Another golf break for Obama

Feature by Anand Datla

March 29, 2015: Barack Obama’s love for the game of golf is well documented. The American president is taking another break this week, despite some demanding nuclear negotiations with Iran to cool off with golf in the company of his friends. Obama is in the company of some retired athletes and a longtime friend.

The White House informed the media that Obama reached Palm City, Florida in the afternoon on Saturday. Cy Walker and former athletes Ahmad Rashad and Alonzo Mourning are keeping the president company on the golf course.

The four men will indulge in some weekend golf at the Floridian National Golf Club. It is understood that Obama will spend the night in Palm City before flying back to the capital later on Sunday.

Rashad works in the broadcast business, discussing American football on television. He was a wide receiver in the National Football League, during his playing days. Rashad played for the St. Louis Cardinals, Buffalo Bills and Minnesota Vikings through the 1970s.

Mourning on the other hand was a basketball player, who pursued his craft in the NBA for 15 years. The former Miami Heat star was a two-time Defensive Player of the Year awardee. Mourning won his only NBA championship in 2006. In his later years, he represented the Charlotte Hornets and New Jersey Nets before finally retiring in 2009.

Just last year, the same group of men were with Obama at the Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo playing some golf. Obama and his administration are deep in talks with Tehran, trying to stall the pursuit of nuclear arms in return for lighter sanctions.

With the Tuesday deadline looming, Obama will have plenty to ponder soon as he returns to Washington on Sunday. But for 24 hours he will enjoy swinging a club with his friends as he seeks to de-stress on the golf course. Let us hope that the game of golf will help him refocus his energies when he returns to the capital.