MAGA Golf
A reader, an avid golfer, was struck by the boorish behavior of American fans at last weekend’s Ryder Cup – and what it says about Trump’s America.
He wrote, “I’m surprised no one has commented (at least that I’ve seen) on the embarrassing Ryder Cup debacle from the perspective of what it reveals about the broader state of affairs.
“That behavior is what ‘America First’ looks like. It’s open season on anyone who’s not from here and it matters not if they are black, brown or rich European golfers. The Tyrant-in-Chief himself made a cameo at Bethpage so the MAGAts knew that it was ok to spew classless vitriol at the non-Americans lurking on the fairways.”
A decade of Donald Trump dominating the stage has coarsened us – not just our politics, but our daily lives.
If the President routinely insults and demeans people, why can’t we?
Golf is – or was – a game of rules and decorum. Like life, it’s a journey around a course filled with pitfalls (rough, water and sand traps), physical and mental challenges, and occasional triumphs.
I used to play. But it got to where every foursome I joined had someone who, about the third hole, would start cussing President Obama.
I put away my clubs.
Beyond encouraging bad behavior, Trump’s golf game tells you a lot about him. In 2019 sportswriter Rick Reilly wrote a book titled Commander in Cheat: How Golf Explains Trump.
A review said, “Based on Reilly’s own experiences with Trump as well as interviews with over 100 golf pros, amateurs, developers, and caddies, Commander in Cheat is a startling and at times hilarious indictment of Trump and his golf game. You’ll learn how Trump cheats (sometimes with the help of his caddies and Secret Service agents), lies about his scores (the “Trump Bump”), tells whoppers about the rank of his courses and their worth (declaring that every one of them is worth $50 million), and tramples the etiquette of the game (driving on greens doesn’t help).”
If a man cheats at golf, he’ll cheat in life – and in the White House.
Golf deserves better than what happened at Bethpage last weekend.
America deserves better than Trump.
MAGA Golf
A reader, an avid golfer, was struck by the boorish behavior of American fans at last weekend’s Ryder Cup – and what it says about Trump’s America.
He wrote, “I’m surprised no one has commented (at least that I’ve seen) on the embarrassing Ryder Cup debacle from the perspective of what it reveals about the broader state of affairs.
“That behavior is what ‘America First’ looks like. It’s open season on anyone who’s not from here and it matters not if they are black, brown or rich European golfers. The Tyrant-in-Chief himself made a cameo at Bethpage so the MAGAts knew that it was ok to spew classless vitriol at the non-Americans lurking on the fairways.”
A decade of Donald Trump dominating the stage has coarsened us – not just our politics, but our daily lives.
If the President routinely insults and demeans people, why can’t we?
Golf is – or was – a game of rules and decorum. Like life, it’s a journey around a course filled with pitfalls (rough, water and sand traps), physical and mental challenges, and occasional triumphs.
I used to play. But it got to where every foursome I joined had someone who, about the third hole, would start cussing President Obama.
I put away my clubs.
Beyond encouraging bad behavior, Trump’s golf game tells you a lot about him. In 2019 sportswriter Rick Reilly wrote a book titled Commander in Cheat: How Golf Explains Trump.
A review said, “Based on Reilly’s own experiences with Trump as well as interviews with over 100 golf pros, amateurs, developers, and caddies, Commander in Cheat is a startling and at times hilarious indictment of Trump and his golf game. You’ll learn how Trump cheats (sometimes with the help of his caddies and Secret Service agents), lies about his scores (the “Trump Bump”), tells whoppers about the rank of his courses and their worth (declaring that every one of them is worth $50 million), and tramples the etiquette of the game (driving on greens doesn’t help).”
If a man cheats at golf, he’ll cheat in life – and in the White House.
Golf deserves better than what happened at Bethpage last weekend.
America deserves better than Trump.