Biden's Golf Habits: A Presidential Pastime Or Distraction?

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Several US presidents have been known for their love of golf, and Joe Biden is no exception. Biden, who was an avid golfer in his younger years, played his first round of golf as president on April 17, 2021, at the Wilmington Country Club in Delaware. This was his first round since 2018, and it marked a significant departure from his predecessor, Donald Trump, who had already played 19 rounds in his first 100 days in office. While Biden's golfing habits are less frequent, they have still sparked interest and commentary, especially in comparison to other presidents known for their golfing passions, such as Trump, who used the golf course as an extension of the Oval Office to conduct business and forge political relationships.

Characteristics Values
Number of times Biden played golf in his first 100 days as president Once
Date of Biden's first golf game as president April 17, 2021
Location of Biden's first golf game as president Wilmington Country Club, Delaware
People Biden played with during his first golf game as president Senior advisor Steve Ricchetti and Ron Olivere, father-in-law of Biden's late son Beau
Biden's handicap index Just over 6
Year Biden last logged an official round before becoming president 2018
Biden's opinion on Trump's golf setup in the White House "What a f*ing ahole."

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Biden played golf once in his first 100 days as president

Golf has long been a favourite pastime of presidents, with varying relationships between the leaders of the free world and the sport. Joe Biden, an avid golfer in his younger years, has not played much since moving into the White House. In fact, Biden played golf only once in his first 100 days as president.

On April 17, 2021, Biden played a round of golf at the Wilmington Country Club in his home state of Delaware. He was joined by White House advisor Steve Ricchetti and Ron Olivere, the father-in-law of his late son, Beau. This was Biden's first time playing golf since taking office in January of that year, and his first official round since 2018.

Biden's predecessor, Donald Trump, had a notably different relationship with golf. Trump played golf frequently during his presidency, totalling over 300 rounds in his four years in office. By his 100th day in office, Trump had already visited golf courses 19 times, a stark contrast to Biden's single outing. Trump was known to use the golf course as a place to conduct business and forge political relationships, whereas Biden's round was more of a casual affair.

While Biden's golfing habits may have changed since his younger days, he has maintained that he could have beaten Trump on the links. During their rivalry, claims of who had the superior game even came up in their one and only debate in June 2024. Biden claimed that he had gotten his handicap down to six when he was vice president, a statement that Trump disputed.

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Biden's predecessor, Trump, played golf 19 times in his first 100 days

While Biden has been known to play golf, he has not been as avid a golfer as his predecessor, Donald Trump. Trump played golf 19 times in his first 100 days in office, visiting golf courses in Northern Virginia and Florida. This was more than any other president in recent years, including Barack Obama, whom Trump had criticised for playing too much golf.

Trump's approach to golfing stood out as he used the golf course as a place to conduct business and forge political relationships. He defended his actions as "exercise", but critics accused him of neglecting his duties as president.

On the other hand, Biden played golf once in his first 100 days as president, at the Wilmington Country Club in his home state of Delaware. This was on April 17, 2021, his 87th day in office, along with White House advisor Steve Ricchetti and Ron Olivere, the father-in-law of his late son, Beau.

Biden, who was a solid golfer in his younger years, had a different perspective on Trump's golf habits. He joked about Trump's golf habits and claimed that he could have beaten him in a game.

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Biden played golf at the Wilmington Country Club in April 2021

Joe Biden played golf at the Wilmington Country Club in Wilmington, Delaware, in April 2021. This outing marked his first time playing golf as president, and it occurred during his first 100 days in office. Biden played with senior advisor Steve Ricchetti and Ron Olivere, the father-in-law of his late son, Beau.

Biden is a member of the Wilmington Country Club and played golf frequently as vice president. According to the United States Golf Association, his handicap index is just over 6. However, he had not logged an official round since 2018.

Biden's predecessor, Donald Trump, played golf frequently, totaling over 300 rounds during his four years in office, including during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Trump criticised then-President Barack Obama for playing golf while in office, but he far outpaced Obama's record. Trump's approach to golf stood out for using the course as a place to conduct business and forge political relationships.

Biden, on the other hand, has played golf sparingly since taking office. His April 2021 outing was his first and only round of golf during his first 100 days as president. This contrasts sharply with Trump, who visited golf courses 19 times during the same period at the beginning of his term.

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Biden is a member of the Wilmington Country Club

While Biden has not been as public about his love for golf as his predecessors, he is, in fact, a member of the Wilmington Country Club. In 2014, when he was vice president, Biden joined the Greenville, Delaware club, where his eldest son, Beau Biden, was already a member. Biden's membership was advertised in March, and the club's June newsletter listed "Joseph and Jill Biden" as new members.

Biden is also a member of the Fieldstone Golf Club in Wilmington, Delaware, which was founded by Lisa Dean Moseley. He has been a member for over two decades, thanks to the membership that chemical fortune scion Lisa Moseley gifted him. Biden's membership in the exclusive club was under FBI scrutiny in 2007, as the owner waived the $34,000 joining fee, and they were probing whether Biden had received a monetary benefit that he should have disclosed in his financial reports. However, the secret probe did not result in any allegations of wrongdoing.

Biden has been known to play at Fieldstone in Greenville, and in 2011, Golf Digest ranked him as the 29th best golfer in Washington, with a 6 handicap. Biden's love for golf is evident, as he joked to reporters after finishing his first round as president, "The course record was still intact." However, Biden tends to stick to playing with family members or close friends, such as Ron Olivere, who was the late Beau Biden's father-in-law, and grandson Hunter Biden.

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Biden's golfing ability was mocked by former Ohio Gov. John Kasich

Golf has been a favourite pastime of many US presidents, including Dwight Eisenhower, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump. Joe Biden, too, has played golf, but his ability has been called into question by former Ohio Governor John Kasich.

Biden played golf for the first time as president on April 17, 2021, at the Wilmington Country Club in his home state of Delaware. This was his first round of golf since 2018, and it was also his first and only time playing golf in his first 100 days in office, a stark contrast to Trump, who visited golf courses 19 times in the same period.

Biden, who was once an avid golfer, has a handicap index of just over 6 according to the United States Golf Association. However, his golfing ability was mocked by Kasich, who said at the GOP convention, "Joe Biden told me that he was a good golfer. And I've played golf with Joe Biden". This comment from Kasich suggests that he disagrees with Biden's self-assessment as a good golfer and that Biden's golfing skills may not be as strong as the president believes them to be.

Biden himself has commented on his golfing abilities, claiming that he could have beaten Trump on the links and even needling the former president for being less than honest about his golf score. Biden also stated that he got his handicap down to 6 when he was vice president. Despite Biden's claims of golfing prowess, his infrequent playing and Kasich's mockery suggest that his skills may not match his confidence in them.

Frequently asked questions

Yes, Biden played golf for the first time as president on April 17, 2021, at the Wilmington Country Club in Delaware.

Biden played golf once in his first 100 days in office.

Yes, Biden was an avid golfer in his younger years and played frequently as vice president.

Biden's handicap index is just over 6, according to the United States Golf Association. However, he has not logged a round since 2018.

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