In its latest attempt to shut down media coverage, the White House Saturday dismissed reporters to their Florida hotel by declaring a news "lid" even though President Obama was just beginning his golf game — but the press pool voted to stay.

After a two hour flight, Obama motorcaded to the posh Floridian National Golf Club in Palm City to play a round and also stay.

At that point, the pool reporter, Byron Tau of the Wall Street Journal, wrote in his report to other correspondents, "The White House has called a lid. Pool does not anticipate news or POTUS sightings until tomorrow's departure of Air Force One."

President Barack Obama walks toward his SUV after being greeting on the tarmac by Rep. Patrick Murphy, D-Fla. third from right,, and Ft. Pierce, Fla., Mayor Linda Hudson, center, upon his arrival on Air Force One at St. Lucie International Airport, Saturday, March 28, 2015, in Fort Pierce, Fla. Obama kicked off the spring season on Saturday with a weekend getaway in Florida, golfing with buddies the upscale resort where he once caused a stir by hitting the links with Tiger Woods.

With a lid, the reporters in the "travel pool" would typically return to their hotel. But with Obama still in public golfing, though at a very exclusive club, something could happen. So the pool voted to stay in the area just in case.

"However, the pool will hold on the grounds of the golf course until the early evening. This was the a result of a democratic vote by the pool to hold as close as possible to POTUS. (The other option was a hotel about 15 miles away.) Despite the lid, pool voted to stay on site.

"Pool is holding in a maintenance shed," Tau reported.

Obama's golf pools are regularly frustrated by never even seeing him. Some previous presidents, notably George H.W. Bush, would allow reporters to watch his play on one or two greens. Sometimes he answered questions.

Obama has golfed at the club before, with Tiger Woods.

The trip will cost taxpayers $843,508 in airfare alone.

Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner's "Washington Secrets" columnist, can be contacted at pbedard@washingtonexaminer.com.