Donald Trump is on pace to surpass Barack Obama's eight-year presidential golf record in just four years after visiting his golf clubs 88 times throughout 2025, according to tracking data. The frequent trips stand in stark contrast to his campaign rhetoric, when he repeatedly criticised Obama for playing too much golf and promised supporters he would be 'working for you' and wouldn't have 'time to go play golf'.
The 79-year-old president wasted no time returning to the links in 2026, appearing to spend New Year's Day at Trump International Golf Club Palm Beach in Florida. The 88 visits in 2025 account for just over 25 per cent of the days in his second term so far and are estimated to have cost US taxpayers upwards of £87 million ($110.6 million).
Exceeding First Term Golf Frequency
The tally of 88 visits represents one more day than Trump spent playing golf in 2017, the first year of his first term. It marks the most golf outings in any single year Trump has spent in the Oval Office.
According to the Trump Golf Tracker, a website that monitors the president's golf-related activities, Trump's trips to the green in 2025 are estimated to have cost everyday Americans upward of£87 million ($110.6 million). That figure, based on a 2019 Government Accountability Office report on four golf trips during his first term, does not include costs for December or 1 January.
On Track to Double Obama's Rate
President Barack Obama played an estimated 333 rounds of golf over the course of his eight years in office. Obama's golfing averaged about 41 rounds per year, or roughly one round every 8.77 days. With 88 visits to golf clubs in 2025 alone, Trump is on track to exceed Obama's eight-year total in just the four years of his second term.
Trump, who owns 18 golf courses in several countries around the world, has made little secret of his affinity for the game over the years. All of his golf trips this year were to his own properties, including Trump International Golf Club West Palm Beach, Trump National Doral Miami, and Trump National Golf Club Jupiter in Florida, as well as Trump National Golf Clubs in Sterling, Virginia, and Bedminster, New Jersey.
White House Defends President's Schedule
'President Trump is working 24/7 to Make America Great Again and make the world a safer place', a White House spokesperson previously said. 'Nobody works harder than President Trump who has delivered a record number of historic achievements in only a year', they added.
Trump's first trip back to Florida took place at the end of January, just one week into his second term. He headed back to Bedminster for the first visit of his second term in March and to his Virginia club in April. The president spent nine days golfing in both March and November, and visited his golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida, nine times in December alone.
Stark Contrast to Campaign Promises
The frequent golf outings mark a dramatic reversal from Trump's campaign rhetoric, when he repeatedly criticised Obama for playing too much golf whilst in office. In August 2016, then-candidate Trump told supporters at a rally, 'If I win, I may never see my property—I may never see these places again', adding that he would be 'working for you' and wouldn't have 'time to go play golf'.
During the 2016 campaign, Trump also stated at a December 2015 rally: 'I love golf. I think it's one of the greats. But I don't have time... We don't have time for this. We have to work'.
By contrast, President Joe Biden was not an avid golfer during his presidency, though he made frequent visits to his homes in Delaware. Some visits were for a single day, whilst others were weekend getaways to both his primary residence and his Rehoboth beach house.
Understanding Presidential Travel Costs
The substantial costs associated with presidential golf trips stem primarily from security and transportation expenses. Flying Air Force One costs thousands of pounds per hour, whilst additional expenses include the presidential motorcade, Secret Service protection, and specialised security equipment. Each trip to Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida is estimated to cost approximately £2.7 million ($3.4 million) in taxpayer funds, according to HuffPost analysis.
The majority of expenses are attributed to salaries for military and law enforcement personnel. Security for Mar-a-Lago visits presents unique challenges, as the resort's coastal location requires extensive marine patrols and lengthy road closures that disrupt local communities. These factors contribute to the escalating costs associated with presidential visits to Trump-owned properties, raising questions about government transparency and the intersection of public service with private business interests.
