Jackson Reid
Former US President Barack Obama has been known to enjoy a round of golf. In fact, he's been criticised for it. Obama played 98 rounds of golf during his presidency, according to data provided to CNN. He's a member of The Floridian National Golf Club in Palm City, and has played at The Park in West Palm Beach, Florida, as well as Oahu's Olomana Golf Links in Hawaii. Obama's golf passion was a popular target of conservative critics during his term, but he's certainly not the only US president to enjoy the game.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Plays golf | Yes |
| Golf courses played at | The Park golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida; Grande Oaks Golf Club in Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Oahu's Olomana Golf Links in Hawaii |
| People played with | Woods; former NBA players Michael Jordan and Alonzo Mourning; former NFL player and sportscaster Ahmad Rashad; Marty Nesbitt; Eric Whitaker |
| Played golf while president | Yes |
| Number of rounds played during presidency | 98 |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
Obama played a lot of golf while in office
Former US President Barack Obama played a lot of golf while in office. Obama's golfing habit was a popular target of conservative critics during his term. However, according to data provided to CNN by Mark Knoller, a CBS News White House correspondent, Obama had played 98 rounds of golf through this point in his presidency. Obama's golfing trips also included vacations to his birth state of Hawaii, where he played at Oahu's Olomana Golf Links. On one occasion, he even stopped to chat with a group of girls who were at the course for a golfing class.
Obama's love for golf continued after his presidency. He is a member of The Floridian National Golf Club in Palm City and has played at The Park golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida. He has also played at the Grande Oaks Golf Club in Fort Lauderdale, a private course that was the site of the 1980s comedy movie "Caddyshack."
While some may criticise Obama's golfing habit, it is important to note that he was not the only president to enjoy the sport. President Donald Trump also faced criticism for his frequent golf outings, with Trump himself drawing attention to Obama's golfing habits in response to media scrutiny. However, despite Trump's claims, data shows that he spent far more time at golf clubs and had a larger carbon footprint due to air travel related to his golfing trips.
In conclusion, Barack Obama's passion for golf is well-documented, and he has certainly contributed to supporting the golf industry. His golfing habits, both during and after his presidency, have attracted attention and even criticism. However, when compared to other presidents, it is clear that Obama's love for the sport is not uncommon, and he has simply continued to enjoy the game as a private citizen.
Vivoactive 5: A Golfer's Companion?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
![PGF Gold Tour Precision Hybrid Golf Club [RH][Reg]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71QyIO1E01L._AC_UY218_.jpg)
Trump's criticism of Obama's golfing
During his presidential campaign, Donald Trump was a vocal critic of Barack Obama's golfing, claiming that he would not play golf himself if he were elected. In an August 2016 campaign rally, Trump said, "I'm not going to have time to go play golf." He also attacked Obama's golfing in an October 2016 speech, blaming Obama's struggles to pass legislation on his golfing habits. Trump accused Obama of resorting to executive orders because he didn't have enough time to convince Congress, stating, "This guy plays more golf than people on the PGA Tour."
Despite his criticisms of Obama, Trump has spent significantly more time playing golf and has made more trips to golf clubs than Obama had at the same point in his presidency. Trump's trips to his Mar-a-Lago Club in Florida and his golf outings have resulted in substantial air travel and security costs, with federal agencies spending millions of dollars on each trip. Trump's company has also profited from these trips, generating revenue from charges to the Secret Service.
Trump has continued to denounce the media for their supposed failure to cover Obama's golfing. In one instance, Trump criticized the media for not mentioning that it was his first time golfing in three months and accused them of neglecting to discuss Obama's frequent golf trips to Hawaii and their impact on the carbon footprint. However, data shows that Obama played 98 rounds of golf through this point in his presidency, while Trump had spent all or part of 248 days at a golf course.
While both Obama and Trump played a lot of golf, Trump has been noted for using the golf course to conduct business and forge political relationships. He has also been more vocal about his golfing achievements, often talking about his game and goading others into sharing their stories. Trump's frequent golfing and the associated costs have drawn criticism, with Palm Beach County expecting reimbursement for the expenses incurred in protecting the president.
