Swing state: What we can expect from Obama's golf game if he wins, and if he ever has time to play

    If the polls and pundits are right (I mean correct), Barack Obama will be voted President on Tuesday.  He would follow into the Oval Office a formerly avid golfing Prez, George W., who largely gave up the game during the last seven years in deference to the troops in Iraq.  Obama certainly won't be playing much golf during his first couple of years, assuming he wins.  Just too much on his plate.
    But now that he and Bill Clinton seem to have made up, the two could play the occasional game at the Congressional Golf Club if Obama can just get that pesky little economy thing under control (and resolve two wars and catch Bin Laden).  Of course, given Clinton's reputation on the golf course, Obama might find beating him his toughest task as President.  Definitely leave your wallet back at the White House, Barack.
    According to reports, Obama is not a bad golfer.  Golf Digest wrote a story earlier this year about "golfers in Washington" and ranked Obama 123rd among legislators, lobbyists and other hangers on, but 37th among elected officials and 15th among Democrats.  He allegedly sports a 16 handicap, but that is not official or posted anywhere.  Earlier this year, during a visit to Hawaii, the candidate played a round at the Olomana Golf Course in Waimanalo and was followed by a TV news crew, which caught a couple of swings.  Click here to see it.
    A California golf instructor, Brady Riggs, saw the video report and posted an analysis of Obama's swing, at Golf.com.
     "Obama is square to the target," Riggs wrote, "with good posture and alignment. This is a well-prepared setup, the kind you'd expect from a Harvard Law School graduate. He looks ready to hit a good shot."
    After indicating Obama's backswing is "controlled and focused on avoiding mistakes...[like a] meticulously planned campaign," Riggs added that, "He's got his weight moving in the right direction and makes good contact. The funny thing is that even though he aims down the middle, his shots fly to the left."  (I know, the irony is too much for some of you, but let us not forget that John McCain is a lefty too.)  Riggs added that Obama can correct the pushes left if he "goes for the jugular" by being "more aggressive through impact."
    If elected, Obama will be the fourth lefty of the last five Presidents and join a long list of swingers in the White House.  If the subject of golfing Presidents interests you, check out the book "Presidential Lies:  The Illustrated History of White House Golf."  It has been updated to include a description of Clinton's famous two and a half gainer off Greg Norman's steps.