Obama's golf obsession

By Dave Tindall Last updated: 9th November 2009

I have US politics and golf on the brain at the moment.

I'm currently reading "The Secret Man - The story of Watergate's Deep Throat" whilst I'm still rueing the fact that Alvaro Quiros failed to win the European Open on Sunday after I followed Matt Cooper's advice to back him at 40/1 (did someone get to the Spaniard before he teed off on 18?).

So it was somewhat appropriate that the first picture I saw on Getty Images this morning was one of Barack Obama shaking hands with his golf partners after returning to the White House after a Sunday round in Virginia.

Obama is the latest US President to fall in love with the game and according to an Associated Press report it was his "fourth golf outing in about five weeks".

Blimey. He plays more than I do.

Then again, I've a young family to keep me busy whereas he only has to run the world's foremost superpower.

Good job he slipped in a round on Sunday though as he seems fairly busy this week.

The AP report states: "It's all back to business on Monday, when Obama plans to deliver an address about the auto industry. The following day he begins a five-day journey to Europe and the Mideast."

I, meanwhile, need to do a supermarket run and tidy up the garden a bit.

Having seen the YouTube footage of Obama swinging a club in Hawaii and the odd picture of him riding a golf cart, I decided to do a search for any other golf-related photos of the President and there's some excellent stuff in the archives.

Worthy of a photo gallery which you can see by clicking here.

The Daily Telegraph compared Obama's swing with that of ex-President George W. Bush after the YouTube footage appeared and the prognosis was that he has work to do - maybe that's why he's so keen to find slots in his timetable to get a game in.

The Telegraph gave Obama 4.5/10 while George W. scored an impressive 8/10.

"Obama appears nervy as he addresses the ball and then lifts his head before the shot is completed, as he finishes with limp shoulders at odds with his impressive, unshakeable stance behind a podium," said the Telegraph.

"Bush by contrast has a sturdy, almost fluid swing that would not sit uncomfortably with most club professionals."

It suggests it may take a while before Obama has the confidence to look into camera and declare: "Now watch this drive".

Whilst Obama hones his putting skills on the White House lawn (see gallery), it's been fascinating reading about the man who helped reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein break open the Watergate scandal and force another US President, Richard Nixon, to leave the White House in disgrace.

Nixon, too, was a frequent golfer and, as you might expect given his impeachment, there were plenty of allegations about his honesty.

In fact, in the book "First Off the Tee", Don Van Natta Jr. pulls no punches and Nixon features prominently in the section called "Hail to the Cheats".

As does Bill Clinton, whose hand I shook at the 2006 Ryder Cup at The K Club in Ireland - an anecdote I used to enjoy telling until a mate replied: "Urghh, you don't know where it's been."

Probably in a bush (the punning reader has several options here) throwing his ball out and signing for a par.

Anyway, enjoy the President Obama gallery. At the rate he's playing I look forward to doing a brand new one in a few months' time.

Dave Tindall