December 23, 1999
Web posted at: 6:18 p.m. EST (2318 GMT)

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- If horse racing is the sport of kings, golf just may be the sport of presidents.

"Golf has been used by presidents and presidential candidates for years. For example, President Eisenhower was the first president in office to really associate himself with golf," said Golf Magazine reporter Harry Hurt. "By contrast President Kennedy, who wanted to separate himself from Eisenhower, didn't play golf much for public consumption, and ironically, he was probably the best golfer ever to occupy the White House. He was able to break 70 and shoot in the low 80's on a consistent basis."

Gov. George W. Bush, right, and his father, former President George Bush, play a round of golf.

Hurt, the author of a new article about Bush's golf game in Golf Magazine, said President Bill President Clinton plays golf every chance he can get. Hurt also said that Bush's father, former President George Bush, often played golf during his presidential term and engaged in a number of sports when vacationing at the family home in Kennebunkport, Maine, including tennis, power boating and horseshoe throwing.

"And I think we can look forward to, if elected, George W. Bush extending the image of the presidential golfer, Hurt said.

In the article, Hurt picks apart the junior Bush's game and the author came away impressed.

"George W. Bush sports a legitimate 15 handicap, which is pretty good considering how little time he has to play the game. And as I say,y it's a legitimate 15 handicap, as opposed to the current resident of the White House whose handicap has been variously estimated at about 15 to 18 to 20," Hurt said. "George doesn't take a lot of mulligans -- that's takeover shots in golf parlance -- and he's also good about keeping his score accurately. He's also good about paying his bets when he loses, as I learned from one of his recent golf partners."

Bush shares his type of golf play with his father, who served in the Oval Office from 1989 to 1993.

"George W. Bush and his father, President Bush, play what they call polo golf, cart golf, electric golf -- there are lots of different names for it, but basically it's blindingly fast play," Hurt said. "They don't wait or dawdle between shots. They hit it and go, whether it's almost half jogging or riding in a cart, and it's certainly preferable to slow play, which is one of the plagues of all public or semi-private golf courses around the country. Golfers will know what I mean when I say that."

This fall, father and son had a hand in one of the most impressive golfing comebacks in recent history -- the U.S. team's Ryder Cup victory. When the team was losing, George W. Bush fired them up by reading to them the letter that Col.William Barrett Travis wrote from the Alamo when it was surrounded by the Mexican Army, which Hurt said was a "great lift" to them.

"Governor Bush came in a read a speech ... It was a great speech, great words," said Ryder Cup team captain Ben Crenshaw after the victory.

"It was deft political stroke that I think gained G.W. Bush lots of points with voters and golfers all around the country," Hurt said.

Hurt said if all the presidential candidates got together to play a round of golf, he'd place his bet on Bush to win.

"He's the only major party candidate who plays golf," Hurt said. "Reform Party candidate Donald Trump plays golf and claims to have a single digit handicap, but I think we've learned to take everything he says with a grain of salt."

But there's one Republican Bush may never catch, at least on the links.

Hurt: If Dan Quayle were still in the race, he'd be the hands-on favorite among the presidential candidates," he said. "He played at DePauw University in Indiana at one time growing up and had a legitimate 3 handicap, and boasted a low score of 68 which is about 9 strokes better than George W. Bush.

If Bush does have a weakness, it's his short game.

According to Hurt, the Texas governor doesn't spend enough time pondering the break and pace of his putts -- preferring a fast game to slow reflection.

Thursday, December 23, 1999

• McCain takes contributions from gays, criticized in N.H. ad
• Bush: A golfer just like his father
• Helms says he aims to offer U.S. citizenship to Elian Gonzalez
• Candidates qualify for $34 million, but shortfall could limit funds
• Bradley has clear lead over Gore in N.H. poll
• Clinton pardons wartime mutineer Meeks, 36 others
• Web sites answering basic political questions
• 92nd St Y: Obligatory stop on -- or off -- campaign trail
• Voters want an alternative to the two-party system
• Walter Mears: Campaigns take only a short break for the holidays
• Sen. John McCain sues to get on New York ballot
• Hillary Clinton plans move into new house around first of the year
• New York mayor says Democrats ganging up on him
• Clinton: 'Instinct' is not to seek legal fee reimbursement
• Baptist leaders take offense at comments made by president's spokesman
• President makes four recess appointments

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