I love it that our President Obama golfs a lot.

The fact that President Obama plays and loves the game I love makes me proud to be a golfer.

When I get a chance to play I play on San Diego courses. Some of the Green Fees I pay for a full round of 18 holes are $30 at Coronado, $29 at Balboa, $42 at Torrey Pines, $25 at some other courses. If I play twilight, I can pay less than $20 at a lot of courses and often get in 18 holes. I always walk, so I do not pay any cart fees on top of this.

The idea that golfers are all rich, country clubbers is one the most ignorant stereotypes that exist in all of the USA. People that say that simply do not know what happens on our municipal and inexpensive semi private courses that are literally in just about every community in our country. The courses I play and the people I meet are as varied as San Diego is in terms of color, creed, gender, sexual preference and income. I've made really good friends with people I have met on the course that I do other things with. I've met people who I enjoy golfing with because they share my love of the game, but off the course they are assholes and I'll have nothing to do with them.

Golf is a great physical challenge in that is hard to play well. It is decent exercise if you walk. Here in San Diego, golf is a beautiful experience, some times downright spiritual - Torrey Pines at sunset for example. For me, it is a contemplative, competitive, thought provoking sport/game/hobby/passion.

I think golf helps our President mentally. I am all for him playing as often as he can. My dream would be to join him.

.... that at this time in his Presidency, POTUS has been to Camp David for a 'getaway weekend' only 16 times, while at the same time in his presidency, Dimson had been there 62 times (which, in 3 years, works out to 20 weekends a year - or basically, every other weekend. D'oh!).

How did you admire it in the last administration?

I did notice that when he did, it seems like his and his Dad's objective was to get in a cart and play as fast as they could, often in under 2 hours. In order to do that they basically had to clear the course so the Presidents could play through, rush everyone and be done with it. That was bad golf etiquette and opposite of what I would want my golf experience to be.

I never posted anything that said I was glad President Bushes were golfers.

Was just wondering if you found the trait as admirable in Bush*. I don't begrudge any POTUS their chosed recreation in their off time. Sorry if my tone was off. Myself, I long for the time when we have a POTUS who enjoys disc golf!

It is awesome and right across the street from the round ball golf course. No offense taken.

that there were people playing out in front of Bush or any President?

He should have stuck to basketball.

A hell of a lot less arrogant looking.

and then tried to claim that he was "making a sacrifice for the troops" by giving it up?

clear of anxiety, one has to get out in nature and absorb some negative ions...that's what keeps him even and mellow...I approve also.

I am not going to let you make me feel guilty about what I can or can not afford. I have not played lately because I have been unemployed since November. When I am employed - I start a new job next week (YAY!!!) I can afford to spend about $80 a month on my passion. It is worth it to me and my family can afford it. I would not begrudge you anything that you do with YOUR money to pursue your own pleasures.

Or, alternatively, JUST the snacks.

I don't begrudge people golf on municipal courses.

the little free time they have. But claiming golf isn't a middle class and above game is disingenuous.

My guess is you have never been to a municipal golf course in a city or town near you on a weekday. I have many times in many cities. I do not want to disrespect you in any way, but you do not know what you are talking about with this topic. That is why I mentioned golf is stereotyped. In many places there are many golfers who would not be allowed to park cars at an exclusive private golf course, but they play golf all the time.

I know zero.

The thing is, you're right, golfers are stereotyped. But it's also true that the game is out of the reach of most people.

I guess for me this isn't about making you feel guilty about anything. I love the game myself. My brother plays as well and on municipal courses. You deserve to enjoy what you've earned. For me it's more that poor people are disappeared in this country, and imho, it's a good idea to understand what our neighbors are really dealing with day to day.

Weekday golf at muni's is affordable and you can get a tee time. Seriously, I'm not sure where you live. I live in San Diego and National City, Chula Vista, Lakeside, are full of weekday regular Joes and Joesphines. I have been there.

I can tell you with absolute assurance that the same is going in your city, if you really do live in California.

Just today our Sales Manager, one of his salespersons, and a customer went out.
I should have joined them!

