Jackson Reid
Former US President Barack Obama's golfing habits have been a target of criticism, especially when compared to those of his successor, Donald Trump. Obama played golf during the H1N1 outbreak, which infected 60 million people and killed 12,000 in the US. Trump, a critic of Obama's golfing, has spent more time on golf courses, with 261 rounds by the end of his presidency, compared to Obama's 333 rounds in eight years. In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Trump spent 54 days playing golf, with over 330,000 Americans dying from the virus that year.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of times Obama played golf during his presidency | 98 (according to CNN) or 300+ (according to another source) |
| Number of times Obama played golf during the H1N1 outbreak | 1 |
| Number of times Obama played golf during the coronavirus outbreak | 0 |
| Number of times Trump played golf during his presidency | 248 (according to one source) or 261 (according to CNN) or 266 (according to another source) or 280 (according to another source) |
| Number of times Trump played golf during the coronavirus outbreak | Multiple times |
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What You'll Learn
Obama golfed during the H1N1 outbreak
Former US President Barack Obama played golf during the H1N1 outbreak, which occurred during the first year of his administration. Obama played golf with colleagues on the day his administration declared a national emergency, four months after the WHO declared it a pandemic.
Obama's golfing during the H1N1 outbreak has been criticised, especially in comparison to former President Donald Trump's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Trump declared a national emergency two days after the WHO declared COVID-19 a pandemic. However, despite his criticism of Obama's golfing, Trump has spent more time on the golf course than any other President. By the end of his presidency, Trump had played around 261 rounds of golf, compared to Obama's 333 rounds during his entire eight years in office.
Obama's golfing habits have been a popular target of conservative critics. He played over 300 rounds of golf during his administration, including at least seven rounds following the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig explosion. Obama's response to the H1N1 outbreak, including his decision to golf, has been scrutinised by Trump, who faced backlash for his own frequent golf outings during his presidency.
While Obama's decision to golf during the H1N1 outbreak may have been controversial, it is important to note that he took a largely hands-off approach to the crisis, delegating the majority of the responsibility to the leaders of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the CDC.
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Obama played 333 rounds of golf as president
Former President Barack Obama played 333 rounds of golf during his eight years as president. This equates to playing once every 8.77 days, or around 41 rounds per year. Obama's golfing habits were a popular target of conservative critics during his term, with Donald Trump, in particular, criticising Obama's golfing outings while on the campaign trail.
Trump stated that "Obama ought to get off the golf course" and that he's played more golf than most people on the PGA tour. However, despite Trump's criticism, data shows that he has spent far more time at golf clubs than Obama had at the same point in his presidency. Trump has also faced scrutiny for his frequent golf outings during the coronavirus pandemic, with some sources stating that he has been on the golf course over 280 times during his presidency.
Obama's golfing during his presidency was not without controversy. He faced criticism for golfing in 2014 while on vacation in Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, minutes after condemning the murder of journalist James Foley. Obama conceded that golfing so soon after the announcement was a bad idea, stating, "I should've anticipated the optics". Obama also played golf with colleagues during the announcement of the H1N1 pandemic, although he did not declare it a national emergency until four months later, after a thousand Americans had died.
Overall, while Obama's 333 rounds of golf as president may have been a target for critics, it is clear that subsequent presidents, such as Trump, have spent even more time on the golf course.
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Trump's criticism of Obama's golfing habits
While campaigning for the presidency, Donald Trump was a vocal critic of Barack Obama's golfing habits, claiming that he would not have time to play golf himself if he were elected. In an August 2016 campaign rally, Trump said, "I'm going to be working for you. I'm not going to have time to play golf." He also attacked Obama's golfing in an October 2016 speech, arguing that Obama's struggles to pass legislation were due to his excessive golfing. Trump claimed, "Everything's executive order because he doesn't have enough time because he's playing so much golf. He doesn't have enough time to convince Congress to do it. This guy plays more golf than people on the PGA Tour."
Trump frequently criticised Obama for his golfing on Twitter, tweeting at least 27 times about it between 2011 and 2016. In one tweet, he wrote, "Barack was always playing golf." He also accused Obama of golfing immediately after announcing the murder of journalist James Foley by ISIS in 2014, which was accurate. Obama later conceded that golfing after the announcement was a "bad idea."
