DOONBEG, Ireland — Former President Donald Trump playing golf at Trump International Golf Links & Hotel in Doonbeg, Co. Clare, during his visit to Ireland on May 4, 2023. | Photo by Brian Lawless/PA Images via Getty Images
Former President Donald Trump is listed as having a 2.5 handicap on the golf course, but from the look of this shot, that’s not likely.
Supposedly, former U.S. President Donald Trump plays to a 2.5 handicap, according to the USGA’s Golf Handicap Information Network (GHIN).
The famous Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, New York, is listed as his home course, but Trump notoriously plays all over the world, mostly at various properties he and his company own.
This past week, Trump was playing one of his courses in California, and one of his shots was caught on video and then posted to social media by Twitter user @rsp3k22.
⛳️ Donald Trump was seen playing golf earlier this week at Trump National Golf Club in L.A.
️ “Trump’s shooting right now, let’s see if he can hit the green…. Oh he shanked it.” ☠️
( – @rsp3k22) pic.twitter.com/gwcX1UBp2q
— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) July 13, 2023
“Trump’s shooting right now. Let’s see if he can hit the green,” the videographer said in the video. “Oh, he shanked it!”
The 45th President faced a short wedge shot from the front of the green.
With a barrage of golf carts behind him, Trump stepped up, made a few waggles with his wedge, and then shanked it!
His ball tricked up to some bushes next to the green, and finally settled to the right of the green-side bunker. He ended up farther from the hole than where he started.
His shot resembled that of a 30-handicapper, not of a golfer that carries a low-single-digit.
Regardless if Trump is fibbing his handicap or not, the reactions to this video are priceless:
He still made a birdie..
— Jim Valentine (@jimpvalentine) July 14, 2023
He’ll thank you for the video. It shows his swing plane spot-on for the practice shot, and then he comes inside and over the top during the actual shot. Wish I had a decent cameraman for my golf!
— Richard Lewis (@R1chard_Lew1s) July 14, 2023
‘What did you have on that hole, Mr Trump?’ ‘Put me down for a 2.’
— The Wandering Golfers (@GolferWandering) July 14, 2023
Famed Sports Illustrated writer and author Rick Reilly wrote a book titled Commander in Cheat in 2019, which details Trump’s idiosyncracies on the golf course.
“Just give me a 4,” Reilly tweeted in response to this video.
The 45th President has plenty of peculiar behaviors on the golf course, with one of them being that he often does not finish holes.
For instance, he will hit a shot onto the green, face a 30-footer, but count that putt as a gimme.
No wonder why he often plays in three hours or less.
Yet, based on this video, maybe the former President should work on his short game.
Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko for more golf coverage. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough too.
