Putter levitation: another wondrous feat of golfing prowess.

Rory McIlroy used Twitter yesterday evening to announce the most prestigious of mid-week dinner dates. The newly-installed world No1 is scheduled to attend a sit-down meal at the White House this evening and, one assumes, both shakes hands and exchange polite banter with the hacker-in-chief. (continue reading…)

"Is that a golf glove in your hand or are you just happy to see me?"

Governor of Virginia and Republican vice presidential hopeful Bob McDonnell greeted President Barack Obama on the tarmac of Richmond airport this afternoon and presented the commander-in-chief with a gift tailor-made (possibly Taylor Made) to fit his extracurricular activities: a golf glove. (continue reading…)

Obama and Uncle Joe wiffling about on the Eisenhower putting green.

Never the most populist of sports, golf takes on a problematic political connotation in times of crisis. Synonymous for a large chunk of the electorate with cronyism, indulgence and naivety, a taste for spending time on the links – as opposed, say, to clearing brush on a Texas ranch – can, it seems, prove a damaging habit for a President to entertain.

But, as Martin Davis notes in a column for CNN, the magnitude of incumbent’s golf habit is dwarfed by those of a handful of 20th-century presidents. (continue reading…)

From the AP report:

The President teed off Sunday morning at Vineyard Golf Club in a foursome that included longtime Chicago pal Eric Whitaker and a local golf regular, Bill Lewis. And they kept playing despite thick clouds and occasionally heavy rain.

Hell, I’m not sure if I would have played in that weather — only under exigent circumstances and at a really fantastic golf course. But what I found the most fascinating about the AP story was the paparazzi-esque pictures that came attached with it. You know,  like they were taken from someone hiding in the trees with a long lens.

(AP Photo/Steven Senne)