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Fact check: Which US president holds the record for most golf courses visited while in office?

Checked on August 6, 2025

1. Summary of the results

Based on the analyses provided, Donald Trump appears to hold the record for most golf courses visited while in office. The evidence shows Trump has spent significantly more time at golf properties compared to previous presidents:

  • Trump spent all or part of 248 days at a golf course, while Obama played only 98 rounds of golf through the same point in his presidency [1]
  • During his first six months in office, Trump made 35 trips to his golf courses and played golf 261 times in his first term [2]
  • In his second term, Trump made 62 visits to his golf courses in the first six months, representing a 37% increase from his last term [3]
  • Trump has spent almost a third of his second presidency at properties he owns, with over half of those days spent playing golf [4]

The data consistently demonstrates Trump's extensive golf activity across both his presidential terms, with 99 visits to his properties, including 62 visits to his golf courses in just the first six months of his second term [5].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question lacks several important contextual elements:

  • Financial implications: The analyses reveal that Trump's golf habits have cost taxpayers over $60 million [6], but this significant public expense is not addressed in the original question
  • Business conflicts of interest: Trump's golf visits primarily occur at properties he owns [4] [5], establishing his hotels and golf courses as centers of power and influence [5] - a crucial detail missing from the original inquiry
  • Comparative data limitations: While the analyses provide some comparison with Obama [1], there's insufficient data about other presidents' golf course visits to definitively establish the "record"
  • Tracking methodology: The data comes from sources like "Did Trump Golf Today?" [4], but the original question doesn't acknowledge the tracking methods used to compile this information

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question appears neutral but contains potential issues:

  • Incomplete framing: By focusing solely on "golf courses visited" without mentioning the financial burden on taxpayers [6] or the conflict of interest from visiting owned properties [4] [5], the question omits crucial context that would inform public understanding
  • Lack of comparative scope: The question assumes a definitive "record" exists, but the analyses primarily compare Trump to Obama rather than providing comprehensive historical data across all presidents
  • Missing timeline context: The question doesn't specify whether it refers to single terms, full presidencies, or cumulative time across multiple terms, which could affect the accuracy of any claimed "record"

The analyses suggest Trump's golf activity is unprecedented in recent presidential history, but the original question's narrow focus potentially obscures the broader implications of this pattern.

Want to dive deeper?
Which US president played the most rounds of golf while in office?
How many golf courses did Donald Trump visit during his presidency?
Did Barack Obama or George W Bush play more golf as president?
What is the estimated cost of presidential golf trips to taxpayers?
Which president had the lowest golf handicap while in office?