Donald Trump has been criticised after it was reported he spent nearly one out of every five days playing golf last year – despite famously telling voters he would be too busy working for such activity.

Even before he launched his bid for the White House, Mr Trump frequently criticised Barack Obama for playing the game, something the 44th president reserved for when he was on vacation.

“I mean he’s played more golf than most people on the PGA Tour, this guy,” Mr Trump said campaigning in New Hampshire.

“What is it, over 300 rounds? Hey, look, it’s good. Golf is fine. But always play with leaders of countries and people that can help us! Don’t play with your friends all the time.”

That summer, he said at another campaign stop: “If I win I may never see my property — I may never see these places again. But because I’m going to be working for you, I’m not going to have time to go golfing, believe me. Believe me. Believe me, folks.”

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Now, CNN has tallied that Mr Trump likely spent one out of five days playing golf, a total it reached using a variety of methods as the White House routinely refuses to confirm if he has played a game.

Many of those games were at one of his own golf courses, in Florida, New Jersey, Virginia or Ireland. He also suggested hosting the G7 summit at one of his courses, but reversed the idea after criticism.

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The calculation appeared to tally with a calculation compiled by the Washington Post that suggested since becoming president, he had spent a third of his days visiting a Trump-branded property.

Asked about his holiday plans by a member of the military whom he addressed over the Christmas holidays from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, the president replied: “I’m at a place called Mar-a-Lago, we call it the southern White House. I really pretty much work. That’s what I like to do.”

On Wednesday, one of the Democrats seeking to challenge Mr Trump in 2020, took aim at his prolific golfing.