Up until around 2016, Golf Digest used to regularly publish its list of Washington, DC's top golfers. Why they stopped is beyond us; given how intertwined golf and the lobbying profession are, it's no surprise that the rankings were a popular and highly-discussed topic on K Street.
Well, after 5 years of waiting around for Golf Digest to do its job, we're taking the baton. The following list was compiled by scraping data from publicly-available sources, namely lobbying disclosure reports and the GHIN handicap database, coupled with some good ‘ol fashioned Googling. Handicaps are current as of January 31 but have not been verified by any individual, so apologies in advance for any inaccurate data (hey, we’re not a news outlet).
With that out of the way, we now present to you the 115 best golfers in our nation's capital:
1.) TONY RUSSO +2.7 VP, Federal Government Relations | T-Mobile Congressional Country Club (MD)
2.) GEORGE W. BUSH +0.8 Former President Trinity Forest Golf Club (TX)
3.) CHRIS LAMOND +0.3 Partner | Thorn Run Columbia Country Club (MD)
T-4.) FRED EAMES 0.4 Partner | Hunton Andrews Kurth Trump National (VA)
T-4.) TOM WHARTON 0.4 Senior Vice President | Capitol Hill Consulting Group Laurel Hill Golf Club (VA)
6.) NAT HOOPES 0.7 Head of Public Policy | Upstart Chevy Chase Club (MD)
7.) MIKE GAFFIN 1.4 Senior Vice President | Smith-Free Group Belle Haven Country Club (VA)
8.) BOB OKUN 1.5 Founder | The O Team Washington Golf & Country Club (VA)
9.) ALEX URREA 1.7 President | CSA Strategies Congressional Country Club (MD)
10.) ERIC RIZZO 1.8 SVP, Government Affairs | University of Phoenix Robert Trent Jones (VA)
11.) GEOFF GONELLA 2.9 President | Cornerstone Government Affairs Burning Tree Club (MD)
12.) ROB ELLSWORTH 3.4 Co-founder | The Majority Group Robert Trent Jones (VA)
13.) DAN GRATTAN 3.7 SVP, Federal Government Affairs | Regions Bank The Foundry Club (VA)
14.) CHRIS CYLKE 3.8 SVP, Government Relations | American Gaming Association Army Navy Country Club (VA)
15.) STEWART VERDERY 4 Founder | Monument Advocacy Washington Golf & Country Club (VA)
16.) DAN ROEHL 4.3 VP, Federal Government Affairs | National Restaurant Association Army Navy Country Club (VA)
T-17.) ROBERT DIBBLEE 4.5 SVP, Government Relations | NAREIT Robert Trent Jones (VA)
T-17.) JOHN STIPICEVIC 4.5 Chief Advocacy Officer | CGCN Group Congressional Country Club (MD)
19.) ERSKINE WELLS 5 President | BGR Group Mount Vernon Country Club (VA)
20.) ROBERT FISHER 5.4 SVP, Federal Government Relations | Verizon Mount Vernon Country Club (VA)
21.) LINDA DIVALL 5.5 Executive Chairman | American Viewpoint Mount Vernon Country Club (VA)
22.) JOHN BUSCHER 5.6 Partner | Forbes Tate Army Navy Country Club (VA)
23.) MIKE HETTINGER 5.8 President, Founding Principal | Hettinger Strategy Group Robert Trent Jones (VA)
24.) CHRIS COX 6.2 Founding Principal | Navigators Global Belle Haven Country Club (VA)
25.) JESSE MCCOLLUM 6.3 Senior Director, Government and Public Affairs | Nike Columbia Country Club (MD)
T-26.) ARTHUR MASON 6.5 Executive Vice President | Cassidy & Associates Columbia Country Club (MD)
T-26.) MARTY DEPOY 6.5 Executive Vice President | Bockorny Group Columbia Country Club (MD)
28.) JOE BIDEN 6.7 President Fieldstone Golf Club (DE)
T-29.) JAMIE GILLESPIE 6.9 VP, Global Public Affairs | 21st Century Fox Lake of the Woods Country Club (VA)
T-29.) WILLIAM CROZER 6.9 VP, State Advocacy and Appropriations | BGR Group Chevy Chase Club (MD)
T-29.) SEAN DUFFY 6.9 Financial Services Practice Co-Head | BGR Group Belle Haven Country Club (VA)
T-29.) MATT EYLES 6.9 President, CEO | America's Health Insurance Plans Lakewood Country Club (MD)
