Donald Trump’s love for the game of golf is no secret. The POTUS appeared at the 2025 Ryder Cup and became the first sitting president to do so. He has featured alongside many A-listers of the game, including Jack Nicklaus, Bryson DeChambeau, Dustin Johnson, Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, and others. However, his handicap offers a revealing glimpse into how he measures up against these elites.

Donald Trump’s official golf handicap is reported to be 2.8. However, the president claims that he is much better than that.

“I’ve won 38 club championships, and I don’t get to practice. So I’m a very low handicap, and I’ve won 38…everyone legitimately,” Donald Trump said when a reporter asked him about his golf skills on Thanksgiving 2025. “So I guess I’ve got to be around scratch or better. I beat a plus three.”

Trump had won his sixth championship this year in August 2025. He won a senior championship at his own Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster and impressed everyone with the score. The POTUS had carded a round of 69, which was adjusted to net 67 based on his handicap. The runner-up, Bruce Aronwald, had hit an 80, but his handicap got him to 68, just one shot more than Trump.

He even appeared alongside Bryson DeChambeau on his YouTube channel. The two participated in DeChambeau’s “Break 50” series and hit 50 and matching the record for the series. Talking about the key to his good golf skills, Donald Trump said that he relies on the positioning of his hips.

“I read about the hips a long time ago in Ben Hogan’s book, and it became my simple key, and I’ve stayed with it. It might look a little crazy, but the more I clear, the straighter I hit it,” Trump said.

Trump’s playing style is aggressive. He focuses on getting through the course rather than a classical swing form. When playing with Golf Digest’s Jaime Diaz in 2017, Trump said that he lets the arms just swing through and get the ball out of the way as fast as he can.

While Donald Trump thinks he is very good at golf, there’s a mixed reaction from those who have played with him or watched him play.

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Golf pro Jack Nicklaus’ take on Donald Trump’s game

The legendary Jack Nicklaus is one of the retired professionals who have played with Donald Trump. In 2019, Nicklaus appeared on The David Rubenstein Show: Peer-to-Peer Conversations. The host asked him about how many presidents the 18x major winner has played with. While Nicklaus didn’t reveal the exact number, the Golden Bear said that he has played with a few. When the host followed up with a question of who was the best, Nicklaus revealed that it was Donald Trump.

In fact, Jack Nicklaus even went on to say that they have striking similarities. “Trump plays pretty well. He plays a little bit like I do.”

However, Nicklaus also revealed that Trump does not complete many holes. But he can strike well and just enjoys playing the game.

Trump’s granddaughter, Kai Trump, who recently made her LPGA debut at The ANNIKA 2025, also said that he is a good golfer. Kai Trump said that they played a lot together. And while they are usually on the same team, it gets tight when they are opposite each other.

Some golf analysts say that although Trump has a good striking ability, his other skills are average. In 2024, Irish Golfer Mark McGowan said that although he doesn’t have a pretty swing or his putting skills are like a man getting electrocuted, he’s got game. Even coach Craig Normansell said that the short game side of Trump’s golf is not that great.

However, his mix of power, flair, and polarizing habits ensures that conversations about his game continue well beyond any single round.