Harper Lin
Former US President Barack Obama has been criticized for golfing frequently during his presidency, with some arguing that it reflected poorly on his work ethic and commitment to his role. One notable instance of Obama's golfing was when he played with professional golfers Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan. Despite criticism, data shows that Obama golfed significantly less than former President Donald Trump, who was critical of Obama's golfing habits. Obama's golfing skills have been praised by Woods, who described him as extremely competitive.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | 16th January 2018 |
| Location | The Floridian |
| Other players | Michael Jordan |
| Number of rounds played by Obama | 98 |
| Number of rounds played by Woods | 269 |
| Woods' evaluation of Obama's playing style | Straight |
| Woods' evaluation of Obama's competitiveness | Extremely competitive |
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What You'll Learn
Obama played golf with Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan in 2018
Former US President Barack Obama played golf with Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan in 2018. This event took place on a Saturday, with Obama teeing up with his two special guests at the Floridian. At the time, Woods was just a week away from his first official PGA Tour event in a year, expected to be the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines.
Obama and Woods had played golf together previously, with Woods commenting on Obama's competitiveness and straight-hitting style. Woods has won 15 Majors and 82 (or 110) professional tournaments in his career, making him one of the most successful golfers of all time.
Obama was also an avid golfer, having played 98 rounds of golf during his presidency through the same point in his term as President Trump. Obama's golfing trips often involved flying to Hawaii, with Trump criticising him for his carbon footprint. However, fact-checking by CNN found that Trump had spent far more time at golf clubs and had a larger carbon footprint from air travel than Obama.
Obama's golfing partners in 2018, Woods and Jordan, had both achieved significant success in their respective sports. Jordan, a frequent guest at the White House during Obama's administration, had a close rapport with the President, and Obama's other golfing partner, Woods, is considered one of the greatest golfers of all time.
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Obama's golfing habits were criticised by Donald Trump
Former US President Barack Obama's golfing habits have been criticised by former President Donald Trump on several occasions. Trump has repeatedly attacked Obama for his golfing, claiming that he spent too much time on the golf course during his presidency. In one instance, Trump accused the media of failing to mention Obama's frequent golf outings, including flying to Hawaii in a "big, fully loaded 747". Trump also criticised Obama for golfing after announcing the death of journalist James Foley by ISIS, which Obama later conceded was a mistake.
Data shows that Trump has spent significantly more time at golf clubs and has a larger carbon footprint from air travel compared to Obama at the same point in their respective terms. Through this point in his presidency, Obama had played 98 rounds of golf, while Trump had spent all or part of 248 days at a golf course. Trump's trips to his Mar-a-Lago Club in Florida alone have required more air travel than Obama's annual Hawaii vacations.
Despite the criticism, Obama's golfing skills have been praised by professional golfer Tiger Woods, who described him as "extremely competitive" and a "straight" player. Obama has played golf with Woods on multiple occasions, and the former president was even touted for "out-golfing" Woods in 2014.
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Obama's golfing vacations were funded by the American taxpayer
While in office, former US President Barack Obama played golf with Tiger Woods. This is one of many golfing vacations that Obama took during his presidency, which were funded by the American taxpayer.
Obama's golfing vacations have been a topic of criticism, with some arguing that they were excessive and a waste of taxpayer money. During his presidency, Obama took annual trips to his birth state of Hawaii, as well as vacations to Martha's Vineyard, where he stayed in luxurious accommodations. These trips often involved air travel, contributing to Obama's carbon footprint.
According to data provided by Mark Knoller, a CBS News White House correspondent, Obama had played 98 rounds of golf by this point in his presidency. This included the game with Tiger Woods, which took place at the Floridian in 2018. While Obama's golfing frequency has been scrutinized, it is important to note that his successor, President Donald Trump, has spent significantly more time at golf clubs and has a larger carbon footprint from air travel.
The funding of presidential vacations by taxpayers is a long-standing practice, and it is not uncommon for presidents to face criticism for their travel expenses. In the case of Obama's golfing vacations, the perception of excessive leisure activities during a challenging economic climate may have contributed to the negative public opinion. It is worth noting that the role of president is demanding, and leisure activities can be important for the well-being of the commander-in-chief.
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Tiger Woods described Obama's golfing style as straight
Tiger Woods, the legendary golfer, has played golf with many former presidents of the United States, including Barack Obama. Woods played with Obama twice: once when he was the president and once after.
Woods described Obama's golfing style as "straight". He shared his evaluation of Obama's golfing skills on national television with Stephen Colbert on *The Late Show with Stephen Colbert*. When asked about Obama's competitiveness, Woods said, "Extremely competitive. Hits it straight." He added that Obama hits hard but not long enough. Woods' honest opinion about Obama's golf skills made the studio audience and Colbert laugh.
Obama and Woods played together for the first time in 2013 at Floridan National as part of a presidential trip to Florida. They played together again in 2018, when Trump was the president. Obama also played with Michael Jordan during the 2018 game, according to Golf Channel's Tim Rosaforte.
Obama faced criticism for golfing twice on a Memorial Day weekend when the US coronavirus death toll was approaching 100,000. Obama also received backlash for golfing in 2014 while on vacation in Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, minutes after condemning the murder of journalist James Foley. Obama conceded the next month that golfing right after the announcement was a bad idea.
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Obama's golfing frequency compared to Tiger Woods' as President
Former US President Barack Obama is known to have played golf with Tiger Woods on at least two occasions. The first instance was in 2013, when Obama was president, and the second was in 2018, when Donald Trump was in office. On both occasions, Obama and Woods played at the Floridian National Golf Course in Florida. The 2013 trip drew criticism for its reported $3.6 million cost.
Obama has faced criticism for his golfing during his presidency, including from Trump, who claimed that Obama was "always playing golf". However, fact-checking by CNN in 2020 found that Trump had spent far more time at golf clubs than Obama had at the same point in his term. Obama had played 98 rounds of golf at this point in his presidency, according to data provided to CNN by Mark Knoller, a CBS News White House correspondent. By contrast, Trump had spent all or part of 248 days at a golf course, with CNN counting 266 days spent at a Trump golf course.
In 2014, Obama faced criticism for golfing minutes after condemning the murder of journalist James Foley by ISIS. Obama conceded that golfing so soon after the announcement was a bad idea, saying, "I should've anticipated the optics."
Tiger Woods is an American professional golfer who is widely regarded as one of the greatest golfers of all time. Woods has played golf with several US presidents, including Obama, Bill Clinton, and Donald Trump. In 2013, Woods described Obama's golfing style as "extremely competitive. Hits it straight" but added that Obama "doesn't hit long enough".
While it is difficult to compare the golfing frequency of Obama and Woods directly, one source from the Washington Times in 2014 noted that Obama was approaching his 200th round of golf since his election as president. In comparison, since January 2009, Woods had played 269 rounds of golf. This source suggests that Obama was on track to surpass Woods in the number of rounds played, highlighting the frequency of the president's golfing.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, former US President Barack Obama played golf with Tiger Woods.
Tiger Woods described Obama's playing style as "straight" and said that Obama was "extremely competitive".
Yes, Obama also played golf with Michael Jordan.