T-33.) PETER CLEVELAND 7 VP, Government Affairs | TSMC Chevy Chase Club (MD)
T-33.) CHRIS HODGSON 7 Principal | Cornerstone Government Affairs Myrtle Cup Golf Club (VA)
T-35.) STEVE WATSON 7.1 VP, Government Affairs | Loews Corp. Columbia Country Club (MD)
T-35.) TUCKER FOOTE 7.1 EVP, Public Policy | MasterCard Belle Haven Country Club (VA)
T-37.) JOHN BREAUX 7.5 Principal | Crossroads Strategies Belle Haven Country Club (VA)
T-37.) KEVIN BURKE 7.5 President | Airports Council International Trump National (VA)
T-37.) STEVE UBL 7.5 President | PhRMA Congressional Country Club (MD)
40.) JOE O'NEILL 7.8 President | Public Strategies Congressional Country Club (MD)
41.) TIM LAWRENCE 7.9 Principal | Penn Quarter Partners Congressional Country Club (MD)
T-42.) WELLS ELLENBERG 8 Director, Government Affairs | Southern Company Mount Vernon Country Club (VA)
T-42.) DAVID MELCHER 8 Former CEO | Aerospace Industries Association Army Navy Country Club (VA)
T-42.) WAYNE CHOPUS 8 President | Insured Retirement Institute River Bend Club (VA)
T-42.) DENNIS KELLEHER 8 President, CEO | Better Markets Congressional Country Club (MD)
T-46.) DON NICKLES 8.2 Founder | The Nickles Group Burning Tree Club (MD)
T-46.) JIM RICHARDS 8.2 Principal | Cornerstone Government Affairs Trump National (VA)
48.) CARLISLE CLARKE 8.4 Vice President | Van Scoyoc MSGA ECLUB (MD)
49.) CHRIS CHAPEL 8.5 VP, Government Affairs | NextEra Energy Columbia Country Club (MD)
50.) STEVE CALDEIRA 8.6 President | Household & Commercial Products Association Congressional Country Club (MD)
51.) ISAAC REYES 8.7 VP, Government Affairs | Target Corp. National Golf Club at Tantallon (MD)
52.) TREY HARDIN 9 Founder | War Room Strategies Belle Haven Country Club (VA)
T-53.) JIM MCCOOL 9.1 Director, Government Affairs | Southern Company Trump National (VA)
T-53.) TYLER THREADGILL 9.1 VP, Federal Government Affairs | LKQ Corp. Chevy Chase Club (MD)
T-53.) ALEX FORD 9.1 Owner | Halcyon Strategy University of Maryland (MD)
56.) CHRIS JAHN 9.4 President, CEO | American Chemistry Council Robert Trent Jones (VA)
57.) JAY CRANFORD 9.5 Senior Partner | CGCN Group Washington Golf & Country Club (VA)
T-58.) CHARLES SHIPP 9.7 Founding Partner | SC Partners Washington Golf & Country Club (VA)
T-58.) JEFF FORBES 9.7 Founding Partner | Forbes Tate Columbia Country Club (MD)
T-58.) SCOTT PASTRICK 9.7 President | Prime Policy Group Burning Tree Club (MD)
T-58.) SAM GUELDING 9.7 Co-CEO | CGCN Group River Bend Club (VA)
62.) JIM NUSSLE 9.9 President | Credit Union National Association Belle Haven Country Club (VA)
T-63.) MATT PEARCE 10 Senior Vice President | Venn Strategies Congressional Country Club (MD)
T-63.) ED ROGERS 10 Founding Partner | BGR Group Congressional Country Club (MD)
T-63.) JON DEUSER 10 President | Smith-Free Group Army Navy Country Club (VA)
T-63.) KYLE NEVINS 10 Partner | Harbinger Strategies Congressional Country Club (MD)
67.) WILLIAM BERTLES 10.1 Partner | DDC Public Affairs Army Navy Country Club (VA)
68.) SURYA GUNASEKARA 10.2 Founder | Section VII Strategies The Country Club at Woodmore (MD)
69.) CHRIS FOX 10.3 Senior Vice President | Venn Strategies Queenstown Harbor Golf Links (MD)
70.) BRYAN ANDERSON 10.5 EVP, External Affairs | Southern Company Robert Trent Jones (VA)
71.) MATT STANTON 10.6 SVP, Public Affairs | Constellation Brands Columbia Country Club (MD)
72.) DAVE MCCURDY 10.7 Retired | American Gas Association Washington Golf & Country Club (VA)
73.) CHARLES SYDNOR 11 Vice President | Cassidy & Associates Army Navy Country Club (VA)
