Trevor Ng
Golf has been a popular sport among US presidents since the early 1900s, with only a handful of presidents not taking up the game. William Howard Taft was the first golfing president, and since then, the sport has been linked to the presidency. Presidents who have golfed include Donald Trump, Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, George H.W. Bush, Ronald Reagan, Nixon, Eisenhower, Harding, and Wilson. While some presidents have been criticised for the amount of time they spent golfing, others have used the golf course as a place to conduct political negotiations and build relationships with other world leaders.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Presidents who played golf | Reagan, Nixon, Eisenhower, Harding, Taft, Wilson, LBJ, JFK, Obama, Trump, Clinton, George W. Bush, George H.W. Bush, Ford, FDR, Dubya |
| Presidents who didn't play golf | Coolidge, Roosevelt |
| Presidents who played golf during their presidency | Reagan, Nixon, Eisenhower, Harding, Taft, Wilson, LBJ, Obama, Trump, Clinton, George W. Bush, George H.W. Bush, Ford, JFK, FDR, Dubya |
| Presidents who played golf after their presidency | Nixon |
| Presidents who played golf before their presidency | Nixon, LBJ, JFK |
| Presidents who played golf on the White House lawn | Eisenhower |
| Presidents who played golf to conduct business | LBJ, Clinton |
| Presidents who played golf with celebrities | Reagan |
| Presidents who played golf with world leaders | Trump |
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What You'll Learn
Presidents who golfed despite criticism
Since the game of golf became popular in the early 1900s, most presidents have played it, with levels ranging from apathetic to enthusiastic. In fact, only a couple of presidents haven't played, and they found their own ways of spending their leisure time. Golf and the presidency have been linked, with the sport being seen as a stress reliever for one of the toughest jobs in the world.
William Howard Taft, who served as president from 1909 to 1913, was one of the first presidents to take up the game. He loved golf so much that it garnered him detractors during his 1908 presidential campaign for playing a "rich man's game". He was routinely jibed in the press for his habit and vowed to play fewer rounds, but he did not.
Dwight Eisenhower, who brought golf to the White House lawn, was perhaps the most enthusiastic golfer in the White House. He played between 800 and 900 rounds during his two terms, including some on the lawn outside the White House. Eisenhower played so much that he was criticized by political opponents and newspapers alike. Undaunted, Eisenhower kept playing, and even had a cabin at Augusta National Golf Course named in his honour.
Barack Obama played a total of 333 rounds of golf during his eight years in office, averaging just over 41 rounds per year, or about once every nine days. Obama was known to enjoy the game and often played with friends, aides, and even foreign leaders. Despite criticism from some who felt he played too much golf, Obama argued that he needed to stay active and that golf provided a way to do so while also conducting business.
Donald Trump, who has been playing golf since his time at the Wharton School of Finance, has also been criticised for the amount of time he has spent golfing. TrumpGolfCount.com claims that he has accumulated 285 daytime visits to golf clubs since he became president, with evidence of him playing on at least 142 occasions (as of November 8, 2020). Trump's golfing trips have also attracted scorn due to the financial cost to American taxpayers, with his trips to Mar-a-Lago onboard Air Force One accounting for $59 million. Notably, Trump had criticised Obama several times for playing too much golf, only for critics to accuse him of surpassing Obama's record once he was elected.
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Presidents who golfed pre-election
Golf has long been a popular pastime for US presidents, with the sport often intertwined with their political duties. While many presidents have taken up golf during their time in office, several also played before their election.
William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft was the first golfing president. He served from 1909 to 1913 and was known for his obsessive golf addiction, despite being terrible at the game. During his 1908 presidential campaign, he played so much golf that his mentor, Theodore Roosevelt, urged him to give up the game due to its perception as a "rich man's sport".
Woodrow Wilson
Woodrow Wilson played golf 1,200 times as president, even in the snow with red-painted balls for easy spotting. He received praise for his regular playing, and it is said that he learned of his victory in California during the 1916 election while on the golf course.
John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy was an avid golfer, regularly playing with his press secretary, brother-in-law, and then-ABC News national affairs editor. He was known for his athletic and fast-paced style, jumping from one tee to the next in no particular order.
George H.W. Bush
George H.W. Bush grew up near country clubs and golf courses in Massachusetts. He was known for his fast playing style, able to finish an 18-hole course in under an hour and 20 minutes.
Joe Biden
Joe Biden did not come from a wealthy background and did not start playing golf until 2001. However, he has continued to play throughout his time in the White House, both as vice president and president.
While not all of these presidents golfed extensively before their election, they all had a notable interest in the sport, which in some cases influenced their presidential campaigns and duties.
