Thursday night's presidential debate hosted by CNN featured a theme that no one could have predicted:disadvantages of golf.
President Joe Biden and the former president Donald Trump The issue was raised when discussing his physical condition and, in turn, his ability to serve as head of state at 81 and 78 years old, respectively. In the midst of that debate, Biden claimed that he had reduced his golf handicap to six as vice president and then corrected it to eight.
President Joe Biden plays golf at the Buccaneer Golf Course on St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands on December 30, 2022. (SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)
For any passionate golfer, that number was particularly surprising. Trump himself did not believe it.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
And so, an argument typically reserved for the course reached the debate stage.
But to better understand the argument, one must first understand the basic concepts.
What is a golf handicap?
The golf handicap, or handicap index, is a numerical figure used to describe the ability or potential of a player. It represents how many strokes a player is expected to hit over par for a particular course.
professional golfers Don't maintain a handicap.
Anything below 10 is considered low, below 18 is considered mid-range, and above 19 is considered high. A zero would be considered a scratch golfer.
Biden's estimated six or eight would mean his average would be around 70 or 80 points per round.
President Joe Biden stands at his podium during the first presidential debate of the 2024 election between him and former President Donald Trump at CNN studios in Atlanta, Georgia, Thursday, June 27, 2024. (Kevin D. Liles for The Washington Post via Getty Images)
US OPEN CHAMPION BRYSON DECHAMBEAU OFFERS TO RESOLVE TRUMP-BIDEN GOLF HANDICAP DEBATE
What is the average?
According to data from January 2024 collected by the United States Golf Association According to the USGA, the average handicap index for men was around 14 and for women was 28. Only 20% of male golfers had a handicap index ranging from 0.5 to 9.9.
How does Biden compare to the pros?
It would be unfair to compare any average golfer to a PGA Tour professional – the difficulty of the courses he plays alone wouldn't add up.
And although professionals do not keep records, there are those who have calculated what their rates would be if they did.
Tiger Woods of the United States reacts on the 18th green during the second round of the 2024 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 12, 2024, in Augusta, Georgia. (Warren Little/Getty Images)
In 2020, golf statistics guru Lou Stagner did just that. According to his figures from data collected between 2016 and 2020, Rickie Fowler was first with a best index of +8.4, the number of strokes better than zero (0).
Kevin Na and tiger forest had a best index of +8.3. The average index for a PGA Tour professional was around +5.4.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
The golf handicap debate may never be resolved, but Bryson DeChambeau, who had an average rating of +5.8, offered to help resolve it.
“Let's settle this whole handicap debate. I'll be featuring the golf match on my YouTube channel.”
Follow Fox News Digital Sports coverage on Xand subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
