In leisure mode, Obama shows off his golf game

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Though Hillary Clinton said she is “thinking” about a second presidential run, the former secretary of State has reportedly made no decision. But a slew of public appearances, a forthcoming book and support from Super PACs and prominent Democrats suggest another bid is on the horizon. (Theo Wargo / Getty Images)

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Jeb Bush, the former governor of Florida has kept a high public profile in recent months. His family has even weighed in on a possible run. (Brendan Smialowski / AFP/Getty Images)

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Sen. Rand Paul’s (R-Ky.) profile has been on the rise, speaking out against the Obama administration’s drone and surveillance policies. Tapping into his father’s libertarian base, the first-term senator placed first in the 2014 CPAC straw poll. (Alex Wong / Getty Images)

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Vice President Joe Biden, who has run several times, has decades of experience. However, Biden’s age and predilection for gaffes could impair a future effort. (Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images)

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Mitt Romney’s running mate in 2012, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), has built a reputation on budgetary issues. Ryan didn’t walk away from 2012 unscathed, but carries clout as the House Budget Committee chairman. (Brendan Smialowski / AFP/Getty Images)

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Republican New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie cemented his place in the 2016 conversation with a landslide gubernatorial re-election victory. But a scandal involving a top aide has cut into his popularity and position as a GOP front-runner.

(Kena Betancur / Getty Images)

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Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) is a key player in Republican opposition to President Obama’s signature healthcare law. A favorite of the tea party, Cruz’s 21-hour “filibuster” increased his popularity on the right and sparked 2016 speculation. (C-SPAN / Associated Press)

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Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) has said repeatedly that she is not running for president. But her book, “A Fighting Chance,” fueled talk that she has presidential hopes. Warren, who built her reputation as an advocate for consumers, is highly popular among liberals. (Darren McCollester / Getty Images)

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Mike Huckabee, a former Arkansas governor who ran in the 2008 presidential primary, remains popular even in a crowded Republican field. (Jim Cole / Associated Press)

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Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) saw his national profile soar during the 2012 campaign as a surrogate for Mitt Romney and, in 2013, working to pass bipartisan immigration reform. But Rubio’s openness to compromise on the issue has subjected him to criticism from the right. (Justin Sullivan / Getty Images)

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One of the more liberal members of the Democratic crop, Gov. Martin O’Malley (Md.) has been at the forefront of his state’s fight over gay marriage and signed a bill decriminalizing marijuana. Plus, O’Malley has passed the Iowa litmus test, headlining a steak fry event in 2012. (Patrick Semansky / Associated Press)

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New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is a more quiet figure on the national stage, but with solid approval ratings and proven success in fundraising, he remains part of the conversation. (Richard Drew / Associated Press)

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Gov. Bobby Jindal of Louisiana has earned a reputation as a policy expert within the Republican Party, particularly on healthcare, though his first chance at the national stage, the 2009 Republican response to Obama’s State of the Union address, was ineffectual and poorly reviewed. (Patrick Kane / Associated Press)

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Texas Gov. Rick Perry announced he will not seek re-election in 2014, freeing up his calendar for another presidential run. Perry notably left the door open to future political endeavors. But his poor reviews in the 2012 race still cast a long shadow over his 2016 chances.

(Eric Gay / Associated Press)

By Kathleen Hennessey

Aug. 11, 2013 2:46 PM PT

OAK BLUFFS, Mass. -- President Obama wasted no time getting out on the golf course Sunday, the first day of his weeklong summer vacation on Martha’s Vineyard.

Obama and his golfing partners headed to the Farm Neck Golf Club, a semi-private club on the east side of the island, for what will likely be the first of several golf outings during the presidential getaway. The first foursome included aide Marvin Nicholson, chef Sam Kass and investor and Obama friend Robert Wolf.

The president’s golf outing was no surprise. He’s been known to tolerate miserable humidity and bone-chilling wind to go out for his almost weekly game in Washington. It would have been a shock if he’d stayed off the course on this sunny, late-summer day.

PHOTOS: Team Obama, where are they now?

But the White House did surprise the group of reporters and photographers who follow the president by allowing the pack to watch a bit of the president’s golf game. The White House typically keeps the journalists far out of viewing range -- even in vans or a restaurant -- during the games.

On Sunday, the group was allowed to gather in the trees on the first hole and watch Obama and the group putting.

It was a three-putt hole for the president, who started by chipping his ball up on the green and overshooting by about 15 feet. His next shot broke to the left, as the first golfer let out a cry and kicked his knee up, as if trying to coax the ball in the other direction. No luck.

Obama was in full leisure mode, wearing white shirt, khakis and sunglasses and taking his time on the course. He and the group left the course more than five hours after arriving.

kathleen.hennessey@latimes.com

Twitter: @khennessey

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