Fore more years? Biden and Trump take swings at each other’s golf skills in their debate

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This combination of photos shows Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump, left, and President Joe Biden during a presidential debate hosted by CNN, Thursday, June 27, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

By DAVID KLEPPER and MICHAEL R. SISAK Associated Press

Biden and Trump take swings at each other’s golf skills

WASHINGTON (AP) — They debated the economy, immigration and foreign policy, but it was an argument over golf handicaps that brought out some of the feistiest comments in Thursday’s debate between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump.

Answering a question about his fitness, Trump, who would be 82 at the end of a second term, bragged that he was in “very good shape” and had recently won two championships at one of his golf courses. “To do that, you have to be quite smart and you have to be able to hit the ball a long way,” Trump said.

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Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump gestures during a presidential debate with Joe Biden, Thursday, June 27, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Biden, he said, “can’t hit a ball 50 yards.”

Biden then touted his his own golf abilities. “I got my handicap, when I was vice president, down to six,” Biden said. He again challenged Trump to a golf match, but only if Trump carried his bag of clubs himself.

“Think you can do it?” asked Biden, whose handicap is listed on the United State Golf Association’s website as 6.7, with the last update in July 2018. Trump’s handicap last updated in June 2021 is listed as 2.5. Biden would be 86 at the end of his second term.

Trump called Biden’s handicap claim “the biggest lie of all,” adding: “I’ve seen your swing. I know your swing.”

Trump then sought to shut down the golf discussion.

“Let’s not act like children,” Trump said.

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Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump listening to questions during a presidential debate with President Joe Biden, Thursday, June 27, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

“You are a child,” Biden retorted.

Both men have faced questions on the campaign trail about their physical and mental fitness to lead the nation.

In golf, a handicap is a measure of a player’s skill. The lower the handicap, the better the player is.