This is hardly the "Ping Pong Diplomacy" of the early 1970s but today's 18 rounds between the US president and Republican House Speaker John Boehner is being hailed, by the Daily Beast for one, as "Obama's Golf Diplomacy".

Accordingly,

The long-planned summit has turned into a de facto negotiating session over government spending aimed at trying to strike a deal on raising the U.S. debt limit before America defaults in early August.

The two men will be joined by Vice President Joe Biden and John Kasich, the Republican Governor of Ohio.

More important, however, is the likely outcome of the contest. Handily, Golf Digest has produced a list of the top 150 golfers from Washington's political scene.

According to the list Obama (with a 17 handicap) is ranked joint 108th while Boehner is 43rd with a 7.9 rating. Out in front is Biden, 29th on the overall list with a 6.3 handicap.

Which brings us to the last golfing president, George W Bush, who memorably took time out from his busy schedule to comment on matters of grave import before inviting us to marvel at his swing.