People have made fun of Donald Trump after a video came out that seems to show him “cheating” on the golf course.
A lot of news stories are about Trump these days. Whether that’s a good or bad thing depends on how you feel about him.
This time, though, it’s not his politics or outspoken attitude that people are talking about; it’s his golf.
The President chose to spend some time on the green while in Europe, swinging clubs at his Turnberry golf course in Scotland.
But what should have been a calm round rapidly turned into a social media controversy when a strange occurrence was caught on tape.
Trump may be seen pulling a cart into the golf course in a video shot from inside a nearby building. He was on the left side of the fairway, with grass to the left and a bunker in front of him.
When the 79-year-old got out, two caddies strolled by him. One of them stopped, crouched down, and quietly put a ball on the grass in front of the former president.
Then Trump strolled up with a club in his hand, as if he was going to play the ball that was nicely placed. The video cuts out before he takes the shot, but that was enough to have the internet go crazy.
People on social media quickly accused Trump of breaking the rules again. When you have a personal ball dropper, who needs a foot wedge? one person joked on X.
A PGA pro even made a joke, saying, “Such a perfect metaphor for our Commander-in-Cheat.”
Trump has been in trouble with golf before. Many famous people and athletes have said over the years that he isn’t honest on the golf field.
Samuel L. Jackson, who starred in Pulp Fiction, remembered playing golf with Trump in January and said, “Oh, I am, for sure.” I don’t cheat. The Daily Mail says that Trump later denied ever playing with Jackson, even though the actor said he did.
Anthony Anderson, who stars in Black-ish, told a similar anecdote on Late Night with Seth Meyers in 2016. Trump is a very good golfer. I won’t claim that Trump cheats. Anderson alleged that his caddy cheats for him.
When asked if he had seen it happen himself, Anderson said, “Oh yes, many times.” A few times.
He talked about one time when both he and Trump hit bad strokes to the left. Anderson remarked that Trump’s ball had the fluffiest lay in the center of the fairway.
He mentioned an instance in which he and Trump both made poor left-wing moves. Trump’s ball had the fluffiest lie in the middle of the fairway, Anderson said.
Rick Reilly, a well-known sports writer, has even spoken out. He wrote about Trump’s golfing in 2019, adding that caddies called him “Pele” because they thought he kicked his ball to better spots.
Reilly stated in The Sunday Times that suggesting Donald Trump cheats is like saying Michael Phelps swims.
Trump cheats at more than just golf. He cheats like a three-card monte dealer. He kicks it, moves it, then throws it. He will cheat if you’re playing golf with him, regardless of whether you’re Tiger Woods or his pharmacist.