Ava Romero
Golf has always been a favourite pastime of presidents, with Donald Trump, Barack Obama, and George W. Bush all playing the sport frequently. Joe Biden, on the other hand, has never professed to be an avid golfer, although he has played occasionally and even received golf lessons from instructor Earl Cooper in 2015. During the 2024 election campaign, Biden and Trump clashed over their golfing abilities, with Trump challenging Biden to a match and claiming that he couldn't hit a ball 50 yards. Despite this, Cooper believes Biden could beat Trump, stating that golf reveals a lot about a person's character.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Is Biden a golfer? | Yes, Biden plays golf. |
| Biden's handicap | Biden's handicap has been reported to be 6.3, 10, or somewhere in between. |
| Biden's golfing frequency | Biden is not expected to play golf as frequently as Trump or Obama due to his age and other commitments. |
| Biden's golfing skill | Trump criticised Biden's golfing ability, claiming he "can't hit a ball 50 yards". However, other sources claim Biden "hits a mean golf ball" and has a "pretty impressive" swing for a pensioner. |
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What You'll Learn
Biden's golfing ability
Joe Biden's golfing ability has been the subject of some speculation, with the US President himself keeping his skills largely under wraps. In contrast to his predecessor, Donald Trump, who frequently played golf and owned the courses he used, Biden has not been as open about his golfing abilities. However, some sources indicate that Biden is a capable golfer, with a reported handicap of 6.3 in 2015, although other reports from the same year estimated it to be a more modest 10. This would still be impressive, considering he only took up the game at the age of 57 back in 2001.
Biden's golfing skills were brought into the spotlight during his first presidential debate with Trump in 2020, where the two men vying to be president of the United States spent part of their debate arguing about who was the better golfer. Trump claimed that Biden "can't hit a ball 50 yards," while Biden's campaign team released a golf-themed video ahead of the election, although it only showed him gently putting a ball without taking a full swing.
Biden has been a member of the Wilmington Country Club in his hometown since 2014, and he played his first round of golf as president at this club in 2021. He has been described as an occasional player and has not visited golf courses frequently since his inauguration. Given his age and the pressing issues on his presidential agenda, it is unlikely that Biden will spend as much time on the golf course as Trump or Barack Obama, who played approximately 333 times during his eight-year presidency.
While Biden has not actively promoted his golfing abilities, he has been reported to hit a "mean golf ball," indicating that he may possess a certain level of skill in the sport. However, his own assessment of his abilities seems modest, as he jokingly commented that the "'course record was still intact'" after an underwhelming round during his presidency.
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Biden's golf courses
While Biden has golfed, he is not a prolific player and has never professed to be an avid follower of the game. Biden's golf courses, therefore, are not as well-known as those of his predecessor, Donald Trump, who frequently visited golf resorts he owned, such as Trump International in West Palm Beach, Florida, and the Trump National course in Potomac, Virginia.
Biden and his wife, Jill, have been members of the Wilmington Country Club in his hometown since 2014. Here, Biden achieved a 10 handicap in 2016, according to the Wilmington New Journal. During his time as vice president, Biden practised on the White House putting green installed by Dwight D. Eisenhower. In 2015, he had a handicap of 6.3, though other reports estimated it to be 10 or 6.7.
In 2021, Biden played at Castlebar, County Mayo, with Kenny at the Taoiseach's home course. This was his first visit to a golf course since his inauguration. Biden has also golfed in the Virgin Islands, where a clip from 2022 showed his swing to be impressive for a pensioner.
Biden's golf game has been a topic of discussion during his presidential debates with Trump, with the latter claiming that Biden "can't hit a ball 50 yards" and challenging him to a golf match. Despite this, Biden has responded to Trump's challenges, stating, "I'd be happy to play golf if you carry your own bag."
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Biden vs Trump golfing rivalry
The rivalry between Biden and Trump has been a highly discussed topic, especially during the 2024 election campaign. The two rivals have taken shots at each other on several issues, including golf.
During his campaign, Biden invited Trump to face off on the golf course, challenging him to a round of golf. Trump, a self-proclaimed "very good golfer", was quick to dismiss Biden's golfing skills, stating that Biden "can't hit a ball 50 yards". He also accused Biden of lying about his golf game, just like he lied about inflation numbers.
