Three Friends: One Goal » Golf's Oddest Couple Campaign On The Fairway

HOBE SOUND, Fla. -- Their fierce rivalry was once compared to the one between Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods. Yet they've put their differences aside for a charitable cause and golf.

Wednesday at the Medalist Golf Club, former Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton definitely talked to each other more than Woods and Mickelson did at The Ford Championship at Doral last Sunday.

The ex-presidents teamed with Greg Norman to form "Three Friends: One Cause" -- a charity event that raised $1.8 million for tsunami relief efforts in Asia and Africa.

However, it was hard not to think that this truly had to be a remake of the "Odd Couple."

On one side of Norman sat Clinton, the Walter Matthau quick-quip master who even cracked jokes about being cut today in a low-risk surgery to remove fluid between his lung and ribs.

On the other side sat Bush, the Jack Lemmon straight man who unfortunately didn't have a golf game to match.

Could there be any greater opposites?

On the tee, from Little Rock, Ark., Clinton -- the left-leaning middle-of-the-road liberal Democrat who has to wait for a public opinion poll to come out before he gives you strokes.

Next on the tee, from the great country of Texas, Bush -- the compassionate conservative Republican who's famous for not finishing the job but only quit Wednesday after nine holes because the rain became too heavy.

Let's not forget, too, Clinton rocked Bush from office in 1992 after four years.

One would think this would be Yankees-Red Sox all over again, with George W. yelling "Who's your Daddy?"

Yet, when it comes to raising money and hitting golf balls, the only thing any one of them yelled is "fore."

"The most powerful thing that has come out of this is that no matter what your differences are, no matter what your issues are, whether you are Democrat or Republican, the true tip of the spear here is that here are two guys that have formulated and grown a great friendship because of (this cause)," Norman said.

"The rest of the world should take notice, and just because you have differences with someone else it doesn't mean the world is going to stop and you have to fight it all of the time."

This, however, doesn't mean Norman and PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem will be going into business together anytime soon.

Then again, the presidents riding down the same fairway together appeared to be the most improbable pairing. It was as if Vijay Singh had asked Annika Sorenstam to be his partner in a mixed-team event.

Then word came that "Desperate Housewives" star Teri Hatcher is dating David Spade -- proving anything is possible and guys, there is still hope for us.

There isn't much hope for either former president's golf game, though.

Bush said he had one hardline rule. Don't laugh at his swing. You can say whatever you want about his legacy or his son but his follow-through is off limits.

"I'm scared to death to go on the course," said Bush, whose handicap is probably close to his presidential number: 41. "I used to love to play but I'm so bad that I'm afraid to embarrass myself in front of all of (Greg's) friends."

This wasn't the first time the presidents hit the links together.

In 1995, Clinton became the first sitting president to play in a PGA Tour event when he joined Bush and Gerald Ford in the Bob Hope Classic.

It's surprising that Scott Hoch, the defending champion and the pro in their group, didn't receive a lifetime tax exemption for enduring the day.

You know the prison football movie, "The Longest Yard"? Hoch called his round with the America's executive officers golf's version, "The Longest Day."

"We were both awful that day," Clinton said. "But our defense is that neither one of us got any sleep the night before. We were lousy but that was our defense."

Sounds like pleading the fifth.

Bush, keeping to his heartwarming platform, felt for Hoch.

"Scott Hoch was trying to make a living and here he is surrounded by us firing them into the crowds," Bush said. "He was a good sport about it."

Bush and Clinton were good sports about the lousy weather Wednesday. They could have probably gotten a bill passed ordering no one to hit balls, but they were the first on the range, posing for pictures and appearing to enjoy the soupy day. Once again, the true sign of a politician.

And someone from the Washington press corps had the nerve to accuse them of putting on an elitist function since participants had to pony up $30,000 to basically play one hole and shake hands with the dignitaries.

"I was more worried about some people wussing out and not wanting to play in the rain," Clinton joked. "I'll play in a storm or sunshine."

Norman said the common denominator is golf.

All three agreed that golf, because of its deep roots in charitable causes, is far from being an elitist sport.

"The depth of golf is so different these days than when my grandfather gave the Walker Cup many years ago," Bush said. "Then it was an elitist sport. And now thanks to guys like (Norman) it is anything but."

Clinton, the king of changing public perception, rattled off a proclamation of reasons -- from anyone can have a competitive match because of handicaps, to golfers are honorable people because they call penalties on themselves -- on why golf is the greatest sport.

Which got me thinking. Maybe Congress should abide by the same rules -- use a handicap and call penalties on themselves.

"Golf is the only sport that you get to know someone on the field," Clinton said. "It naturally makes you more connected to other people. I'm kind of a fanatic so I believe in it."

Clinton showed he's gotten to know Bush. He wasn't so sure about giving Bush a couple of shots on each side.

"President Bush gets the advantage of the front tee," Clinton said. "He should be giving me strokes. He's the one who jumps out of airplanes."

Bush and Clinton showed they truly are the oddest couple to ever play together.

But because of their fund-raising efforts and their genuine love for golf, don't dare call them grumpy old men.