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Presidents who golfed post-election
Golfing is a popular pastime among US presidents, with the sport often going hand in hand with the country's leadership. While some presidents have been avid golfers, the amount of time they spend on the golf course has also been a source of criticism.
One of the most well-known golfing presidents is Dwight D. Eisenhower, who brought the game to the White House lawn and played around 800 rounds during his time in office. Eisenhower's vice president, Nixon, also took up the game and became a solid player.
Another president who faced criticism for his golfing habits was Taft, who was accused of indifference during the 1912 election campaign. Taft's love for golf became a campaign issue, with one newspaper comparing him to Nero, who "fiddled while Rome burned".
More recently, Barack Obama and Donald Trump have both been criticised for the amount of time they spent golfing during their presidencies. Obama's successor, Trump, had previously criticised him for golfing too often, only to be accused of surpassing Obama's record once he took office. Trump visited golf courses approximately 300 times during his presidency, spending almost a full year on the golf course. This was particularly notable during the COVID-19 pandemic, when Trump's frequent golfing outings drew criticism from the media and the public.
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Presidents who golfed while in office
Since golf became popular in the early 1900s, most US presidents have played the game, with varying levels of enthusiasm. William Howard Taft was the first US president to play golf, starting a long-held tradition of presidential golf in 1909. Before Taft, golf was seen as a sport for the rich upper crust, and he was criticised for playing despite being terrible at it.
Woodrow Wilson, the 28th president, was a passionate golfer, playing at least 1,000 rounds while in office. He loved the game so much that he had black golf balls designed so he could play outside in the winter. Warren Harding, the 29th president, also played the game often, despite his limited ability. Harding left an indelible mark on the game with the famous TPC Harding Park in San Francisco, which was named after him.
Dwight D. Eisenhower was perhaps the most enthusiastic golfer in the White House, bringing the game to the White House lawn, where he is thought to have played some 800 rounds. Eisenhower's love for the game helped to shift golf from being seen as a rich man's sport to every man's sport. John F. Kennedy played golf for Harvard and had an excellent swing, but he stayed off the golf course during his presidency as he didn't want to be seen as a rich man.
More recent presidents who have golfed while in office include Barack Obama, who played approximately 333 times over his two terms, and Donald Trump, who played between 285 and 308 rounds during his first term in office. Trump's love of golf has also influenced American diplomacy, as he has played with foreign leaders such as Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
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Presidents who golfed to conduct business
Golfing among U.S. presidents is culturally embedded in the job, even if they enter the White House as a casual player. It is seen as a stress reliever for one of the toughest jobs in the world.
One of the first presidents to take up a club was William Howard Taft, who served from 1909 to 1913. He loved golf so much that it garnered him detractors during his 1908 presidential campaign for playing a "rich man's game."
Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) was a notoriously passionate golfer. He first picked up a golf club at the age of 12 on his family's estate in New Brunswick. He and some friends cleared some land to create a nine-hole course, and he fell in love with the sport. At 17, he served as the secretary and treasurer of the Campobello Golf Club and went on to win the club's championship five years later. He often played with other politicians in Washington but had to give up the game after contracting polio at 39.
'General' Dwight D. Eisenhower, or 'Ike', is arguably one of the most ardent golfers ever to have held the office of president. He was a member of the Augusta National Golf Club and famously had a putting green installed on the White House grounds. It is estimated that he played more than 800 rounds during his eight years in office.
Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ) reportedly played with an ulterior motive after realizing golf was the perfect activity for political negotiations. Legend has it that the votes he needed to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964 were secured on the golf course.
Richard Nixon was a president who took great pleasure in the game and studied it fervently. He was one of the first presidents to advocate for a policy known as "Golf Ball Diplomacy," which he used to strengthen ties with Japan during a time when most American politics discredited Japanese interests.
Donald Trump has been criticized for the amount of time he has spent golfing. He uses golf as a way to conduct business on the golf course.
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Frequently asked questions
William Howard Taft is considered to be the most golf-mad president in history. He was known for his obsessive golf addiction and is said to have played at least 1,000 rounds while in office.
While it is estimated that President Wilson played the most golf during his time in office, with some sources claiming he played up to 1,600 rounds, Dwight Eisenhower is also said to have played around 800 rounds of golf during his presidency, making him America's golfer-in-chief.
Warren Harding, the 29th US president, played golf often despite his limited ability. Harding left an indelible mark on the game with the famous TPC Harding Park in San Francisco, which was named after him.
Nixon took up golf while serving as vice-president to Eisenhower and became a solid player. Reagan also played golf before he became president, often with celebrities, but largely stopped playing after a disastrous weekend in October 1983, during which he had to navigate the difficulties of playing golf and being president.
