The wit and golf swing of JFK

[Dan Kelly]

Earlier today, posted this on the Kelly family's blog:

The Internet continues to amaze and delight.

If any of you younguns cares to get a glimpse of why so many Americans were so smitten with John Fitzgerald Kennedy (beyond the glamour of the young First Couple and their unspeakably cute little kids), check out this Website: http://tinyurl.com/JFK-pressers.

There, you'll find ALL of President Kennedy's press conferences -- notable, nowadays, for two things: their frequency (64 press conferences between January 1961 and November 1963) and the President's wit (a quality apparently missing from almost every president since).

Listen in to a bit of history, or a lot.

-----------------------

And just now, went to find some footage of JFK playing golf -- and found these, which I'd never seen:

****** Here, at Newport CC, 9/14/1963: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ulgvNxo0Fk

****** Here, at Hyannisport Club (lots of golf footage in the middle of this), July or August 1963: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCCQ_deRGog

****** And perhaps from that same visit to the Cape: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YS2jssP6DRE

He's been dead longer than he lived. Hard to believe.

Dan

[BHoover]

I'm 36, so I obviously did not experience the assassination of JFK.  But as a history nerd, I've always been fascinated by the event.  I'm just about to start reading a new book, "A Cruel and Shocking Act."  I'm not a conspiracy theorist; in fact, I'm convinced that Oswald acted alone.  But there are many strange things about the entire event, such as the destruction of evidence by the FBI and the failure to share information with the Warren Commission.  I also think that Oswald's time in Mexico City is troubling (i.e., who was he meeting with and did he have any connections with a foreign government(s) or agent(s))?  We'll never know the answers to those questions, but the research is fascinating.

I've also been watching some of the recent documentaries about the event.  I'm struck by the fact that retired Secret Service agent Clint Hill is still alive and speaking about the assassination.  It's impossible to imagine the thoughts that must have gone through his head (and those of the other agents assigned to JFK on 11/22/63) over the past 50 years.

I suppose I should have added some sort of golf-related comment...

[Matthew Lloyd]

This reminds me of a Seinfeld episode I watched last night on syndication where JFK's golf clubs are being auctioned off and they end up getting broken.  Very amusing.  

On a somewhat related note re presidents golfing, I remember being stunned to learn that Woodrow Wilson played more rounds of golf while in office than any other President.  I guess if you look at the list of Presidents there wouldn't be a lot of stiff competition for that trophy, but Clinton and Obama certainly have been seen on the links quite a bit.

[Howard Riefs]

JFK in three swings:

http://instagram.com/p/guBlT3ItK0/

[Bill_McBride]

He had a terrible bad back.  I love the knees together past impact. 

[RJ_Daley]

I'm curious if anyone has ever seen any commentary or photos of JFK playing any of the storied British Isles and Irish courses.  I figure he must have, given the various family ties and Pops being ambassador and all.  Maybe pre-WWII or shortly thereafter?  

[Jim Nugent]

I remember being stunned to learn that Woodrow Wilson played more rounds of golf while in office than any other President.

Can't vouch for its accuracy, but I just read the following about this:

"Wilson and not Eisenhower was the President who logged the most rounds while in office. He played nearly every day, often with Dr. Cary T. Grayson, a good friend who had recommended that Wilson play regularly for his health. In all, Wilson played more than 1,000 rounds during his two terms, and during the winter, the Secret Service would paint the ball black so he could hit them around the White House. Despite all that effort, Wilson was not very good, rarely breaking 100."

[Bruce Katona]

Per the above comment about the golfing prowess of president Wilson; the following quote may be accurate:

" Golf and sex may be the only two activities one does not need to be particularly good at to thoroughly enjoy."

[Dan Kelly]

" Golf and sex may be the only two activities one does not need to be particularly good at to thoroughly enjoy."

-- Attributed to Mrs. Wilson.

[Michael Wharton-Palmer]

For someone who was apparently in so much pain, a pretty good action and love the style in those trousers.

[Carl Nichols]

Dan:
I originally thought this thread was "The wit and golf swing of JK" and thought you were just messing around.

[Steve_ Shaffer]

http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-tours-news/blogs/local-knowledge/2013/11/heres-what-you-can-learn-from-jfks-golf-swing.html

[Howard Riefs]

In an hour and 20 minutes, their first time together, the pro and president played nine holes. "When we were coming up the 18th fairway," Niblet wrote, "I thanked him for inviting me to play, and how much I enjoyed being out there with him. He said, 'I enjoyed it, also, Tom. We'll do it many more times.' "

That day was Aug. 17, 1963.

They never played again.


http://www.golfdigest.com/magazine/2011-06/golfing-with-the-kennedys-kindred