If anything was clear from the recent presidential debate, it’s that golf is everywhere. It was also clear that a good golf-related barb can get under your skin as much or more than the main political issue.
Donald Trump and Joe Biden held a presidential debate ahead of November’s general election. Among the most serious issues on the political and economic agenda, golf came up most naturally in the debate.
This is no coincidence, as both Trump and Biden are known golf amateurs. The former boasts a 2.5 handicap, while the latter claims a 6.7. These are the official USGA records, although not everyone is convinced that they accurately reflect reality.
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Golf in the Presidential Debate
It all started when Donald Trump was asked during the presidential debate about his capability to serve as president given his age. It was a question formulated out of voter concern.
Trump said:
“Well I took two tests, cognitive tests, I aced them both of them as you know we made it public. He [Joe Biden] took none, I’d like to see him take one, just one, a real easy one like go through the first five questions, he couldn’t do it, but I took two cognitive tests, I took physical exams every year and you know we knock on wood wherever we may have wood that I’m in very good health.”
Of course, Trump found no better example to illustrate his physical fitness than one associated with golf. Here’s how he put it during the presidential debate:
“I just won two Club championships. Not even Senior, two regular Club championships. To do that, you have to be quite smart and you have to be able to hit the ball a long way, and I do it.”
The opportunity presented itself to tug at President Biden’s golfing feelings, and Trump didn’t miss it.
“He doesn’t do it,” Trump said, “he can’t hit a ball 50 yards, he challenge me to a golf match, he can’t hit a ball 50 yards.”
A veteran golfer like Joe Biden would never take such a jab without firing back, and the current occupant of the White House tried to heat things up by immediately posing for a golf duel:
“I’d be happy to have a driving contest with him,” Biden said. “I got my handicap which when I was vice president down to a six.”
Such boasting by Biden drew laughter from his opponent. The president turned to Trump and escalated his challenge to settle the matter directly on the golf course:
“By the way, I told you before, I’m happy to play golf with you if you carry your own bag, think you can do it?”
At that point, Trump interrupted Biden to appeal to his “maturity”:
“That’s the biggest lie that he’s a six handicap of all…I’ve seen your swing I know your swing…let’s not act like children.”
Presidential debates are usually entertaining, if not always useful. The one between Joe Biden and Donald Trump should at least prove, if there was any doubt, that golf is everywhere.