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Donald Trump discloses Gary Player’s score from their last round on a 6,800-yard course

Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images
Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images
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President Donald Trump and Gary Player have a shared passion for golf and are known to play together regularly.

Trump, who frequently plays the game, has allegedly claimed 38 Club Championship wins over the years.

On the other hand, Player, with 159 wins worldwide and nine major titles, is widely regarded as one of the sport’s all-time greats.

The South African icon has not been shy about sharing his frustrations with certain aspects of the modern game.

He recently voiced strong opinions on the Ryder Cup, criticising some of the behaviour at Bethpage Black as ‘disgusting’.

Still, Player’s passion for golf remains undiminished, and he continues to play regularly, with his 90th birthday approaching.

Donald Trump shares Gary Player’s score from their last round

The Masters - Round One
Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images

Even at 86, three years ago, Gary Player was clocking clubhead speeds of 88 mph. The South African has always kept himself in incredible shape.

With his 90th birthday just days away, there has been plenty of curiosity about how his game is holding up these days.

If anyone would know this, it is Donald Trump. The two are close friends and regular playing partners.

Asked by reporters about his own form before boarding Air Force One, the US President replied, “I have become a very good chipper. I hit them all pretty good, I’m a pretty good golfer. I have won 38 Club Championships, that’s pretty good.

“I’m very solid, very consistent, pretty long, I hit the ball pretty long. Putting is pretty good, putting used to be the best, but I would say putting is pretty good.”

Trump went on to share details about a recent round he played with Player:

“I play with Gary Player. You know Gary’s 90 and he shot 70 with me the last time we played, which is pretty amazing from 6,800 (yards).”

How Gary Player’s score fits against average distances by age group

It is hard to ignore the distance factor. An 89-year-old shooting 70 over 6,800 yards would need to rely on an exceptional short game to make it work.

To put that in context, here is a breakdown of the average driving distances across different age groups, according to Shot Scope.

Age rangeAverage handicapAverage driving distance
20-2913.7243 yards
30-3914.7241 yards
40-4913.7232 yards
50-5913.5224 yards
60-6914.7212 yards
70+15.8196 yards

If Player is still hitting anywhere close to 200 yards at nearly 90 years old, it is an achievement in itself, and pairing that with a round of 70 over such a long course makes for quite a story.