At Trump-Biden debate, golf dispute produces deeply relatable second

For those who’re in search of debate takes or shrewd political evaluation, you’ve come to the flawed place.

We’re right here to not ruminate over which presidential candidate received the higher of the opposite Thursday evening in CNN’s Atlanta studios however fairly to acknowledge what golfers from sea to shining sea have been texting, tweeting and speaking about within the wake of the much-watched nationally televised occasion: the roughly 30 seconds President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump spent sparring over their respective golf video games. As Charlie Warzel wrote for The Atlantic, “It wasn’t till the point out of Trump’s common distance off the tee that America received a glimpse of two males combating like they’d one thing to show.”

The unlikely golf banter commenced towards the top of the talk when moderator Dana Bash requested Trump about considerations in regards to the age he could be — 82 — on the finish of a possible second time period. In response, Trump stated that he has “aced” two cognitive checks and that he’s in “excellent well being” earlier than claiming that he not too long ago “received two membership championships — not even senior — two common membership championships.” 

Trump gave the impression to be referencing at the very least one of many titles he had posted about on Truth Social in March: “It’s my nice honor to be at Trump Worldwide Golf Membership in West Palm Seaside tonight, AWARDS NIGHT, to obtain THE CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP TROPHY & THE SENIOR CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP TROPHY. I WON BOTH!”

In response to that publish, Biden tweeted in jest, “Congratulations, Donald. Fairly the accomplishment.”

On the podium Thursday night, Trump continued of his golf prowess on the membership stage: “To do this, it’s important to be fairly sensible, and you’ve got to have the ability to hit the ball a great distance. And I do it. He doesn’t do it. He can’t hit a ball 50 yards. He challenged me to a golf match. He can’t hit a ball 50 yards.” Alas, with no Golfzon on the stage, that allegation went unverified.  

Biden replied: “Look, I’d be pleased to have a driving contest with him. I received my handicap, which, after I was vp, right down to a 6. And by the best way, I instructed you earlier than I’m pleased to play golf should you carry your personal bag. Suppose you are able to do it?”

Trump: “That’s the most important lie, that he’s a 6 handicap, of all.”

Biden: “I used to be an 8 handicap.”

Trump (edited for brevity): “Yeah…by no means…I’ve seen your swing, I do know your swing.”

It’s not usually that presidential debate fact-checkers should reference the Golf Handicap and Information Network (GHIN), a handicapping service supplied by america Golf Affiliation that computes and manages the handicaps of roughly 2 million golfers, Biden and Trump amongst them. However it’s additionally not usually that golf takes heart stage in such a high-wattage discussion board. A GHIN search exhibits that Biden, whose house membership is Fieldstone Golf Membership in his house state of Delaware, hasn’t posted a rating in almost six years, however his Handicap Index from his Veep days checks out: 6.7. (Trump, who hasn’t posted a rating in three years, is listed in GHIN as having a 2.5 index taking part in out of Winged Foot Golf Membership, simply exterior New York Metropolis.)

In a debate full of weighty points, from the economic system to abortion rights to the wars in Gaza and Ukraine, nobody will dispute that the sudden pivot to golf was trite and trivial. However it additionally garnered intense publicity. The Washington Post, New York Times and Wall Street Journal all wrote in regards to the alternate. So, too, did Fox News and the Associated Press and Slate and The New Republic and the Los Angeles Times.

If social media was any barometer, Trump and Biden’s golf chirping additionally was not misplaced on a broad swath of the citizens. “THey speaking bout golf im crying braH,” rapper Schoolboy Q tweeted to his 2.5 million followers. Tweeted political pundit Ben Shapiro to his flock of 6.6 million: “Trump hammering Biden on golf is likely one of the funniest issues I’ve ever seen in politics.” Even two-time U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau let it fly, writing, “Let’s settle this complete handicap debate, I’ll host the golf match on my YouTube.”

None of it carries a lot clout, after all — the handicaps, the membership championships, the smash components — or at the very least it shouldn’t when it in the end comes time to deciding the subsequent commander in chief. However to any golfers who’ve debated such frivolous issues about their very own video games, maybe in golf-buddy textual content teams or over grill-room beers, the squabble doubtless resonated as a result of it was so relatable. As former Masters champion and lead CBS golf analyst Trevor Immelman succinctly noted on X, in capturing the swirl across the viral tiff: “Everybody loves golf.”

That may be a stretch. However on the very least the talk did get everybody speaking about golf.

Alan Bastable

Golf.com Editor

As GOLF.com’s government editor, Bastable is liable for the editorial course and voice of one of many recreation’s most revered and extremely trafficked information and repair websites. He wears many hats — enhancing, writing, ideating, growing, daydreaming of at some point breaking 80 — and feels privileged to work with such an insanely gifted and hardworking group of writers, editors and producers. Earlier than grabbing the reins at GOLF.com, he was the options editor at GOLF Journal. A graduate of the College of Richmond and the Columbia Faculty of Journalism, he lives in New Jersey together with his spouse and foursome of youngsters.