Clyburn gets a golf lesson, then shows off some skills

Look out, Speaker Boehner, because House Assistant Minority Leader James Clyburn’s (D-S.C.) got some serious golf skills, and on Wednesday, he put them to use for his party.

The occasion was the golf lobby’s annual visit to Capitol Hill, which came in the form of a lavish setup in the foyer of the Rayburn House Office Building, complete with putting greens, drive simulators and swing-analysis machines. 

{mosads}Clyburn, ever the good sport, stopped by for a futuristic golf lesson from The Golf Channel’s popular pro Michael Breeds. 

Breeds coached the senior lawmaker for 10 minutes, while Clyburn drove dozens of balls into a simulated range with a seven-iron.

“Shift a little to the right now,” Breeds told the left-leaning lawmaker, apparently without a hint of irony. 

After his lesson, Clyburn noticed that Republican staffers were beating Democrats at a putting contest.

“Golf is a bipartisan game,” Clyburn said, and so, after a little encouragement from ITK, agreed to take a putt. 

He lined up, still perspiring from the driving practice, and drained a perfect putt of about 15 feet.

“That’s how we do it,” Clyburn joked.