Outside of PGA players, the other golfers who receive significant attention when they hit the course are the Presidents of the United States. Their handicaps are scrutinized, someone always complains about how much they play and how much it costs the U.S. taxpayers. However, you must admit, being the leader of our great nation can be a pretty stressful job, and spending a few hours on the links can be a great way to clear their head or simply think things through while getting some fresh air.
In honor of President’s Day Weekend, here are some fun facts about our Presidents and golfing.
The first President to play golf was William Howard Taft (1909 – 1913) and he was known for playing each hole to the very end.
Woodrow Wilson (1913 – 1921) is known for playing more than a 1,000 rounds while he was in office, although rarely broke 100. He would have done well playing in Jackson Hole as he won’t let the snow stop him from playing. He painted his golf balls black so he could see them in the snow.
Did you know that Franklin D. Roosevelt (1933 – 1945) was an avid golfer until he contracted polio at 39 years old? During college, he won the Campobello Island Golf Club championship. He also helped to fund many golf-oriented organizations which are still in existence today.
Dwight Eisenhower (1953 – 1961) loved the game so much, he had the first putting green constructed the White House lawn. He was said to have left many cleat marks on the White House floor. Eisenhower and the late Arnold Palmer were good friends and during his tenure, the number of golfers in the U.S. doubled.
John F. Kennedy (1961 – 1963) had a fluid and powerful swing, but kept it on the low down. He kept his golf outings limited for press reasons as it was deemed a sport of privilege at the time.
Gerald Ford (1974 – 1977) was the first United States President to join the USGA and was an honorary chairman of the President Cup in 1994. Ford didn't excel at golf, but his overall contributions to the sport are well remembered.
George H.W. Bush (1989-1993) came from a strong golfing family and played “speed golf.” Any round that was over three hours was too long! His grandfather, George Herbert Walker, was president of the USGA and founded the Walker Cup. His father, Prescott Bush, also was a USGA president. The President was inducted to the World Golf Hall of Fame for his dedication to the game.
Bill Clinton (1993 – 2001) demonstrated his love for the game by reinstalling the White House putting green after Nixon had it removed. As President in 1995, Clinton joined George H.W. Bush, Bob Hope and Gerald Ford in a pro-am to comprise perhaps the most powerful foursome in golf history. With the help of the Clinton Foundation, Bill has left his legacy in the PGA Tour’s Humana Challenge.
George W. Bush (2001-2009) While he was an excellent athlete and golfed, he wasn’t as dedicated as his father. He played to a 15-handicap before giving up golf at the outbreak of the Second Iraq War. When he left office, he did take the game up again and established the Warrior Open, which honors U.S. servicemen.
Barack Obama (2009-2017) The first left-handed President to play the game of golf, he played as much has he could at the Ft. Belvoir and Andrews Air Force base courses.. He invited Rory McIlroy to dinner at the White House in 2012 when the Northern Irishman was first ranked no. 1 in the world.
Donald J. Trump (2017 – present). Trump is an avid golfer and has many golf courses with the Trump moniker. A lifelong golfer, he was already made news playing in Florida and we expect to see him on the course regularly.
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