Pull-ups: The Ultimate Golf Muscle Builder?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
![PGF Labs Gold TP BG-77 Complete Golf Club Package Set for Men & Women [14-Pieces] [Flex: Regular]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81guzppUvAL._AC_UY218_.jpg)
![PGF Men's Mustang MK7 Complete Golf Club Package Set [Flex:Regular][14-Pieces]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81go9kxxZgL._AC_UY218_.jpg)
Obama's golfing carbon footprint
Former US President Barack Obama has been criticised by his successor, Donald Trump, for his golfing carbon footprint. Obama played 333 rounds of golf during his eight years as president, which works out at once every 8.77 days. Trump, on the other hand, has been at a golf club once every 4.92 days so far during his presidency.
Trump accused Obama of "violating the carbon footprint" by flying to Hawaii to play golf. Obama made three vacation trips to Hawaii, his birth state, during his first presidential term, totalling 29,978 miles in the air. Trump, by contrast, has made 30 trips to Palm Beach, Florida, totalling 51,540 miles.
However, fact-checking by CNN has shown that Trump has spent far more time at golf clubs than Obama had at the same point in his presidency. Just Trump's trips to his Mar-a-Lago Club and residence in Florida have required far more air travel than Obama's once-a-year Hawaii vacations. Obama played 98 rounds of golf through this point in his presidency, while Trump has spent all or part of 248 days at a golf course.
Despite Trump's criticism of Obama's golfing, he has spent more time on the golf course and has overseen the largest jump in carbon emissions since 2010.
Golf Brothers: GM and DeChambeau's Similarities
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Obama's golfing in Hawaii
Former US President Barack Obama has been criticised by some for his frequent golfing trips to Hawaii. However, it is worth noting that Obama played 98 rounds of golf through this point in his presidency, while his critic and successor Donald Trump has spent all or part of 248 days at a golf course through the same point in his first term. Trump's golf-related air travel carbon footprint has also been significantly larger than Obama's.
Obama has taken three vacation trips to Hawaii, his birth state, during his eight years as president. The Secret Service expenses for the first family’s 2015 Hawaiian vacation cost taxpayers $1.2 million, bringing the total cost of the vacation trip to at least $4.8 million. The Obamas stayed at the Hale Reena Estate in Hawaii, which rents for anywhere between $5,000 to $10,000 a night.
In total, the cost of the first family's personal or largely personal travel during Obama's eight years as president came to $85 million, according to the conservative group Judicial Watch. This figure includes the Secret Service and Air Force expenses for Obama's golfing trips, which have been criticised as "unnecessary travel" and a "luxury vacation on the taxpayers' dime".
While Obama's golfing trips to Hawaii have been a target of criticism, it is important to note that he played a fairly remarkable amount of golf while in office compared to national averages. Additionally, Obama's annual vacations to Hawaii have been defended by some, who argue that they saved money by accommodating the travelling entourage in rental homes rather than hotels.
Bush Jr's Golfing Passion: A Presidential Pastime
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Obama's golfing buddies
Former US President Barack Obama is well-known for his love of golf. He played 333 rounds during his eight years as president, which equates to once every 8.77 days.
Obama has had several high-profile golf partners, including Tiger Woods and Larry David. However, his most frequent partners were David Katz, Senior Policy Advisor, Bobby Titcomb, Eric Whitaker, and Greg Orme. He played 33, 29, 31, and an unknown number of rounds with them, respectively. Obama's trips to the Coachella Valley and Hawaii, where he grew up, were also opportunities to play golf with his friends from his high school days.
Vice President Joe Biden was the only high-profile politician on the list of Obama's golfing buddies, and they reportedly played golf together six times during Obama's presidency.
Obama's golfing trips often included meetings with world leaders, such as the president of China and King Abdullah II of Jordan, and provided opportunities for male bonding and general talk about life.
Golf Betting Guide: Strategies for Success
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
Yes, Obama golfed. He played at Oahu’s Olomana Golf Links in Hawaii in 2006, and he has also played at The Floridian National Golf Club in Palm City, The Park in West Palm Beach, Florida, and the Grande Oaks Golf Club in Fort Lauderdale.
Obama golfed a lot while in office. Data provided to CNN by Mark Knoller, a CBS News White House correspondent, showed that through this point in his presidency, Obama had played 98 rounds of golf.
No, Trump spent more time at golf clubs than Obama. Trump has spent all or part of 248 days at a golf course, according to Knoller, while CNN's count has Trump at 266 days.
