Presidential golf challenge highlights Trump's drive and knowledge of the game
Trump challenges Biden to golf match: 'Did you ever see him swing?'
Former President Donald Trump challenged President Joe Biden to an 18-hole golf match during a rally Tuesday in Doral, Fla.
During his massive rally in Doral, Florida, former President Donald J. Trump challenged President Joe Biden to an 18-hole match at the famed "Blue Monster" course at Trump National Doral. Trump then predicted that it would be one of the most watched golf matches in history.
Adding to the buzz, Trump offered to give Biden 10 strokes per nine holes, or 20 strokes for the round. Anyone who even remotely follows golf knows 20 strokes is a massive gift to an opponent.
To top off the challenge, the former president offered to donate $1 million to the charity of Biden’s choice should the sitting president beat him.
TRUMP CHALLENGES BIDEN TO GOLF MATCH, SAYS HE'LL GIVE $1 MILLION TO CHARITY IF HE LOSES
Of course, to win the money, Biden would have to first accept the challenge. Trump then predicted Biden would decline the challenge. And he did decline. Biden’s campaign spokesman replied that Biden "doesn't have time" to participate in the golf challenge as he is too busy.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump watches his shot from the first tee during the pro-am prior to the LIV Golf Invitational - Bedminster at Trump National Golf Club Bedminster on July 28, 2022, in Bedminster, New Jersey. (Charles Laberge/LIV Golf via Getty Images)
This focus on presidential golf was ignited during the June 27 CNN debate between Trump and Biden. During the debate, Trump spoke of his stamina and mentioned: "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."
Biden then replied that he would be "happy to have a driving contest" with the former president. But apparently … not anymore.
Leaving politics aside – sadly almost impossible to do these days in our hyper-polarized times – as a golfer and as one who follows the game quite closely, Trump’s statement as it pertained to stamina and thinking struck me as worthy and quite relevant. As such, the day after the debate, I reached out to his office.
A few days later, I was invited by Trump to his course in Jupiter, Florida, to chat about golf and then hit the driving range together. We did so on Wednesday, July 10, and it was a remarkable experience.
The driving display the former president put on was jaw-dropping amazing. It simply was. Not only was he able to stripe his drives down the middle at will but shape them left and right. All while consistently hitting them 270 yards and longer.
As was written in Golf Digest several years back, Trump is a "Player." Not only do exceptional golfers know one when they see one, but also note swing patterns. To the point, Golf Digest also reported that Trump "has similarities in the way he moves a golf club to Bobby Jones and Sam Snead."
To put his driving prowess into perspective, let’s look at the average driving distance for male golfers as compiled in a recent USGA and R&A study. Golfers with a handicap between 13 and 20 average 200 yards; Golfers between the high single digits and low double digits average just shy of 220 yards; and Golfers with a handicap below six, average just shy of 240 yards.
At 78 years of age, Trump is still driving the ball as far as many stars on the Champions Tour and some golfers on the PGA Tour. More than that, he is still regularly breaking 80 – and often 70 – from 6,700 to 6,800 yards.
To put that into perspective, anyone who follows the game of golf also knows that the vast majority of fit and regular golfers in their 20s, 30s, and 40s, can’t break 80. Not even close.
Once again, politics aside, Trump truly is a phenom when it comes to the game of golf. While most recreational golfers don’t have a handicap, those who do pale in comparison to Trump’s scores.
The National Golf Foundation calculated that only around 26% of golfers regularly break 90 and only 5% with scores below 80. While it’s hard to get an accurate breakdown because so few golfers have official – and tracked – handicaps, others believe only 20% of male golfers average under 100; only 5% below 90: and only 1% below 80.
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The truth is that golf is an exceedingly hard game to master, and Trump has done that. It is also a sport in which stamina and thinking do play critical roles.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump and Team Captain Sergio Garcia of Fireballs GC are seen on the 18th green during a pro-am prior to the LIV Golf Invitational - Miami at Trump National Doral Miami on October 27, 2022, in Doral, Florida. (Charles Laberge/LIV Golf via Getty Images)
That acknowledged, let’s go back to Trump’s point regarding the importance of golf stamina. Especially in the often-blazing heat of Florida. Even if you are playing 18 from a golf cart, the heat and the terrain of the golf course can still take a toll. Golf stamina is a thing and is relevant.
Lastly, professional golfers will tell you that there is a great deal of thinking on the course. Such as: When you hit your drive, which side of the fairway gives you the best look at the green; when you are hitting your second shot toward the green (on a par 4) which is the "correct" side to miss on if you do miss hit the ball; and last, when you do reach the green, how will the ball break when you putt it, how many breaks are in your line, what is the correct speed to hit the ball, and which side of the cup should you favor?
To be exceptional at the game, you do have to "think" your way around the course.
The driving display the former president put on was jaw-dropping amazing. It simply was. Not only was he able to stripe his drives down the middle at will but shape them left and right. All while consistently hitting them 270 yards and longer.
While we will unfortunately not see that 18-hole challenge between Trump and Biden because the sitting president declined, I still agree with Trump that to play golf at a consistently high level does take stamina and thinking.
Two attributes which are relevant, worthy and needed in any profession.
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Douglas MacKinnon is a former White House and Pentagon official and author of the book: "The 56 – Liberty Lessons from those who risked all to sign The Declaration of Independence."
