George H.W. Bush and a legacy of golfing American Presidents

JFK to Ford: Swinging Commanders-in-Chief

John F. Kennedy (1961-1963) may have been one of the best athletes among presidents. He was best known as a sailor and for his participation in family touch football games.

But Kennedy was also a golfer, at least to the extent his bad back – the product of war injuries – permitted him to play. As a college student, he played on the Harvard golf team. Like Ike, he could from time to time be seen at Burning Tree, although like Wilson he was low-key about it. In fact, he once publicly criticized Eisenhower as “duffer-in-chief.” The son of one of the nation’s richest men, he came about his fear of being labeled a “privileged rich kid” honestly and as such shunned being seen on the course.

Lyndon Johnson (1963-1969), who became president on Kennedy’s assassination, was, like Coolidge, more of a strategic than committed golfer.  Observers said he lacked a serious game and most frequently took to the course in order to jawbone lawmakers to support legislation he favored.

Richard Nixon (1969-1974) did not play golf until becoming vice president under Eisenhower. Then he from time to time found himself being dragged along as part of political foursomes. Eventually Nixon discovered some fondness for the game, reducing his handicap to around 12 and going so far as to build a three-hole course on the property of his San Clemente, Calif., home. But once Nixon became  enmeshed in Watergate, he quit playing and rarely returned to it. In fact he removed the White House putting green that Ike had installed.

Gerald Ford (1974-1977), who became president when Nixon resigned, was a full-on golf addict. He was also somewhat of a celebrity player, best known following his defeat by Jimmy Carter in 1976 for participating in numerous pro-ams with friends such as comedian Bob Hope. The story is told that  Ford’s first action following the issuance of his pardon of Nixon in August of 1974 was to attend the opening of the World Golf Hall of Fame, where he teed it up with Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Gary Player.

Ford, a skilled athlete who had played college football, was a decent although not great golfer, but he had a well-reported penchant for spraying tee shots…including into galleries. He was a dues-paying member of the USGA, and when the Presidents Cup competition was inaugurated in 1994, Gerald Ford was chosen as honorary chairman.

Jimmy Carter (1977-1981) never played golf, and Ronald Reagan (1981-1989) rarely did, being better known for his fondness for horseback riding.