10 Survival Tips For Obama And Boehner

By golfdigest.com

June 06, 2011

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Photo By: Carolyn Kaster/AP Photo

Photo By: Rob Carr/AP Photo

Photo By: Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP Photo

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Photo By: Charles Dharapak/AP Photo

Photo By: AP Photo

Photo By: Rob Carr/AP Photo

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1. Keep it light: As one politician, Queen Victoria, said of another, Gladstone: "He speaks to me as if I were a public meeting." Don't be Gladstone.

Photo By: Carolyn Kaster/AP Photo

2. Give each other putts: It's OK to draw a hard line on the issues that really matter, but when it comes to golf, you want to impress your playing partner with your generosity of spirit.

Photo By: Rob Carr/AP Photo

3. Negotiate strokes on the first tee. A little friendly back-and-forth sets the tone that both men can compromise.

Photo By: Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP Photo

__4. Play fast:__We're all for encouraging some meaningful conversation between shots, but a six-hour round isn't in anyone's best interest. You guys have a country to run.

Photo By: Alex Brandon/AP Photo

5. Play as partners: President Obama (an estimated 17 handicap) might win a few holes with strokes, but he'll have to rely on Boehner (a 7.9) on most holes. The message? You can't get much done without the other's help.

Photo By: Alex Brandon/AP Photo

6. If you do play head-to-head, play for something other than money: Cash comes and goes, but a keepsake from the round can last forever. We recommend office supplies. How great would it be for Obama to scribble notes with a GOP fundraiser pen? Or for Boehner to leave his family reminders on the fridge using Oval Office sticky notes?

Photo By: Charles Dharapak/AP Photo

7. Don't be overly congratulatory: The last thing the President needs to hear is Boehner gushing over an indifferent chip to 15 feet. It's always nice to congratulate solid play, but both men should avoid praising each other to the point of condescension.

Photo By: AP Photo

8. Find the right buffers: If they're smart, Obama and Boehner will fill out their foursome with partners who can fill the awkward gaps in conversation, but also take a step back when the President and the Speaker are immersed in important conversation. Worst case scenario: both men leave the course feeling like they couldn't get a word in.

Photo By: Rob Carr/AP Photo

9. Mr. Speaker, be careful out there: As Scott Hoch said of what he learned playing golf with three Presidents: "Don't ever walk in front of them."

Photo By: Reed Saxon/AP Photo

10. Don't sulk over bad shots: As much as one might want to show off his golf skill, more admirable is an ability to take bad breaks in stride. Besides, no one cares how you play but you. As Sandy Lyle put it, "It's not whether you win or lose. It's whether I win or lose."

Photo By: Phil Inglis/Getty Images

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10 Survival Tips For Obama And Boehner

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