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From the tee, he focuses
on straightness over distance.
Certainly, his first stroke can go
a distance, but he rarely lands
himself in the rough. Those first few
shots can be relied on to get him
close to the green with minimal risk.
Once at the green, his putting
is outstanding. He regularly sinks
shots from 20 yards. Opponents,
many of whom initially under-
estimate him, put this skill
down to two factors. His grip is
unconventional and idiosyncratic
to the point where no one else
could actually pull it off. On the
other hand, his 24-carat confidence
means that, to his mind, there is no
way he will miss the putt.
Two conclusions can be drawn.
First, he is actually rather careful,
and not given to risk. And second,
he believes without any doubt in his
ability to win in the end.
Yet this pragmatic attitude,
seemingly so absent in his public
appearances, can be seen in the
management of his clubs. Donald
Trump is a climate change skeptic,
and his policies in the early days of
his Presidency reveal that he plans
to put that belief into action.
Despite this, Trump is building
another, less public, wall. Instead
of holding back a wave of people,
this one is designed to hold back
the sea.
On the Irish coast of County
Clare, rising sea levels and storms
of increasing strength are chewing
away the shore right next to Trump
International Links and Hotel.
Locals have long understood that if
the scenic sand dunes that face the
coast go, so will the town and the
golf course.
They are delighted with the
wall that Trump is bankrolling.
By building it, Trump is tacitly
admitting that the sea is rising and
that preventative actions should
be taken. If he applies this logic
to his own business interests,
then surely he should be making
similar concessions as President.
Again, the pragmatic businessman
outshines the stated values of the
politician.
You achieve nothing by being
bad at things. Donald Trump is
extraordinarily good at the things
he puts his mind to. The final lesson
a Trump watcher can take from
his golfing life comes through an
anecdote from journalist David
Owen, writing in the New Yorker.
Owen was compiling a piece on
Trump, and part of the research
was based on a round of golf
they shared and then a tour of
the clubhouse. The subsequent
article was roundly complimentary,
though he did claim that Trump’s
approach play was poor, and the
article featured an image of a golf
ball sporting a large, wig-like green
pompadour.
Unexpectedly, Owen received a
call from Trump, who was unhappy
with the piece. Owen braced
himself for an attack on these
minor points. However, he was in
fact angry because Owen had not
mentioned that Trump had shot a
71, one under par. It was important,
said the future President, that he
get his facts right.
Owen responded he had not
reported the 71, because they had
not been keeping score.
Sport teaches us about who we
are: it also tells us who our leaders
are, when the microphones are off.
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