The Golf Handicap Debate: Biden's Alleged Low Score Raises Eyebrows

President Biden and former President Trump's recent debate on golf handicaps has sparked controversy, as Biden claims to have a handicap of six or eight. However, experts and professionals question the validity of this claim, given the average handicap for male golfers is around 14.

Thursday night's presidential debate hosted by CNN took an unexpected turn when the topic of golf handicaps emerged. President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump raised the issue while discussing their physical fitness, leading to a heated debate over Biden's alleged low handicap.

In the midst of the debate, Biden claimed that he had gotten his golf handicap down to a six as vice president, and later corrected it to an eight. This number raised eyebrows among avid golfers, as it is significantly lower than the average handicap for male golfers, which is around 14.

The Golf Handicap Debate: Biden's Alleged Low Score Raises Eyebrows

For context, a golf handicap is a numerical figure that represents a player's ability or potential, and it indicates how many strokes a player is expected to play above a particular course's par. Anywhere under 10 is considered low, under 18 is considered mid-range, and over 19 is high. President Biden's estimated six or eight would mean he averages in the high 70s or low 80s a round.

According to data collected by the United States Golf Association (USGA) in January 2024, only 20% of male golfers had a handicap index range of 0.5 to 9.9. This suggests that Biden's claim of a handicap of six or eight is well below the average for male golfers.

The Golf Handicap Debate: Biden's Alleged Low Score Raises Eyebrows

To put Biden's handicap claim into perspective, professional golfers do not keep a handicap. However, some golf experts have estimated what their indexes would be if they did. In 2020, Lou Stagner calculated that Rickie Fowler had a best index of +8.4, while Kevin Na and Tiger Woods had a best index of +8.3. The average index for a PGA Tour pro was around +5.4.

Given the high level of skill required to achieve a low handicap, Biden's claim has been met with skepticism. Former President Trump himself expressed doubt, stating, "When I hear six, I don't believe it."

The Golf Handicap Debate: Biden's Alleged Low Score Raises Eyebrows

The debate on golf handicaps might never be settled, but it has sparked a discussion about the validity of Biden's claim. Bryson DeChambeau, a professional golfer with an average index of +5.8, offered to host a golf match to settle the issue once and for all.