The press would rather dissect Donald Trump's golf swing than cover the border, federal waste, or the price of groceries — and they're not even subtle about it.
GiveMeSport just published a full breakdown of Rory McIlroy's 2017 assessment of Trump's golf ability, treating a recreational round like it's a matter of state. McIlroy played with Trump at Trump International Golf Club in Florida and offered this earth-shattering verdict: "He probably shot around 80. He's a decent player for a guy in his 70s." That's the news. That's what an outlet decided warranted words, headlines, and reader attention in 2025.
Jack Nicklaus also weighed in previously, saying Trump is "probably the best player" among presidents he's played with. Bryson DeChamcheau played a round with Trump for his YouTube channel. These are not policy developments. They are not congressional votes. They are not inspector general reports. They are rich men hitting a ball on grass.
McIlroy caught heat for playing with Trump and pushed back hard, calling it "ridiculous" that he'd be labeled "a fascist and a bigot" simply for sharing a tee time. "Golf was our common ground, nothing else," McIlroy said. "I've travelled all over the world and have been fortunate enough to befriend people from many different countries, beliefs, and cultures." Fair point. But the press doesn't care about the principle of free association — they care about the Trump proximity, because Trump drives clicks.
Meanwhile, the Santa Rosa Press Democrat devoted column inches to a personal reflection on going to the dentist. The piece muses on the passage of time, the tyranny of the six-month checkup, and the author's resolution to "live with more levity." It's harmless lifestyle content. It's also proof that newsroom resources exist for everything except the stories working Americans actually need.
Here's the synthesis: one outlet chases Trump onto the golf course because his name is traffic; another fills space with dental-chair philosophy. Neither is covering the federal government burning through your tax dollars. Neither is tracking what's happening at the southern border. Neither is asking why your representative just voted for another overseas aid package with no exit strategy.
The obsession itself is the data point. Trump lives rent-free in the media's head, and they'll follow him onto any green, anywhere, rather than do the work that matters. When a sitting president's golf handicap generates more ink than a trillion-dollar spending bill, the press isn't informing you — they're entertaining themselves.
The question isn't whether Trump shoots 80. The question is why that's the story you're being handed instead of the one you need.
