Golf: Sir John Key shoots 79 ahead of rounds with Barack Obama

Sir John Key and Barack Obama are set to rekindle their friendship on the former US President's first trip to New Zealand.

Sir John Key looks to be in fine form ahead of his pending rounds of golf with former US President Barack Obama.

Key and Obama are set to play a couple of rounds in Northland with Obama arriving in the country today.

Obama has been brought to New Zealand by the NZ-US Council to promote the relationship between the two countries which was icy for many years over New Zealand's anti-nuclear policy. He also has an invitation-only dinner for 1000 people in Auckland on Thursday night.

Obama and Key played a round of golf in Hawaii, Obama's home state, in 2014, and it's Key's turn to play host in the coming days. Obama will be staying in Northland with luxury golf courses Tara Iti and Kauri Cliffs tipped as possible venues.

According to Key's player profile on golf.co.nz the former Prime Minister played a round at Tara Iti in the weekend, shooting a 79 off the middle markers. He has a handicap of 8 while Obama revealed in 2016 that he had a registered handicap of 13.

Key is a member of Royal Auckland and the Grange, Wairakei International, Omaha Beach Golf Club and Wainui Golf Club.

A player's round will only be recorded on the golf.co.nz site if they hand in their card following a round, meaning Key could have played more rounds. His profile says that Key has played three rounds this year and 10 rounds at Tara Iti in the last year.

US president Donald Trump has played 96 rounds of golf, according to trumpgolfcount.com, since his inauguration last January.

Obama played 26 rounds of golf after a year in office, according to the Independent.

Trump tweeted in October 2014: "Can you believe that, with all of the problems and difficulties facing the US, President Obama spent the day playing golf."