PICTURE EXCLUSIVE: Swing when you're winning! Obama hits the course on his Hawaiian Christmas vacation a few days after kayaking with Michelle - as Trump golfs for the fifth day in a row in Florida
Barack Obama continued his Christmas vacation with a warm round of 18 in the Hawaiian sunshine on Monday, just days after he was spotted kayaking with wife Michelle in the Kailua Bay.
A relaxed looking Obama, 59, hit the links at an undisclosed golf course in The Aloha State yesterday where he and the former First Lady have been spending the holiday season.
The 44th President of the United States appeared to forgo a caddy, opting to cart around his own clubs as he traversed the course dressed in a white polo, matching hat, and gray shorts.
The sighting came on the same day that his successor to the White House, Donald Trump, was seen golfing at his Trump International course in West Palm Beach for the fourth day in a row.
Trump returned to the Florida course for a fifth successive day Tuesday following two humiliating defeats on Capitol Hill where he suffered his first ever veto override and a vast majority of House Republicans rejected his call to increase stimulus checks for Americans up to $2,000.
Scroll down for video
Barack Obama continued his Christmas vacation with a warm round of 18 in the Hawaiian sunshine on Monday
A carefree Obama, 59, was spotted teeing off at an undisclosed golf course in The Aloha State yesterday
Obama stepped out onto the course wearing a black face mask but promptly took it off as he began to play
Working up a sweat, a focused Obama is pictured lining up to putt on the green of an undisclosed gold course Monday
Back in Hawaii, Obama appeared to work up a sweat during his sporting jaunt, with temperatures in the region hitting the mid-70s on Monday.
With a visible sheen across his brow, Obama appeared to be enjoying a good day off the tees, as he was filmed smiling in admiration of a number of his shots, and showcasing a measured swing.
At one stage, he was spotted chatting and joking with a group of men at the beginning of one hole, as what appeared to a secret service detail watched on closely nearby.
Michelle Obama, meanwhile, was nowhere to be seen.
The 56-year-old former first lady was last spotted with her husband on December 23, when the couple were pictured soaking up the sun in some colorful swimwear as they kayaked together in Kailua Bay.
On that occasion, they were seen a stone's throw from Plantation Estate, their 'winter White House' which they rented over the holidays when Barack was in office.
It's unclear if they're staying there this year or if they are somewhere else. The pair are said to be making plans for a different property on the island of Oahu.
The pair's two daughters, Sasha and Malia, have not yet been spotted at all but they are thought to be spending the holidays with their parents.
Action shot: Obama showcases his impressive swing on Monday, but Michelle Obama was nowhere to be seen
The 44th President of the United States appeared to forgo a caddy, opting to cart around his own clubs
With a visible sheen across his brow, Obama appeared to be enjoying a good day off the tees, as he was filmed smiling in admiration of a number of his shots
Barack dressed for the occasion in a white polo, matching hat, and grey shorts
Obama appeared to work up a sweat during his sporting jaunt, with temperatures in the region hitting the mid-70s on Monday
It could be said that Michelle may have had enough golf for one week, having gifted her husband a very special present on Christmas Day.
Michelle purchased Barack a painting of the famous Augusta National Golf Course’s 12th hole, which was handcrafted by Valentino Dixon - a wrongfully convicted man who was exonerated in 2018.
Dixon, 50, who served 27 years behind bars for an act of arson he didn't commit, said Michelle reached out to him after seeing a profile of him air on HBO's Real Sports.
'It doesn’t get any better,' Dixon told WKBW. 'Michelle saw my story on HBO and her reached out to buy for Barack Obama for Christmas.'
2020 has proved a busy year for the Obamas, bringing them a handful of lucrative contracts.
Michelle's 2018 book becoming was parlayed into a book/speaking tour and Netflix documentary about her life promoting it.
The documentary was produced by their company, Higher Road.
She also launched a podcast on Netflix and interviewed her husband as one of her first guests during their months at home in quarantine.
The pair also endorsed Joe Biden. Michelle gave a pre-recorded video message for the virtual DNC in his favor.
The 56-year-old former first lady was last spotted with her husband on December 23, when the couple were pictured soaking up the sun in some colorful swimwear as they kayaked together in Kailua Bay
It could be said that Michelle may have had enough golf for one week, having gifted her husband a very special present on Christmas Day - a painting of the famous Augusta National Golf Course’s 12th hole, which was handcrafted by Valentino Dixon
2020 has been a busy year for the Obamas, which has brought them a handful of lucrative contracts, including a Netflix deal
The outgoing president paid yet another visit to the Trump International Golf Course, marking roughly the 306th time he has visited one of his 17 golf clubs since taking office in January 2017. Comparatively, Obama played roughly 333 rounds during his two terms as Commander in Chief.
The president's insistence on playing at his own properties - rather than on military bases close the White House as Obama often did - has made his golf outings enormously expensive to the American taxpayer.
Each trip to Mar-a-Lago alone costs around $3.4 million, according to the Huffington Post.
The hefty cost includes flying Trump, his staff and the vehicles needed for his motorcade on Air Force One and a number of cargo planes, as well as the expenses incurred by the Coast Guard to patrol both the Intracoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean adjacent to his for-profit resort.
In total, the outlet has projected that since he was inaugurated, the taxpayer has shelled out around $151.5 million to fund Trump's golf hobby.
While a care-free Obama soaked up the sun on Monday, an embattled Trump sought to escaped his troubles with a fifth consecutive day of golf in Palm Beach on Tuesday
The outgoing president paid yet another visit to the Trump International Golf Course earlier today
It marked roughly the 306th time he has visited one of his 17 golf clubs since taking office in January 2017
Since he was inaugurated, the taxpayer has shelled out around $151.5 million to fund Trump's frequent hobby
This week, Trump played with friends, including Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who joined the president on the green on Christmas Day.
The president also played golf with pro Bernhard Langer on Monday - six days after he pardoned a property developer friend of the two-time Masters champion at his request.
While it's unlikely that Obama and Trump will ever hit the course together, earlier this month, Barack spoke about Donald's golfing ability during an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
'Listen, from what I understand, he’s actually a pretty good golfer,' Obama said, adding that he's heard some rumours Trump sometimes cheats when he plays.
'I understand that — shockingly enough — there’s sometimes problems with the scoring, and whether he’s keeping track of his score,' he quipped.