74.) CHARLES SYMINGTON 11.2 SVP, External, Industry & Government Affairs | IIABA Belle Haven Country Club (VA)
75.) JIM LANGDON 11.3 Partner Emeritus | Akin Gump Burning Tree Club (MD)
76.) JOHN FEEHERY 11.4 Partner | EFB Advocacy Belle Haven Country Club (VA)
77.) PETER LAWSON 11.5 VP, Government Affairs | Bockorny Group National Golf Club at Tantallon (MD)
78.) BRIAN HENNEBERRY 11.7 VP, Federal Affairs | Koch Industries Columbia Country Club (MD)
T-79.) CAMPBELL KAUFMAN 11.9 Principal, Managing Director | Cornerstone Government Affairs Belle Haven Country Club (VA)
T-79.) LYNDON BOOZER 11.9 Partner | Capitol Counsel Kenwood Golf & Country Club (MD)
81.) BRET BOYLES 12.2 Public Policy Advisor | Squire Patton Boggs Chevy Chase Club (MD)
82.) JON MANTZ 12.3 Commerce Practice Co-Head | BGR Group Lakewood Country Club (MD)
83.) CHRISTOPHER TREANER 12.4 Counsel | Akin Gump River Bend Club (VA)
84.) JOHN STANFORD 12.6 Managing Partner | Prism Group Public Affairs Army Navy Country Club (VA)
T-85.) TREVOR KOLEGO 12.8 Senior Vice President | Smith-Free Group Army Navy Country Club (VA)
T-85.) TODD WEBSTER 12.8 Principal | Cornerstone Government Affairs Belle Haven Country Club (VA)
87.) JEAN STATLER 13 Managing Partner | Statler Nagle LLC Washington Golf & Country Club (VA)
88.) BARACK OBAMA 13.1 Former President Hdcp. based on prior public statements
89.) CHARLIE STAMP 13.2 Retired | John Deere Burning Tree Club (MD)
T-90.) SCOTT STYLES 13.3 Client Relations Lead | Bockorny Group Washington Golf & Country Club (VA)
T-90.) THAD INGE 13.3 Vice President | Van Scoyoc Columbia Country Club (MD)
92.) ANDY VERMILYE 13.5 VP, Public Policy | Fidelity Chevy Chase Club (MD)
T-93.) SHAHIRA KNIGHT 13.8 Managing Principal | Deloitte Army Navy Country Club (VA)
T-93.) BOB RUSBULDT 13.8 CEO | IIABA Country Club of Fairfax (VA)
95.) MICHAEL MEEHAN 13.9 Founding Partner | Potomac West Group Army Navy Country Club (VA)
T-96.) BRIAN REARDON 14.5 Principal | Reardon Consulting Army Navy Country Club (VA)
T-96.) SAM ADCOCK 14.5 Executive Vice President | Crossroads Strategies Trump National (VA)
98.) JOHN BOEHNER 14.6 Senior Strategic Advisor | Squire Patton Boggs Wetherington Golf & Country Club (OH)
99.) ERIK WINBORN 15.2 Founder | Winborn Solutions Army Navy Country Club (VA)
100.) CHARLES BRITTINGHAM 15.7 Senior Vice President | Cassidy & Associates Belle Haven Country Club (VA)
101.) PATRICK RAFFANIELLO 16.1 Of Counsel | Capitol Counsel Robert Trent Jones (VA)
102.) MIKE SOMMERS 16.3 President, CEO | American Petroleum Institute Belle Haven Country Club (VA)
103.) JON TRAUB 16.8 Managing Principal | Deloitte The Country Club at Woodmore (MD)
104.) SAM WHITEHORN 17 Cofounder, Principal | Elevate Government Affairs Columbia Country Club (MD)
105.) ALFRED MOTTUR 18.2 Shareholder | Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck Chevy Chase Club (MD)
106.) MARC CADIN 18.3 CEO | Finseca Washington Golf & Country Club (VA)
107.) JOE DONNELLEY 20 Partner | Akin Gump Columbia Country Club (MD)
108.) PETER OPPENHEIM 21 Vice President | Van Scoyoc Columbia Country Club (MD)
109.) ED COLEMAN 21.6 Manager, Tax Legislation | ExxonMobil Congressional Country Club (MD)
110.) ALEX STERNHELL 22 Principal | Sternhell Group Chevy Chase Club (MD)
111.) STEVE MARCHESE 22.3 Principal | Cornerstone Government Affairs Mount Vernon Country Club (VA)
112.) DON BEYER 27 Congressman Belle Haven Country Club (VA)
113.) RAPHAEL PROBER 27.6 Partner | Akin Gump Congressional Country Club (MD)
114.) GREG VERHOFF 29 Senior Advisor | Akin Gump Army Navy Country Club (VA)
115.) KEN KIES 32.9 Managing Director | Federal Policy Group Robert Trent Jones (VA)