Charles Spencer King

1960 article touting Mr. Romney having golf as a sport he enjoys. 

     You might consider this an odd reason not to vote for Mitt, but just bear with me for a bit. Now Mr, Romney grew up in the privileged country clubs of Michigan, and we know that we are all products of our environments. " You can take the boy out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the boy". Why did he quit? Certainly all of his rich friends played golf and according the displayed article he once did too. To me a golfer, it is more than odd he quit. Golf is linked to business, and business to golf, especially at the board level that Mr, Romney frequented later in life. Of course I have other reasons why Mr. Romney does not get my vote, but this one has been molesting me. 


President Obama signaling the crowd to observe etiquette
while his opponent is putting.

      Golf is a unique game on a number of fronts, it is game where the player has a responsibility to keep their own score, and sign for that score at the end of each round. The golfer has a responsibility to record their score so that their handicap is correct and current. It is major sport's only game (I know of) where the player is charged with the responsibility of calling a penalty on themselves, It is almost always an individual sport, rather than a team sport. It is called The Gentleman's game, it is one of the few (if not the only game) based on the honor system. It is a celebration with Nature, a walk in a garden, golfer's are expected to leave the course in an improved condition of how they found it (make improvements during their round). It is a family game, not just for the sport, but for the values it teaches and the character it builds. 

       
Presidents HW Bush, Ford, and Clinton on the tee.

      There are many ways to cheat in golf, yet the cheat is only cheating himself and his reputation, because eventually even the greatest cheat gets caught in golf. It is a game where the rules are clear, not ambiguous, and the same for all. There are many examples of the cheater getting caught throughout the game's long and storied history. There are also many examples of honor, integrity, and the rewards for such correct deportment. Many a potential executive has lost a promotion on the golf course due to arrogance or stupidity. Many a business and personal relationship, has soured on the links. The wise know golf is about character, respect and honesty and they use the game as a testing ground to study the character of a man or woman. 


JFK on the course

      I am not making an accusation of Mr. Romney here, I am simply making an educated observation.I can honestly say that I don't know anyone who plays golf, who quit without a very definite reason or circumstance. The fact that Mr. Romney keeps picking on President Obama's enjoying the game leads me to assume there is more to this contradiction than meets the eye. If I were the DNC, I'd be interviewing those who witnessed Mr. Romney play golf, and dig for the reason he quit. Quitting is not an admirable trait for a President, particularly when it is a noble game like golf. 


IKE has a tree named for him at Augusta, where The Masters is played.

Recent US Presidents who played golf as president: Dwight D Eisenhower (1953-1961), John F Kennedy (1961-1963), Lyndon B Johnson (1963-1969), Richard M Nixon (1969-1974), Gerald Ford (1974-1977), Jimmy Carter (1977-1981),Ronald Reagan (1981-1989), George H.W.Bush (1989-1993), Bill Clinton (1993-2001), George W Bush (2001-2009), Barack Obama (2009-     ). Yep, every single President. Therefore as a student of politics, with a father who ran for President, is is not more than a little odd, that Mr. Romney would ignore history while taking digs at THE President, for playing golf ? I smell a story. 


Ronald Reagan's high finish.