
JFK player golf for Harvard and struck as pure a ball as any president, but his bed back kept him off the course. So did his politics: It was bad optics for a Democrat to be seen playing a rich man's game.
The Duffers
President Woodrow Wilson
The golf-craziest president played more than 1,000 rounds during his two terms, including several in midwinter, using balls painted black so he could see them in the snow. And, still, he sucked: or Wilson, a bogey was a good score.
President Calvin Coolidge
Silent Cal seldom played a par-4 hole in less than 10 shots, and grew so discouraged with the game that he left his clubs at the White House when he finished his second term, in 1929.
President Richard Nixon
A third-string football player in college, Nixon dutifully took up golf as Eisenhower's Vice President. He became a decent player, even made a hole in one at the Bel-Air Country Club. In ] 1978, after years of trying to break 80, he shot a 79 and quit forever.
The Speedster: President George H.W. Bush -- Bush 41 wasn't much of a golfer, but what he lacked in talent he made up for in speed. Zooming from hole to hole in a souped-up cart and smacking shots without practice swings. Poppy could play 18 holes in about two hours while shooting in the 80s.
The Leaders
President Donald Trump
Huge off the tee for a man his age and with a weird-but-deadly putting style. Trump is the best golfing POTUS by three or four shots a round. Known to snarf down a few hot dogs during a round, he doesn't bet much, preferring to play for bragging rights.
President Dwight D. Eisenhower
The first to be known as First Golfer, Arnold Palmer's pal played more than 800 rounds during his two terms in office and even put a putting green on the White House lawn. Decent player, lousy putter, a fiery competitor who'd fight like hell to win a $1 bet.
President John F. Kennedy
JFK player golf for Harvard and struck as pure a ball as any president, but his bed back kept him off the course. So did his politics: It was bad optics for a Democrat to be seen playing a rich man's game.
The Duffers
President Woodrow Wilson
The golf-craziest president played more than 1,000 rounds during his two terms, including several in midwinter, using balls painted black so he could see them in the snow. And, still, he sucked: or Wilson, a bogey was a good score.
President Calvin Coolidge
Silent Cal seldom played a par-4 hole in less than 10 shots, and grew so discouraged with the game that he left his clubs at the White House when he finished his second term, in 1929.
President Richard Nixon
A third-string football player in college, Nixon dutifully took up golf as Eisenhower's Vice President. He became a decent player, even made a hole in one at the Bel-Air Country Club. In ] 1978, after years of trying to break 80, he shot a 79 and quit forever.
The Speedster: President George H.W. Bush -- Bush 41 wasn't much of a golfer, but what he lacked in talent he made up for in speed. Zooming from hole to hole in a souped-up cart and smacking shots without practice swings. Poppy could play 18 holes in about two hours while shooting in the 80s.
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