Golf Digest, March, 2009

Was Madoff A Cheat at Golf, Too?

There are more important things to ponder in the wake of Bernard Madoff's $50 Billion rip-off of investors than his golf game. But we were curious nevertheless. Madoff, 70, has a USGA Handicap Index of 9.8, though he hasn't posted a round since May 2000 (he played at Fresh Meadow, Atlantic and Palm Beach). All 25 posted scores were between 80 and 89, and 17 were between 83 and 87.

"The distribution of scores is highly improbable for a 10," says Dean Knuth, former senior director of the USGA Handicap department. "One in 100,000 at that level scores that consistently, and that player is typically a person who once was a low-handicap but still has game. At Madoff's age, he doesn't fit that category."