Graham had such a good time golfing with Trump, they played again Saturday | The State

Lindsey Graham gushed about Donald Trump’s golf game after they played together Monday.

Apparently the president and U.S. senator from South Carolina enjoyed each others company so much, they played another round Saturday.

Just as they did on the Columbus Day holiday, Trump and Graham hit the links at the Trump National Golf Club in Virginia.

Graham didn’t post anything about Saturday’s round with the president on Twitter. It’s possible he’ll bring it up when he appears on “Face the Nation” on Sunday morning.

After their round Monday, Graham wrote on Twitter about golfing with his fellow Republican.

“Really enjoyed a round of golf with President @realDonaldTrump today,” Graham tweeted.

The senior senator from S.C. made a second post Monday that might have raised as many eyebrows as if he claimed Trump shared plans about an invasion of North Korea.

Although much more benign, and much less of a national security issue, many question the validity of Graham’s tweet about Trump’s score.

“President Trump shot a 73 in windy and wet conditions!” Graham tweeted.

Par at the Trump golf course is 71, meaning Trump shot 2-over – an excellent score for an amateur golfer. Many on Twitter took notice and poked fun or blatantly criticized Graham, but Trump is a regular golfer and has owned courses for years.

Graham said he didn’t fare nearly as well.

“How bad did he beat me? I did better in the presidential race than today on the golf course!”

Despite criticism on social media, some from professional golfers, Graham stuck to his story about Trump’s round during an interview with golf.com.

Asked if the president took any mulligans, Graham said, “Not one mulligan. Not one,” said to golf.com. He even kept track of Trump’s scoring, saying the president made one birdie, one or two bogeys, and pars on all the other holes.

“I can say without hesitation, Donald Trump did not come close to making a double bogey all day.”

Graham might have created more business for a South Carolina company. Graham said he ran out of golf balls, and complimented Trump for being a good host and supplying him with more balls.

Graham noted those balls did not bear the presidential seal, something he said Trump should have. And Graham knew just where to get them.

“They make TaylorMade golf balls in South Carolina. I’m going to have some made for him. They make them 10 miles from where I live,” Graham said to golf.com.

The political heavyweights did discuss some more substantial issues, Graham said to to golf.com.

“We talked about serious things on the back nine,” he said. “North Korea. Iran. Immigration. But the first nine was all about golf. … It’s something, to play a golf course with the president of the United States on a course he owns. He’s got that big, giant flag there – it’s pretty stunning.”

Trump was Graham’s nemesis on the 2016 campaign trail, where the senior senator from South Carolina failed to gain traction as Trump cruised to the Republican Party nomination.

During the campaign, Graham called Trump a “jackass,” before Trump responded, calling Graham a “lightweight” and an “idiot.” He even gave out Graham’s private phone number, urging supporters to “try it.”

But the two have grown closer recently. Trump voiced support for Graham’s failed attempt to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare.

And Graham has rallied to support Trump in his opposition of North Korea’s pursuit of a nuclear program.

Graham hasn’t always been so effusive with his praise of Trump. Graham has been critical of Trump’s affinity for Russia and its leadership in addition to the president’s response to the protests in Charlottesville and his delayed denouncement of white supremacists, neo-Nazis and members of the Ku Klux Klan.

That all seems to be in the past, as social media has taken note of the new golfing buddies.