Golf has an enormous appeal, so much that even some of the world-famous leaders and politicians could not keep themselves from being drawn towards this sport.
Many U.S. presidents enjoyed playing golf. And Dwight D. Eisenhower even went as far as bringing it to the White House lawn.
At the same time as presidents started enjoying golf, they started to be criticized for spending their time on the golf course.
Do you know which US president has played the most rounds of golf during their presidency? Some even own their own golf courses.
10: William Taft
The very first president to play golf while in the white house was William Taft. Taft picked up golfing because he wanted some good exercise that would suit his hefty fame of being a POTUS.
The 27th American president stood out as being one of the zealous golfers. He was the first who took the game so seriously.
Introduced to golf by his brother Henry in 1894, Taft became so addicted to the game that he played daily at their summer home at Murray Bay.
Golf and eating were Taft’s two great passions and needless to say he indulged in both every day. At his best, William Taft carried a 20 handicap.
9: George W.H. Bush (Senior)
This former president wasn’t just an avid golf player but was also best known for his speed on the golf course, as he was known for being a fast player.
He supposedly holds the presidential speed-golf record of 1 hour and 51 minutes for 18 holes. Impressive! And that was with a foursome.
During a speech, while collecting Bob Jones Award Bush said that Golf means a lot to him and the game means friendship, character, and integrity.
And he was lucky enough to be born into a golf family who loves golf from their heart. In 2011 W.H. Bush was introduced to the World Golf Hall of Fame. At his prime he played at a handicap of 11.
8: George W. Bush
The Golf Lineage ran deep for both Senior and Junior Bush. The United States’ 43rd president George W. Bush (Jr) was not able to hit a hole-in-one on the golf course until CEO Ken Hersh along with board members coached the Junior president.
Finally, the president scored his first hole-in-one at the Warrior Open and even posted this news on Instagram.
Bush is said to play at a handicap of 10. And he once shot a 77 at Augusta National.
7: Bill Clinton
The 42nd POTUS Bill Clinton has played more than 400 rounds of golf during his presidency. Clinton was seen fairly inactive on the golf course for some years as he was mobbed with other commitments.
After a break from the greens, Clinton was back. Clinton was known as a huge golf nut and is known for being long off the tee.
However, he isn’t one to follow the rules and regulations and is often seen re-hitting a bad shot. Like Bush, it is said Clinton has got his handicap down to 10.
6: John F. Kennedy
This president secretively played just to avoid the criticism President Eisenhower received for being an elitist.
The 35th president was an eminent golfer. While at the university Kennedy made it into the Harvard golf team. President Kennedy rarely completed the rounds to avoid being spotted.
As he has been critized and called “Duffer in Chief,” because he frequently played golf. He was said to have played at single-digit handicap.
5: Donald Trump
It may seem surprising to some but Donald Trump who had denounced Obama for playing too much golf has surpassed Obama.
Well, the multi-billionaire businessman turned POTUS spent a great deal of time on the course himself.
Donald Trump is an avid golf player and has confessed that “Golf is a part of my business and it means a lot”.
In fact, Trump is ranked as one of the best golfers who lived in the White house. But this business tycoon doesn’t just play golf, he owns several golf courses across the globe.
And spends most of hist time at his own golf club in Sterling. Since becoming president, Trump has played golf more than 300 times.
He has been seen playing with several professional golfers like Tiger Woods, Ernie Els, Rory Mcilroy, Dustin Jonson, and many more… Suzann Pettersen claims that Trump cheats like hell and jokes that if one cheats you in golf he will cheat you in business.
Donald Trump plays at a handicap of 2.8. However, we are not sure if we can trust this.
4 : Barack Obama
Yet another famous American president who is an avid golfer and has reportedly played more than 300 rounds during his two terms in office.
Barack Obama is said to be a left-hander and he was coerced into taking up the sport by the ex-First Lady, Michelle Obama.
Did you know that Obama played golf while he was in high school? The 44th US president often spent his leisure time at the golf course especially during his second term at the white house.
While on vacation, Golf seems to be at the top of the list of Obama’s favorite activities. His Golf partners include comedian Larry David, NBA star Ray Allen and former President Bill Clinton.
Donald Trump even said during a campaign speech said that “Obama plays more golf than a professional who plays for his living”.
Barack Obama has improved his handicap from 23 to 13. Unlike Trump, despite the opportunities to break the rule, Obama prefers to abide by them.
3: Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin was President from 1933 till 1945 and was an avid golfer. Very few people know that in college Franklin became the club champion at Campobello Island Golf Club in New Brunswick, Canada.
According to Don Van Natta, Jr., author of the book “First Off The Tee” Franklin would often play together with other up and coming politicians in Washington.
And he was a terrific golfer and probably one of the better presidential golfers. Unfortunately, at the of age 39 he contracted polio and it robbed him of the game.
As he truly loved the game and missed golf every day of his live. Roosevelt left a legacy with the federal funding of public-works projects included dozens of golf courses like FDR Golf Club in Philadelphia and Bethpage State Park in New York.
2: Dwight D. Eisenhower
The cultural connection between the presidency and golf wasn’t made public until the 34th president of the US, Eisenhower took office.
He was a good pal of legend Arnold Palmer and the two frequently played golf together. The media simply loved covering the president alongside a celebrity athlete.
Eisenhower, an enthusiastic player, is said to be Golf’s Ultimate Ambassador. Eisenhower has played around 800 rounds while he was the commander in chief.
The president would even take practice swings at his workplace with a club in his hand while dictating letters to his personal assistant.
He was a member of several golf clubs including Augusta National where the famous tree “The ‘Eisenhower Tree’” also took his name. President Dwight D. Eisenhower had a handicap of between 14 and 18.
1: Woodrow Wilson
The most avid golfer among the presidents and the one who played more than 1,000 rounds during his presidency is Woodrow Wilson.
Wilson was the King of Golf Course and has played over 1200 during his presidency. The president always tried to find free time from his busy schedule just to play golf.
Wilson has the highest record of playing golf rounds which no US president has been able to beat till date. It’s said that Wilson even played in the snow.
In order for his caddy to find the golf balls he would have them painted black. Over the course, Wilson developed himself into a professional golfer and was in the news almost every other day for his unparalleled sportsmanship.
Did you know that Herbert Hoover, Jimmy Carter, and Harry Truman were the three American Presidents who found golf unsuitable and completely refrained from the sport? With which president would you love to play a round?
