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By Helen Ross
PGATOUR.com Chief of Correspondents

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- Mother Nature must be a Republican.

Why else would the heavens have opened up when former President Bill Clinton was playing his very first round on THE PLAYERS Stadium Course?

The 42nd President of the United States had lined up a pretty impressive playing partner, too -- World Golf Hall of Famer Vijay Singh. Also in the group of 10 were representatives of Singh's watch sponsor, Audemars Piguet.

Vijay Singh and President Bill Clinton set out for a round of golf at TPC Sawgrass on Friday. (Condon/PGA TOUR/WireImage)

The rain began in earnest just after Clinton arrived at the temporary clubhouse at the TPC Sawgrass shortly after 7 a.m. on Friday. He was wearing a brown shirt and khaki pants, but quickly pulled on a short-sleeved windbreaker.

Singh, dressed a tad more prudently in a black rain suit, greeted Clinton at the bag drop, and the cart the men would ride in was tucked safely under the shelter. While the two waited for the weather to break, PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem stopped by to say hello.

Several of the cart boys used their phones to take photos, but two of the caddies, standing nearby in their white uniforms, had thought ahead and brought digitals. Clinton and Singh posed patiently -- the occasional flash from the cameras toted by the two professional photographers on hand mimicking pops of lightning against the darkening sky.

The former President, who by now had put on THE PLAYERS hat that he was given, spent several minutes talking quietly to a member of the military who happened to be there waiting for his tee time. "Thank you for your service," Clinton said as he shook the young man's hand.

When the weather finally broke -- at least for a little while, the group headed for the range. Clinton, whose black bag bore the Presidential seal and the words "President Bill Clinton" on the back, hopped the curb, driving the 30 yards between the asphalt cart path and practice area on the well-manicured grass.

Singh had a weighted, hittable practice driver in his bag that Clinton had been admiring while they waited the rain out. He had asked for one -- that was roughly half as heavy -- to be brought out of the clubhouse and gave it to Clinton.

The former President practiced with the club under Singh's watchful eye. The three-time major champion gave Clinton, who had a tendency to pull his arms up and step out of his swing, several tips intended to get him back on track.

When one shot went awry, a tired Clinton said, "That was my two-o'clock-in-the-morning-get-to-bed swing." When he switched to his regular driver, though, Clinton was amazed. "It feels like I don't have anything in my hands," he said.

Finally, Clinton hit one right down the middle. "That looks like a first tee shot," said Billy Detlaff, the national director of golf for PGA TOUR Golf Course Properties, who was standing behind the ex-president.

Soon the group headed to the first tee, accompanied by two carts of Secret Service agents who looked like all the rest of the golfers -- except for the earpieces they wore. One stayed even with Clinton and Singh while the other waited on the next tee.

Singh played from the blue tees -- what else? -- while the rest of the group hit from the whites on the par-4 first. Clinton hit last and his drive strayed into the pinestraw beneath some trees on the left side of the fairway.

"I came over it, Vijay," Clinton said. "You get one mulligan on the first tee," Singh responded with a smile. Of course, there was another on the next, too -- but for the record, Clinton played his first shot each time.

"He's helping me change my swing," Clinton explained to no one in particular.

The rain came back again with a vengeance later on the front nine so the three groups skipped ahead to the famous 17th and played their way in from there. No word on mulligans on the island green.