JD Vance's Cringeworthy Golf Swing Puts Trump's Unflattering Moments On The Green To Shame

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President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance are making golf great again — or at least, that's what they'd like us all to think. Trump got caught cheating at golf during his July 2025 visit to Scotland, and Vance tarnished his reputation when he paid a visit to Trump's Turnberry golf course in the same country just a few weeks later. The VP was reportedly visibly distressed as he failed to get the ball in the hole on multiple occasions. At least Vance didn't cheat, which is more than his boss can say.

The internet and golf fanatics alike were in an upheaval after Trump's caddie was spotted dropping a ball on the green while the president played a round at Turnberry. Sportswriter Rick Reilly voiced his criticism of Trump's lack of sportsmanship on X, formerly known as Twitter, penning, "So you know, it's NEVER legal for your caddy to drop a ball. YOU can drop one, but never on a green. And since this was a full-score event, it's not legal for Trump to drag the ball into the hole. No, no, never." 

He added, "Our president is a f*****g golf cheat." Luckily, the former Ohio senator's cringeworthy golf swing momentarily made pundits forget all about Trump's scandalous behavior. The bestselling "Hillbilly Elegy" author looked completely out of his depth, and in some photographs even appeared terrified of the ball.

In a rather hilarious snap from JD Vance's time at Turnberry, he managed to overshadow Donald Trump's questionable reputation on the golf course by clumsily swinging his club (which was probably the reason the VP had such a hard time getting the ball in the hole). In "Hillbilly Elegy," the former Ohio senator notably claimed that he used to play golf as a kid. Vance even tried to make it onto the varsity team but, unsurprisingly, didn't make the cut. Although he loved the sport, the author acknowledged he wasn't playing frequently. In an old interview with NPR, Vance similarly hinted that he's way too busy to spend time on the green. "I guess I view it as the game of people with a lot of free time, which I unfortunately don't have!" he said (via Golf Digest). 

This might explain his bad swing, and could have been a subtle jab at Trump too, who has always been an avid golfer. Those who have been keeping up with the politician since he first published his book will know that Vance has a complicated relationship with Trump. He once called the divisive leader an "idiot" and "America's Hitler," per Politico, and in a 2016 opinion piece published by the New York Times, Vance memorably warned: "Trump is unfit for our nation's highest office." 

Now, the outspoken politician is running the country alongside the man he deemed unfit for its highest office, with Vance even parroting Trump's claims that the 2020 election was rigged, despite extensive evidence to the contrary. Thus, it appears that the VP's golf swing isn't the only thing that lacks backbone.