Lots of nightshift waiters, bartenders, etc. play golf during the day when everyone else is working.

We were not middle class.

Funny thing is now that I'm at a point where I have some extra cash, I don't have the time to play.

apparently because since the crash, no one is using it. I should get a picture because cattle grazing just off the expressway isn't something you see everyday in Silicon Valley. The one up at the country club is doing fine.

"Let's not forget how boring golf is. Have you ever watched it on television? It's like watching flies fuck. A completely mindless game."

bourgeois piece of shit who probably steals lunch money from widows and orphans. Oh yeah, you also hate the environment, and want to blow up affordable housing projects coast-to-coast in order to build courses on which which you won't allow women and minorities to play.
Also you pick your nose and your feet stink.
That should just about cover it.

Other than that, good list.

In golf it's just you and your mind, no team mates to count on, and no goalie to bail you out if you fuck up.

Of course, in golf you don't have to worry about being smashed into the boards or being high sticked or getting hit with a hard rubber object traveling at 90 mph, so I guess they both have their merits. :)

for black POTUS hockey players does not even exist yet.

:hide:

Boom. I love hockey (playing and watching), and that comeback was hilarious.

It kind of wrote itself though. :D

Used to play, coach and teach the game, mainly the goalie position, which I played 90% of the time. At this point I'd struggle in a ball hockey league (no lie, some of those dudes are awesome). My knees and right hip can't take it anymore. I keep thinking of trying again, but I know what you have to do to stay at the top of the game and know I don't have that kind of dedication anymore. The diet and the work involved to stay in good enough shape to play is brutal. At 43 I don't have that in me anymore. Maybe a non-contact pickup league, but where's the fun in not hitting people? :)

I only started playing a few years ago. My kids play and having played rugby and broomball, I figured I could pick it up OK. It's a helluva workout, that's for sure, but I love it. We didn't have enough for a team last year but I'm hoping to get enough people together this year.

Getting kids into the mix was always fun. Hockey teaches more than just hockey. :)

to "skate harder" again. A couple times I brought them to my practices and they had a blast yelling "bend your knees!" and "two hands on the stick!" while I ran through the drills.

I prefer watching him play basketball. He looks tougher on the court than on the course.

give a rat's ass.

little people wearing goofy clothes & driving little carts around.

City planners should combine golf courses with cemetaries. You'd just have to golf around the headstones, LOL.

Also, in the city where I grew up, the rich kids golfed and skied, those of us on the poor side of town made do with a sandlot ballgame or basketball hoops a the local school.

Yes, back then golfing was a sign here that you had money.

How am I not surprised?

Along with things like using vast amounts of water, erosion problems, etc, etc.

Of course like anything else, there are ways to do it that don't fuck things up too much.

clubs that were originally $1,000 or more can be found for about $100 - $200. If you are just starting you should be able to get totally adequate clubs for $50. If you know an avid golfer and they are your friend, you could probably get them for free, gladly so they might get you to play with them.

Craigslist San Diego Golf Clubs - http://sandiego.craigslist.org/search/?areaID=8&subAreaID=&query=golf+clubs&catAbb=sss

Most of the folks we know have been trying to SELL theirs, because they are out of work. But hey, only the *worthy* ones can afford the greens fees now, eh? :sarcasm:

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Most courses will rent you clubs for $10 or less.

Some courses, if they sell clubs, will let you use a floor set of clubs for free so you can try them out.

You can get a perfectly serviceable set of used clubs for well under a hundred bucks...and they won't hurt your game a bit. If you're just getting started, you'll be terrible even with a brand new set of custom-fitted Callaways. Don't sweat it! Just hack away with your scuffed-up used clubs until you get more of a feel for the game (and what sort of clubs you think you'll end up preferring). Same thing with golf balls: when you're new at it (and, frankly, for a long time after), you're not going to be able to tell the difference. And you'll lose a LOT of them. No point in spending a fortune on those Pro V-1s.

Remember the famous "Thank you. Watch this drive!" line by Bush?

Well now we are in 4 ME conflicts, not just 2.

and go golfing.

