Donald Trump vs Joe Biden vs Barack Obama: Ranking the Better Golfer As Per Their Handicap

U.S. presidents love golf. Bill Clinton, Gerald Ford, John F Kennedy, and so many former presidents indulged in the sport. How can we forget to add Donald Trump, Barack Obama, and current President Joe Biden to the list? The fact that they took jabs at each other’s golfing skills, specifically their handicap scores, makes things even more interesting.

Did you know that Biden claimed he had a handicap score of six during his vice-presidential days, which was dismissed by Trump? Donald Trump added a few more words about Biden’s golf skills, stating, “He can’t hit a ball 50 yards,” which led to a back-and-forth exchange. Finally, Biden proposed an on-course face-off, saying, “I’d be happy to have a driving contest.”

The exchange was surely heated, but this is not the first time that the two have had an interaction about the sport. A few months ago, the world witnessed something slightly positive in their conversation. When Donald Trump shared the interesting accomplishment of winning two titles in a week, Joe Biden was quick to congratulate him. The 46th POTUS shared a screenshot of the ex-POTUS’s post and tweeted, “Congratulations, Donald. Quite the accomplishment.” 

The interaction reinforced the notion that golf is truly a gentleman’s sport at its core. While many things have changed in the last three presidential terms in the USA, one thing that has remained constant is that the leaders shared a love for golf. From Barack Obama to Donald Trump and Joe Biden, it is interesting that while political opinions may divide these top officials, golf seems to unite them.

It will surely be interesting to compare these power-holders’ golfing skills. So in the realm of this competitive sport, who among the last three presidents has the best handicap to their rescue?

Comparing the last three presidents on the basis of their golf handicaps

A handicap score is an apt method of judging the golfing prowess of the players. The lower one’s handicap score, the better their game. Considering how golf is not just a game but also a mental test of several levels, building its base strongly upon morality and efficiency, it is a good metric to evaluate some great leaders.

After all, in Donald Trump’s inspired words, “You learn a lot about people playing golf: their integrity, how they play under pressure.” Thus, in our effort to calculate which recent president has the upper hand in terms of the holistic sport, a comparison using handicap scores would be ideal.

3. Barack Obama

The 44th President, Barack Obama, has an honest handicap of 13. However, that is much better than his initial 17-handicap when he took office. “I think my irons are good, my drive is straight but unimpressive in length, and my putting’s decent, chipping is okay… My sand game is terrible,” he shared in 2016.

The first African-American president in US history was also the first left-handed golfer and president. He played several hundred rounds of golf in his eight-year-long term as the official representative of the nation. However, in comparison to his two successors, he has the highest handicap, which means that Biden and Trump have bested him in this arena.

2. Joe Biden

Joe Biden is the second-best president amongst the ones in discussion in terms of golfing prowess, with a handicap of 6.7, as per the last known sources. The 81-year-old has not been seen playing golf in almost half a decade. His love for the game took off more than two decades ago, in 2001.

He even has golf club memberships in Wilmington and Delaware. However, despite holding the office presently, he does not hold the title of being the very best golfer-president.

“I don’t know about you, but if you want to keep your handicap in golf, don’t run for president,” Biden once said.

1. Donald Trump

Donald Trump’s love for golf is not hidden from anyone following the game. Trump’s love for the sport knows no bounds, from building some top properties that cater specifically to golf through the Trump Organization to polishing his own game on their greens.

He has a dedicated, self-announced handicap of 2.8, making him the sharpest golfer-president that the nation has seen to date. He has also been ranked as the Oval Office’s best golfer. Trump also has several club championships to his name, with his recent two spreading much controversy. His low handicap is, thus, a product of interest, dedication, and pure practice.

UPDATE: The 2024 presidential election debate between Trump and Biden garnered a lot of attention from the golf world. Trevor Immelman shared his excitement and tweeted three simple words. “Everyone loves golf.” Bryson DeChambeau, the true entertainer he is, did not wait to capitalize on the opportunity to bring the two politicians onto the greens and his YouTube channel. He posted on his X handle, “Let’s settle this whole handicap debate. I’ll host the golf match on my YouTube @realDonaldTrump @JoeBiden.”

It was not only American golfers who reacted to the incident; golfers from across the pond also had something to say. One of them was British pro-Lee Westwood, who commented, “That was a tough debate to watch.”

One takeaway from the debate was that Trump is extremely confident in his golfing skills, as he stated, “I’m in as good a shape as I was years ago.” Who do you think is the better golfer: Biden, Obama, or Trump? Let us know your thoughts below.