Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull will be looking to tap into US President Donald Trump’s penchant for golf when they meet face-to-face in New York.
Mr Trump has played an estimated 18 rounds since he was sworn in as president on January 20, making frequent trips to Florida where he owns two golf .
The president tried to forge a bond with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe over a game in February, but some critics have wondered if his time on the fairway has come at the expense of presidential duties.
Nevertheless, when Mr Turnbull arrives in New York on Thursday he’ll be looking to deploy a little golf diplomacy of his own to smooth over a rocky start between the two leaders.
In an interview with SBS News, Mr Turnbull said he would give the president a gift for his golf collection.
“We have a beautiful timber gift, it’s made of jarrah and silver ash, by an Australian craftsman from Bungendore and it’s designed to hold golf balls," he said.
“The president is a keen golfer so I hope that will be part of his golfing collection to hold a dozen golf balls.”
It is customary for heads of state to exchange gifts when they meet, but Mr Turnbull will be hoping to strike the right note with Mr Trump, with whom he reportedly clashed earlier this year.
During a phone call on January 28, the property tycoon blasted Mr Turnbull over a refugee resettlement deal struck by then President Barack Obama, the Washington Post reported.
Mr Trump described the agreement as a “dumb deal” in a Twitter post, but has reluctantly agreed to accept refugees held on Nauru and Manus Island if they pass what he describes as extreme vetting.
Trump was an outspoken critic of Obama’s golf habit, but he appears to have outpaced his predecessor.
He has played one game every 5.7 days, compared to Obama’s once every 8.8 days, according to the .
