A reader wrote in the other day, wondering about President Obama's golf handicap. He plays all the time, but not much is known about his game. Time reported he plays a dollar a hole, with a military aide holding the nuclear football hovering nearby. How relaxing.

There is no official golf handicap for the president. It's one of those elusive mysteries about Obama. Estimates range from 16 to 24, according to various reports. A golf blog recently took issue with Obama for playing five hours without finishing the game. 

This pressing national issue came up today at the White House because House Speaker John Boehner is known to golf pretty well, and may get the invite from Obama -- who is also a reputed trash-talker on the links. That makes it interesting.

QUESTION: (inaudible) will the president invite (Boehner) to play golf? GIBBS: I'd -- I could see that happening, yes. I think the president -- that might require the president to practice a bit before -- before. I think -- I think the new speaker is... QUESTION: (inaudible) infer that the president isn't as at good golf? GIBBS: I think -- I don't -- I would say that if I were (inaudible) for eight more years, and that is I think the president would be probably the first to say that -- whatever -- I don't know what Speaker Boehner is, but whenever you tell people what your handicap is, it sort of -- it indicates that you are -- you're good enough to know what that number is. Having played on occasion with the president, neither of us have discussed our many handicaps in playing golf.