Critics have slammed [President] Obama for vacationing for the third consecutive summer on Martha's Vineyard, an upscale island off the Massachusetts coast...

They say vacationing at the scenic island, a stomping ground for movie stars and other wealthy Democratic Party backers in August, shows Obama is out of touch while 14 million Americans are out of work The White House says the country does not begrudge Obama some time with his family, but it has been careful to allow no pictures so far of him at play on the golf course.

Fox News noted on Friday:

Day one of President Obama's ten day trip on Martha's Vineyard and the commander in chief is back on the golf course. But don't expect to see any pictures of him enjoying a round of 18. The president is playing Vineyard Golf Club, a private club in Edgartown. No media is permitted on the property.
Nevertheless, several media outlets Friday managed to photograph the President from afar during his golf outing.

However, the Boston Globe reported that when Obama [on Friday] approached "the eighth tee in a golf cart with friend and frequent golfing buddy Eric Whitaker," he 'noticed three TV cameras and a Globe photographer across the street. Rather than stop and be photographed teeing off, the president skipped the hole.'

So, while the White House has been releasing photos showing the vacationing President in a serious frame of mind - like the photograph it released on Friday, showing a solemn-faced Obama in discussion with his counterterrorism adviser, John Brennan [as seen above] - it is doing all it can to keep the President's Golf excursions out of the public eye - even if it means sacrificing the 8th hole. For ultimately, a little bit of sacrifice goes a long way in preserving Mr. Obama's public image. Besides, skipping the 8th hole enabled the President to finish the game with a better score - and that's a good thing.

(Source)