On the other hand, Biden, who boasted a handicap of six, claimed he would happily take on Trump but only if the latter carried his own bag. The rivalry between the two golfers escalated during their first televised debate, where they clashed over who was the better golfer. Trump, who has been criticised for spending too much time on the golf course during his presidency, is estimated to have played over 300 rounds of golf during his time in office, mostly at his own courses.
Biden, on the other hand, has not devoted much time to golf since becoming president, with sources suggesting that he hasn't played much in recent years due to his age and pressing issues on his desk. However, Biden's team was quick to highlight Trump's golfing outings, stating that while Biden was campaigning, Trump was "golfing, not campaigning, golfing".
The Biden-Trump golf rivalry has sparked debates among the public and the media, with some questioning Trump's inflated handicap claims and others analysing Biden's swing in recent videos. The rivalry has even led to suggestions that the golf course might be a more suitable arena for the former and current presidents to settle their disputes.
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Biden's golf habits compared to other presidents
Joe Biden is a longtime golfer, and his love for the sport is well-known. However, his golfing habits have sparked some controversy since he took office. The White House has been tight-lipped about how often Biden plays golf, leading to criticism from both sides of the aisle. Some argue that it doesn't matter how much he golfs as long as he gets his work done. Others say that taxpayers deserve transparency if they are footing the bill for presidential travel.
During the 2020 election campaign, one of Biden's strongest arguments to voters was that he wasn't Donald Trump. Biden took aim at Trump's frequent golfing trips during his predecessor's only term in office. However, Biden has also been criticised for a lack of transparency around his own golfing habits. While the exact amount of time Biden has spent on the golf course as president is unknown, it is estimated that he spends less time golfing than his predecessors. By the time Trump was 87 days into his presidency, he had already visited a golf course 19 times, whereas Biden had only played once.
Trump was a fierce critic of Barack Obama's golfing habits while in office, despite playing far more frequently than his predecessor. Trump played around 300 rounds of golf during his four years in office, mostly at his own courses, such as Trump International in West Palm Beach, Florida, and the Trump National course in Potomac, Virginia. This generated much controversy, with critics accusing Trump of neglecting his duties as president. Obama, on the other hand, played around 300 times over two terms, mostly at Andrew Air Force Base near Washington, DC.
Given Biden's age and the pressing issues on his desk, it is unlikely that he will spend as much time on the golf course as Trump or Obama. Biden's interest in golf appears significantly lower than many other US presidents', which may disappoint some sports enthusiasts. However, Biden's approval ratings are based on his job performance, not his golfing habits, and many see his downtime as a way for him to unwind and recharge.
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Biden's handicap
During the 2024 US presidential election campaign, Joe Biden and Donald Trump clashed over golf in a televised debate. Both septuagenarians argued about who was the better golfer. Trump, who has been a vocal critic of predecessors Barack Obama and Biden for their golfing habits, claimed that Biden "can't hit a ball 50 yards". Biden, on the other hand, said he would be "happy to have a driving contest" with Trump and that he had gotten his handicap down to six when he was vice president.
A handicap in golf is a numerical measure of a player's ability and potential based on previous scores and how they would fare against competitors. Better players typically have lower handicaps. A six handicap would mean Biden is better than most amateur golfers, as he would shoot around the low 80s to high 70s, which is generally a solid score.
Given the lack of scores Biden has officially recorded in recent years, the validity of his handicap has been questioned. However, during his time as vice president, he often practised on the White House putting green installed by avid golfer Dwight D. Eisenhower.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Biden is a golfer. He and his wife Jill have been members of the Wilmington Country Club in his hometown since 2014.
Biden's golfing skills are unknown, as he has kept them largely quiet. However, he has been reported to have a handicap of 6.3 or 10.
Biden is not a frequent golfer due to his age and the pressing issues he faces as president. However, he did play golf for the first time as president in April 2021.
During his presidential campaign, Biden argued to voters that he was not Trump, who was known for his love of golf. Biden claimed he would be too busy to play golf as president, but he has since played at least once.
