5 Ways to Navigate Political Talk on the Golf Course

We’ve all been there: you’re playing golf with your foursome, or perhaps as a solo paired with complete strangers, and suddenly a political conversation breaks out mid-round. Navigating a political conversation with strangers on the golf course can be tricky, especially during an election year. With passions running high and opinions often deeply entrenched, the fairways and greens become fertile ground for both camaraderie and conflict. Mastering the art of discussing politics on the links requires finesse, respect, and a strategic approach to ensure that everyone walks away with their handicap—and their dignity—intact.

Here are five ways to navigate an unexpected political conversation during your next round.

1) Never be the instigator

The majority of us want to escape real life’s stresses and headlines while at the golf course. There’s absolutely no reason to bring up the current political landscape unprompted, especially if you’re playing with someone you’ve just met. However this may be tempting when playing with likeminded friends or longtime playing partners. My advice: let someone else be the instigator and look for ways to change the subject after a short while.

I’m not suggesting that these conversations aren’t important; in fact, they may be the most important conversations to be had. However the old adage of “a time and a place for everything” holds true in this situation. Reserve the topic of politics for after the round over lunch in the grill room. Focus on your golf round for a few hours. There’s plenty of hours left in the day afterward.

2) Keep things civil at all costs

If the topic of politics does come up, the goal should be to listen more than you speak. We all have deep feelings about the current social, political, and cultural landscapes, however we don’t have to regurgitate everything all at once in between putts.

Make the conscious effort to tell yourself, “no matter where this conversation goes, I’m going to keep a cool head about it and move on.” I’ve been roped into these conversations more often than you’d suspect when paired with strangers (seriously, it’s like I’m wearing a sign on my back), and I immediately get a sinking feeling in my stomach. However, I’ve found the best way through to the other side of the topic is to simply listen, lightly agree or disagree as needed, and redirect the conversation to the golf round in some way.

More often than not strangers on the course are “feeling out” the type of person they’ve just been paired with. The temperature of a golf round can chill quickly if you’re not careful.

3) Stay true to yourself and respect your own boundaries

It may be tempting to simply agree with everything a person is saying about politics in an effort to diffuse the situation or avoid confrontation. Admittedly, I fall into this trap far too often.

“Agreeing to disagree” may seem like a cop-out, but it can be very useful when presented in a way that suggests you just want to play golf. Don’t sacrifice your personal stance on a topic to appease your playing partners. Briefly state your claim and move on.

The only responsibility you have is to enjoy your golf round, not anyone else’s. If a conversation turns heated, state that you don’t want to get involved and move along. This may be difficult when riding in a golf cart with another player, but thankfully this type of situation rarely rises to the degree where walking off the course is the solution (but it’s always an option as a last resort).

4) The Third Party Voter

These are not serious people and should be avoided at all costs. It is extremely likely they’ve been cheating during their round the entire time. Grab your golf bag, run away as fast as you can, seek shelter behind a tree or large shrub, and call the Pro Shop to demand a refund and a police escort.

5) Ignore, ignore, ignore

I’m not a fan of this recommendation as it can come off as being weird at best and rude at worst, but you do have the option to ignore the conversation altogether.

As mentioned earlier, you are responsible for your own enjoyment on the course. If you truly have no interest in even acknowledging the conversation at hand, suddenly become hyper-fixated on the grooves of your wedge or perhaps the cleanliness of your golf ball. Cause a scene and act like it’s vitally important for everyone to remember their scores from the last five holes. Hell, fake an injury or declare there’s “bees in the bunker” if you have to. The key here is to ignore the topic entirely and get people wondering what you’ve been smoking.

Considering the current news landscape in an election year, the topic of politics is likely to come up while on the golf course. Most political conversations are (thankfully) brief and blow over quickly. Following one or more of the steps above can help you navigate these unpleasant conversations with grace, or at the very least shift the conversation entirely.