The Green Party : Clinton, Ford and Bush a Fearsome Threesome at Golf

One day after blistering congressional Republicans for messing with his education and crime proposals, President Clinton apparently threw in the golf towel and became--at least temporarily--one of them.

“We’re on the same side,” Clinton said as he posed with former Presidents Gerald R. Ford and George Bush before teeing off here Wednesday. “We gotta hang together here.”

Also a member of the group on opening day of the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic golf tournament was the venerable comedian for whom the event was named. Hope has been a pal of several Republican presidents.

The presidential game at Indian Wells Country Club claimed a quick casualty. Tournament bystander Norma Early of Vista took an errant Bush shot on the first hole square on the bridge of her nose, shattering her glasses and opening a cut that required 10 stitches to close.

Bush rushed over to the stricken fan and consoled her while tournament officials administered first aid. She was driven away in a golf cart.

From there, however, the body count mounted.

Bush hit another fan, John C. Rynd of Chula Vista, on the lower buttock on the 14th hole. “How’s the wound?” the ex-President asked.

“No blood, no problem,” Rynd replied in good humor, showing Bush just where he had taken the hit. Bush autographed the offending ball and moved on.

Ford, who has a reputation as a wild and erratic golfer, drew no blood until the 17th hole, where a screaming liner off the tee nailed Geraldine Grommesh of Fargo, N.D., in the left index finger.

She said she had never been hurt on a golf course before. “I’m just glad it was a former President who hit me,” she said.

Hope, who described the group as “three presidents and a hacker,” said earlier in the week of Ford: “They have 57 courses down here, and he doesn’t know which one he’s going to play until after his first tee shot.”

Ford, offering wise counsel before the ragged match began, said: “I would advise people they should stay behind us.”

Clinton has played with Ford before, but it was the President’s first outing with Bush, from whom he wrested the White House in 1992.

Although they posed for photos together at the beginning and end of the round, there appeared to be little banter and no personal chemistry between the two.

Asked before the round what they might talk about on the course, Clinton said: “We’re going to try to stay out of it. . . . We’re going to avoid out of bounds, he and I are. We’re not going to go too far right or too far left. We’re going to play political golf.”

After the round, Clinton declared: “It was wonderful. We had a wonderful day. . . . The best part of the day was being with Bob Hope. Presidents Ford and Bush and I see each other from time to time on the nation’s business, but being with Bob Hope was special.”

Professional golfer Scott Hoch, 38, the defending champion of the tournament, played with the group. He shot a two-under-par 70.

“There’s room for improvement,” he said of Clinton’s game. “He needs practice. (But) I’m not sure in the next couple of years he’s going to have much time to practice.”

Hope, who is 91, played all 18 holes for the first time since 1987. He was not credited with a score because he picked up his ball on several holes. Ford was given a 100, although all of the day’s scores were suspect because of numerous mulligans and gimmes.

Bush shot a 92, Clinton a 93.

Sweet revenge.

Times staff writer Thomas Bonk contributed to this story.