Despite his criticisms of Obama, Trump spent significantly more time on the golf course during his presidency. Trump played golf 11 times during his first eight weeks in office, while Obama did not golf at all during his first eight weeks. By the end of his presidency, Trump had played around 261 rounds of golf, compared to Obama's 306 rounds over two terms. Trump also spent more time travelling to golf courses, with his trips to his Mar-a-Lago Club and residence in Florida requiring more air travel than Obama's once-a-year Hawaii vacations.
Trump's golfing habits during his presidency generated controversy, especially as he had promised to be different from Obama. Trump defended his golfing as a form of "exercise" and claimed that it was part of his work routine. However, he faced scrutiny for the cost of his golfing trips, with estimates suggesting that he utilised almost $11 million in taxpayer funds. Trump's frequent visits to his own golf courses also led to criticism from ethics lawyers and journalists for potential conflicts of interest and boosting publicity at the courses to sell more memberships.
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Obama's golfing frequency was consistently reported
While Donald Trump has been a vocal critic of Barack Obama's golfing habits during his presidency, Obama's successor has spent far more time on the golf course. Trump has surpassed not only Obama but any other president in time spent golfing.
Trump has spent all or part of 248 days at a golf course, according to data provided to CNN by Mark Knoller, a White House correspondent known for tracking presidential activities. By contrast, Obama played 98 rounds of golf through this point in his presidency. Trump has played around 261 rounds by the end of his presidency, indicating he played 138% more than Obama during a similar time frame.
Obama paid over 300 rounds of golf during his administration, playing during many national emergencies. He played at least seven times since the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig explosion on April 20, and golfed during the H1N1 outbreak, which infected 60 million people and killed 12,000. Obama also golfed in 2014, minutes after announcing the murder of journalist James Foley by ISIS.
While Trump and his aides often refuse to confirm that he played golf during visits to a golf club, Obama's golfing frequency was consistently reported. Trump's aides often downplayed his golfing, and it is difficult to calculate the exact number of times he golfed as president.
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Trump's golfing during the coronavirus pandemic
During the coronavirus pandemic, Donald Trump spent a significant amount of time golfing, a practice that drew criticism from various quarters. Trump's golfing habits during the pandemic were scrutinized, especially as the health crisis ravaged the United States, resulting in a high number of infections and fatalities. Trump's actions stood in contrast to his criticism of former President Barack Obama's golfing habits, which he had frequently denounced in his tweets before becoming president.
Trump's golfing during the pandemic raised questions about his priorities and leadership at a critical time. According to reports, Trump had spent almost a year of his presidency on golf courses, with 91 days in 2017, 75 days in 2018, 87 days in 2019, and 54 days in 2020. By the end of his presidency, he had spent around 261 to 266 days golfing, surpassing Obama's record. Trump's frequent visits to his Mar-a-Lago Club in Florida and his nearby golf course also resulted in a larger carbon footprint compared to Obama's occasional trips to Hawaii.
Trump defended his golfing as a form of "exercise" and claimed that his golf outings were part of his work routine. However, his actions contradicted his earlier statements, where he promised to be different from Obama, stating, "I don't have time for that." The discrepancy between Trump's words and actions fueled criticism and highlighted the apparent double standard in his approach to presidential duties and personal pursuits.
Trump's golfing during the pandemic also attracted attention due to the associated costs. It was estimated that Trump may have utilized nearly $11 million in taxpayer funds on his golfing activities, including the expenses incurred during his trips to his golf properties. The frequent golf outings also occurred against a backdrop of rising coronavirus deaths, with Trump facing scrutiny for his handling of the pandemic.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Obama was not president during the coronavirus pandemic. However, he did play golf during the H1N1 outbreak.
Yes, Obama played golf during his presidency, including during national emergencies.
Obama played 98 rounds of golf during his presidency, according to data provided to CNN by Mark Knoller. Another source puts this number at 333 rounds over eight years, meaning he played golf once every 8.77 days as president.
Trump played more golf than Obama during their respective presidencies. Trump spent 91 days on the golf course in 2017, 75 days in 2018, 87 days in 2019, and 54 days in 2020.