Must be nice to be able to plan out your play time like that. Wonder if they'll talk about the economy? :sarcasm:

You need to be rich to play and the courses waste massive amounts of space and resources. The entire sport is fucking retarded. I say we shut down every golf course in the country and give it to the homeless people so they have somewhere to stay and wont be bothered or harassed. Golf courses are an eyesore and a symbol of American extravagance and indulgence.

I challenge you to list things you like to do and in your leisure time or to relax. I'm sure we can find reasons to think they are stupid and I am sure I can find people who are ignorant about what you like that would be happy to insult your favorite activities.

Golf courses are a waste of space and resources at a time when we have massive unemployment, poverty, and homelessness. This isn't about bashing someone's hobby, this is about the fact that golf is an incredibly pointless and illogical sport that exists only to make rich people feel good about themselves. No sport needs that much space, no sport should cost that much money, no sport should have carts available to move you from one area of the course to another, its absurd.

Seriously, lets nationalize all the golf courses and turn them into tent cities for homeless people.

Why stop there, baseball, soccer and football fields. What's up with all those concert halls, ballrooms, art museums, opera halls those could be soup kitchens and shelters. Bowling alleys, drive in movie theaters, tear them up.

Shopping freaking malls make ME sick, we don't need Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom every 10 miles in L.A. Horse racing tracks, are you kidding me.

Get rid of all that other frivolous shit and you can have the golf courses.

...why should someone or a company have a right to decide how to spend their money buying and developing property. Spending money so that construction workers have a job or allowing others to have support jobs in the golfing business.

i dont know why

Obama plays often and is unapologetic about it. I admire and am jealous of him for it.

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So much so that when he stopped going golfing in 2003 he actually claimed that he was giving it up out of "solidarity" with the troops.

Thanks for the thread, MyUncle.

I am a bit freaking pissed off.

This is DU.

I post something that boosts our fucking President and I get UnRec'd, trashed, trolled, bashed etc.

WTF are are you doing?

I defend a leisure activity that our PRESIDENT likes and you trash, bash, mash, etc.

"FORGET YOU" for being so ignorant to realize I am defending our President's favorite participant sport.

Who's side are you on?

who absolutely hates Obama. No matter what he does.

In fact, there is a small segment that will use any thread, on almost any topic, to take shots at Obama.

I call it the Manufactured Outrage Machine. It runs 24/7.

Everyone needs a hobby.

My dad often says "golf isn't good in spite of being hard, it's good because it's hard." If you're feeling a bit full of yourself, just go play eighteen holes. Arrogance cured!

Better than being a couch potato (guilty!).

I walk a mountain valley course here in Virginia, 4 times a week. I also work with the local First Tee program and teach inner-city kids how to play the game. It's a great way to teach kids the 9 core values of the program: honesty, integrity, sportsmanship, respect, confidence, responsibility, perseverance, courtesy, and judgement.

There are plenty of issues to be angry with Obama about. Playing golf is not one of them. I'd love to take him out on my course and kick his ass. :D

Nice job, keep it up. The world would be a better place with people having golf etiquette out there in the real world. Sometimes even DUsers could use a bit of etiquette.

that the president knows his ass from a hole in the ground.

Ugh...........

Pretty sure this is the only OP of it's kind floating around here.

Plenty of OP's out there slamming him for playing a couple rounds.

Ugh indeed. :eyes:

So yes, I'm glad he has that outlet, and I'm glad he makes use of it when he can. I'm a little iffy on his choice of activities, since golf courses are tremendous environmental hazards (it takes a monstrous amount of pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, water, and fuel for mowers to maintain a perfect golf course), but as in all things, there's a trade-off. I think golf would be a great outdoor sport if there was a way to design a golf course in a more natural way. The original golf courses which began in (I think) Scotland were nothing like what we know today, and were maintained in a much more natural state.

Lots of cool info in this book:

<http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0393329305/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=plumedserpentpro&linkCode=as2&camp=217153&creative=399701&creativeASIN=0393329305>American Green: The Obsessive Quest for the Perfect Lawn

It's not exclusively about golf courses, but there's an extensive discussion of them.