Expect Temporary No Fly Zones To "Pop Up Like Mushrooms" All Around The Country

ANN April 1st Special Edition:  A white house official said Friday that the Obama administration has mandated that the FAA post TFRs over any golf course on which the President would be playing. The move was announced as part of the President's "Let's Get Golfing Again" initiative he says will create jobs throughout the recreation industry as well as combat the nation's obesity epidemic.

"Golf gets people outdoors and moving, as long as you don't rent a cart," the President said in his weekly radio address. "And even for non-golfers, if one segment of the population is getting out and getting fit, others may follow suit in what ever way they choose. The goal here is to get people active again, and I intend to use my bully pulpit to combat this national scourge that is obesity."

Obama also said the initiative would create jobs in the sports equipment manufacturing sector, as well as spur golf course construction, greenskeepers, pro-shop clerks, and more. He was looking into the feasibility of using ARRA funds for "shovel ready" golf courses.

Obama says he plans to play as much golf as possible in an effort to increase public awareness about the initiative. But the secret service says that, to keep the president safe during so much outdoor exposure, no aircraft will be allowed to fly over a golf course on which the President is playing. "Who knows what a terrorist in a small airplane could do if he or she knew that the president was out on an exposed golf course," said one Secret Service agent who's identity is ... well ... secret. "He'll be playing on wide-open municipal courses for the photo-ops, and we just can't have POTUS exposed in that way."

However, another agent said that the TFRs were as much for the safety of the aircraft as they were for the President. "He's got a wicked hook," said the anonymous agent. "With so many airports adjacent to golf courses, we were concerned that a stray ball might hit a low-flying plane and cause an problem. It was just easier to close down all flight activity around the golf course for the 4 hours or so he'd be playing."

The letter groups immediately expressed outrage at the idea. "Business people like golf as well as anybody," said "NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen, "but c'mon man, how can executives fly in to join the President in a round of golf if their planes can't land at the adjacent airport. It's just ridiculous."

"Where's the first place a sport pilot looks to land in an emergency?" asked EAA CEO Tom Poberezny. "A golf course, of course. The way this President plays golf ... well ... you never know when that might result in a fatal accident. These things are going to be popping up like mushrooms all over the country."

APOA president and CEO Craig Fuller was reportedly in the NAPA Valley closing out the Wine Club, and was unavailable for comment. The initiative is expected to be launched with a golf outing featuring several professional players later this spring.

FMI: www.faa.gov, www.whitehouse.gov