A new video, filmed during Donald Trump's recent trip to Scotland, revives accusations of cheating, a habitual practice by the former US president on the golf course. In the viral footage, Trump can be seen slowing down in his golf cart while a caddie in front of him discreetly throws a ball behind him. This less-than-discreet "replacement" is in total contradiction with the fundamental rule of golf: play it as it lies.
This gesture, described by many as revealing, reinforces an already well-established reputation. Sports writer Rick Reilly, author of the book Commander in Cheat: How Golf Explains Trump (2019), already saw it as a metaphor for the political figure: incapable of separating real performance from showmanship.
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This official trip, estimated at nearly $10 million for American taxpayers, included stops at his two Scottish resorts and the inauguration of a new 18-hole course in Aberdeenshire.
A tour that blends diplomacy, personal leisure, and image strategy, which has drawn fierce criticism from across the Atlantic. On the ground, the former president's visit did not go unnoticed, and neither did his practices on the green.
The Rules of Golf are a set of standards and procedures by which the sport of golf should be played. They are jointly written and administered by the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, the governing body of golf worldwide, except in the United States and Mexico, which are governed by the United States Golf Association. An expert committee composed of members of the R&A and the USGA oversees and refines the rules every four years. The latest revision took effect on January 1, 2016. Amendments to the Rules of Golf are generally divided into two main categories: those that improve understanding and those that reduce penalties in certain cases to ensure balance. The rulebook, entitled "Rules of Golf," is published regularly and also includes rules governing amateur status. In Italy, the Italian Golf Federation is responsible for overseeing competitions by enforcing the rules issued by the R&A, ensuring that these rules are observed by clubs, associations, and their members, and managing the resulting sporting justice, protecting their interests abroad.