President Barack Obama played golf with Tiger Woods in Florida on Sunday as he took a break from work during President’s Day weekend.
The unexpected golf pairing came as Barack Obama enjoys a “boy’s weekend” away from his wife and daughters, making his decision to spend the afternoon with one of the world’s most notorious philanderers even more pointed.
Though it would be an intimidating round – undoubtedly for both parties – Barack Obama warmed up on Saturday by playing with Tiger Woods’ former coach Butch Harmon.
After getting pointers from Butch Harmon, Barack Obama must have been feeling good about his game as he played with the Masters’ Champion and Jim Crane, who owns The Floridian Yacht and Golf Club where they were seen playing.
Golf Digest reporter Tim Rosaforte reported that Barack Obama warmed up for the “historic” round with Tiger Woods and Jim Crane.
No photos of the trio have been released and the president’s normal pool reporter was barred from covering the event, but gossip is flying at the country club as members tried their best to get an insight into how the round was going.
“Not going to turn this into Tiger Tracker, but from pro shop at Floridian we received word TW holed out greenside bunker No. 1 for birdie,” Tim Rosaforte tweeted.
While this is the first time that Barack Obama has played golf with Tiger Woods- who has won the most titles in the storied sport- it is not the first time that they have met.
The disgraced golfer did a reading at one of the President’s inaugural festivities in 2009 and followed that up with a visit to the White House.
That visit took place five months before his long list of affairs was exposed so it is unclear whether or not Tiger Woods and barack Obama have spoken since. Their four hours on the course will leave them with plenty of time to talk, however.
During his round on Saturday, Barack Obama played with Jim Crane as well as Texas-based lawyer Tony Chase, U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk, utility executive Milton Carroll and the President’s close friend Eric Whitaker who he has known since he lived in Chicago.
Both Milton Carroll and Jim Crane have donated to Democratic campaigns, and Tony Chase hosted an Obama fundraiser during the presidential campaign last year.
The Florida club is used to having some high-profile guests, as conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh talked about his times playing there during his show on Saturday.
“I was a proud and honored member of the Floridian,” he said.
“The president’s got himself a good, old-fashioned guys golf weekend.”
President Barack Obama is enjoying a break from his family this weekend after flying to Florida for a golf getaway, while the First Lady and daughters Sasha and Malia will be skiing in Aspen, Colorado, the White House confirmed on.
Tiger Woods’ old instructor Butch Harmon and his son, Claude III, are reportedly flying in to work with Barack Obama at the club’s new high-tech learning facility, which Harmon helped design.
“I’ve played golf with Ike, Nixon, Ford and President Bush 41,” Butch Harmon told Golf Digest.
“I never played with President Clinton. I met him in the Oval Office. It’ll be interesting. I know the president is a real keen golfer. I’m looking forward to it. It should be fun.”
“He’s a left-handed player, I’ve seen film of his swing before,” said Butch Harmon.
“It’ll be fun to get him down in the learning center, show him stuff in his golf game and see how he takes it to the course. He’s just like all of us that play golf. He wants to get better.”
Barack Obama was flying on Air Force One from an official event to promote his economic proposals in his adopted hometown of Chicago to West Palm Beach, Florida, for the weekend getaway.
“The president is looking forward to spending President’s Day weekend with some friends in Florida, and I’m sure they’ll take advantage of the opportunity to play some golf,” said White House spokesman Josh Earnest.
The Tom Fazio-designed private course and club is owned by Jim Crane, who also owns the Houston Astros baseball team.
According to the course website, members and guests also have the use of eight cottages, a deep-water marina, a 61-foot Viking Yacht, a boat and a private helicopter service, a spa and fitness center and a teaching facility.
Colorado is where Michelle Obama and first daughters have spent their past two Presidents’ Day weekends. In 2012, they went skiing at Buttermilk Mountain and stayed at the home of Aspen Ski Company owners Jim and Paula Crown, according to the Aspen Daily News. In 2011, they went skiing in Vail.
Vice President Joe Biden and his family, according to the White House, will also be in Colorado this weekend on vacation.
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