Miles Bennett
Former US President Barack Obama was an avid golfer, earning him the title golfer-in-chief during his eight years in office. Obama played approximately 333 rounds of golf during his presidency, which equates to about 41 rounds per year or once every 8.77 days. This included a round of golf in 2014, minutes after condemning the murder of journalist James Foley, which Obama later conceded was a bad idea. While Obama's golfing drew criticism from some, including his successor Donald Trump, it is worth noting that Trump's golfing frequency during his presidency was significantly higher, with visits to golf clubs and courses he owns once every 4.92 days.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Total number of rounds played during presidency | 333 |
| Total hours spent on the golf course | 1,665 (based on 5 hours per round) or 306 (based on 4 hours per round) |
| Average rounds per year | 41 |
| Average rounds per day | Once every 8.77 days |
| Comparison with Trump | Obama played less golf than Trump during the same time frame in their presidencies |
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What You'll Learn
Obama played 333 rounds of golf during his presidency
Barack Obama played approximately 333 rounds of golf during his eight-year presidency, according to CBS News White House correspondent Mark Knoller, who maintains a precise database of presidential actions and movements. This equates to about 41 rounds per year or once every 8.77 days.
Obama's golfing habit was often criticised by then-citizen Donald Trump, who claimed that it showed a lack of work ethic. In one instance, Obama golfed in 2014 while on vacation in Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, minutes after condemning the murder of journalist James Foley. Obama later conceded that golfing so soon after announcing Foley's death was a mistake, acknowledging that he "should've anticipated the optics."
Despite Trump's criticism of Obama's golfing, data shows that Trump has spent significantly more time at golf clubs during his presidency than Obama had at the same point in his first term. Trump's trips have also generated revenue for his company, with hundreds of thousands of dollars in charges to the Secret Service.
It is worth noting that the tradition of golfing U.S. presidents goes back to Dwight D. Eisenhower, who brought the sport to the White House lawn and played an estimated 800 rounds during his presidency.
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Obama golfed once every 8.77 days
During his presidency, Barack Obama played 333 rounds of golf, according to CBS News reporter and presidential historian Mark Knoller. This equates to approximately 1,665 hours spent on the golf course out of a total of 55,008 hours of presidency. This means that Obama played golf once every 8.77 days.
Obama's golfing habits have been a source of criticism, with some arguing that it reflected poorly on his work ethic and responsibilities as president. However, it's important to note that he only went golfing once during his first 100 days in office, and his golfing frequency increased in his second term.
In contrast, President Trump has been criticised for spending more time on the golf course than Obama during the same period of their respective presidencies. Despite Trump's promises to be different, he has been at a golf club once every 4.92 days, with his company generating revenue from charges to the Secret Service.
Obama's golf outings lasted an average of four to six hours per round, resulting in a total of more than 200 days spent golfing during his presidency. While the financial cost of presidential golfing has attracted scrutiny, Obama's trips to Hawaii for golf have also been criticised for their environmental impact.
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Obama's golf trips were criticised for their carbon footprint
While Barack Obama was president, he played 333 rounds of golf, or 105 during his first term, over eight years, averaging one round every 8.77 days. This amounts to more rounds than any president since Dwight D. Eisenhower, who played an estimated 800 rounds on the White House lawn. Obama's golf trips, which included three vacation trips to his birth state of Hawaii, were criticised by Donald Trump, who accused the media of failing to talk about "all of the time Obama spent on the golf course, often flying to Hawaii in a big, fully loaded 747, to play. What did that do to the so-called Carbon Footprint?".
Trump's criticism of Obama's golfing is ironic given that he has spent more time at golf clubs than Obama had at the same point in his term, with Trump visiting golf clubs once every 4.92 days. Trump's trips have also generated revenue for his company, with hundreds of thousands of dollars being charged to the Secret Service. Furthermore, Trump's own golf-related carbon footprint has been bigger than Obama's, even if only counting air travel.
Despite this, Obama's golfing did attract some criticism at the time. In 2014, he played golf while on vacation in Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, minutes after condemning the murder of journalist James Foley. Obama conceded the next month that this was a bad idea, saying, "I should've anticipated the optics".
Obama's golf trips, particularly his flights to Hawaii, were criticised by Donald Trump for their carbon footprint. However, an analysis of the facts suggests that Trump's own carbon footprint from golf trips was larger, and that his criticism of Obama was hypocritical given that he spent more time at golf clubs than Obama did at the same point in his presidency.
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Obama golfed minutes after condemning the murder of James Foley
During his presidency from 2009 to 2017, Barack Obama played approximately 333 rounds of golf, which equates to around 1,665 hours or about 3% of his time in office. Obama's golfing habits have been described as leisurely, with each round lasting an average of four to six hours.
In August 2014, Obama issued a statement condemning the execution of American journalist James Foley by Islamic State militants. While on vacation in Martha's Vineyard with his family, Obama gave what were described as his strongest remarks to date on ISIS, calling the group a ""bankrupt ideology" with "no place in the 21st century". However, moments later, he was photographed heading to the golf course, sparking criticism from some quarters.
Obama initially defended his actions, suggesting that he merely wanted a break from the press. However, he later admitted that golfing immediately after condemning Foley's murder was a mistake and that he should have anticipated the backlash and criticism for his apparent insensitivity. The incident highlighted the challenges presidents face in balancing their public duties with personal time, especially during times of national significance.
Obama's golfing frequency increased during his second term, and he faced scrutiny for the financial costs of his golfing excursions, which included Air Force One, Secret Service protection, and accommodation. Despite the criticism, Obama's golfing habits were not unique among US presidents, with golf being a popular sport among his predecessors and successors.
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Obama earned the nickname golfer-in-chief
Former US President Barack Obama played a total of 333 rounds of golf during his eight years in office, according to CBS News White House correspondent Mark Knoller, who keeps a database of presidential actions and movements. This equates to about 41 rounds per year, or a round of golf once every 8.77 days.
Obama's frequent golfing earned him the nickname "golfer-in-chief", a title previously bestowed upon former President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who is thought to have played around 800 rounds of golf during his time in office. Obama's golf habit was criticised by then-presidential candidate Donald Trump, who claimed that Obama's golfing showed he wasn't working hard. Trump also attacked Obama's carbon footprint from his golfing trips, which included air travel to Hawaii.
However, despite Trump's criticism, data shows that he has spent more time at golf clubs than Obama had at the same point in his term. Trump has made frequent trips to golf clubs and resorts that he owns, with some estimating that these trips have cost taxpayers $142 million.
Obama's golfing also attracted negative attention on a few occasions. In 2014, he played golf just minutes after condemning the murder of journalist James Foley, later conceding that it was a "bad idea". Obama has also been reported to take more than four hours to complete a round of golf, and friends have said that he always kept an accurate score, refusing do-over shots.
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Frequently asked questions
Obama played approximately 1,665 hours of golf during his presidency, or about 3% of his time in office.
Obama played 333 rounds of golf during his eight years as president, averaging about 41 rounds per year or one round every 8.77 days.
Obama played more golf than his predecessor, George W. Bush.
The cost of Obama's golf outings has been estimated to be several million dollars each time, including the cost of Air Force One, security detail, vehicles, and road closures.
