President Obama started out his Vineyard vacation Saturday with one of his favorite pastimes, a round of golf.

The President arrived at the Farm Neck Golf Club in Oak Bluffs just after 1 p.m. His golfing parters Saturday were actor Larry David, former UBS executive Robert Wolf, and friend Cyrus Walker.

At the first hole, the President's golf ball was sitting at the edge of the green. Mr. Obama, wearing light pants and a light golf shirt with a beige baseball hat, hit the ball with his putter, and as it approached the hole, he leaned back on one leg and raised the other leg, as if willing the ball to fall in the hole — which it did not.

The temperature Saturday was in the high 70s, with a cool breeze and low humidity.

Farm Neck Golf Club appears to be a favorite of Mr. Obama's. During last year's vacation, he played golf there six times.

After a quiet day at home in Chilmark, the President is out to dinner at State Road restaurant in West Tisbury.

The President and Michelle Obama have dined at the farm to table restaurant in North Tisbury during their past Vineyard vacations. The restaurant's seasonal specials include striped bass and duck confit.

Mr. Obama spent most of the cloudy, windy Sunday at the family's vacation home off North Road in Chilmark. The trip over to State Road at about 7 p.m. was the first outing of the day for the presidential motorcade.

A rare rainy day on the Vineyard Tuesday kept President Obama off the links, but Michelle and her daughters ventured to Edgartown for a ladies’ lunch.

Mrs. Obama, Malia and Sasha arrived at the Atlantic restaurant with a small group of women just after 1 p.m. Overlooking Edgartown harbor, the Atlantic has a full-service seafood oriented menu and does a brisk lunchtime business.

Minutes earlier, a “lid” was declared at the Chilmark home where the Obamas are staying, indicating the President’s intention to remain there for the rest of the day.

Outside the Atlantic, onlookers gathered in the rain as black Secret Service vehicles arrived and Edgartown Police closed the end of Dock Street to traffic. Though the restaurant was filled with patrons, few inside seemed aware of the First Lady’s imminent arrival. She and her entourage filed in quietly through a side door and into a private dining room as rain poured down outside.

On Monday, President Obama spent the afternoon at the private Vineyard Golf Course for the second golf outing of his vacation. The family spent a quiet evening at home.

The President and First Lady are enjoying a night out Wednesday, dining with friends at the downtown Edgartown restaurant Alchemy.

According to the White House, the Obamas are having dinner with former attorney general Eric Holder and his wife, National Security Advisor Susan Rice and her husband, and former U.S. trade representative Ron Kirk and his wife.

This is the President's first White House visit to Alchemy, a two-story restaurant that is open year-round, with bars on both floors and a second story porch overlooking Edgartown's Main street. The presidential visit has closed traffic for two blocks surrounding the restaurant, between Church street and North Water street, with local police waving cars down side streets as they came into town.

As the sun was setting, the street and the restaurant were filled with the usual summer crowds. People stopped to take pictures or survey the scene, which included Secret Service agents and several vehicles stationed behind yellow police tape in front of the restaurant. Onlookers passed by walking dogs or carrying cups of ice cream, while one couple asked a Secret Service agent how they could get to Isola, a restaurant located through a parking lot behind Alchemy. Security was stationed on the second story of Edgartown town hall across the street from the restaurant.

Earlier in the day, the President hit the links at Farm Neck Golf Club in Oak Bluffs with golf partners Alonzo Mourning, Ray Allen, and Cyrus Walker. According to the White House, Mr. Obama also called former President Jimmy Carter to wish him a full and speedy recovery. Mr. Carter revealed on Wednesday that he has been diagnosed with cancer.

This is the second time in as many days that White House excitement has come to Edgartown. On Tuesday, Mrs. Obama and the couple's daughters had lunch at Atlantic Fish & Chop House, a few blocks down Main street from Alchemy.

The White House now says President Barack Obama and his family will arrive on the Vineyard on Friday evening, a day earlier than planned.

Preparations have been evident around the Island over the last few weeks, with the appearance of black government vehicles. Local police departments have been working with the White House advance team and the Secret Service on security measures for the first family's arrival. On Wednesday, U.S. Marine Corps V-22 Osprey and other military helicopters flew in and out of the Martha’s Vineyard Airport.

As they have in past visits, the Obama family will stay in Chilmark. For the second year, they will be staying at a secluded home off North Road with views across Vineyard Sound. The home is owned by Joanne Hubschman.

For a look at preparations for President Obama's approaching Vineyard vacation, one need only look to the skies.

A steady stream of military planes and helicopters have been landing at the Martha's Vineyard Airport this week, preparing and bringing supplies for the Summer White House to get underway.

Timothy Johnson snapped these pictures of a cargo plane and Bell Boeing V-22 Ospreys landing at the airport Wednesday and Thursday.

President Obama and family are scheduled to arrive on Martha's Vineyard at about 6:20 p.m. on Friday, the White House said Thursday night.

The First Family's original travel plans had them arriving on the Vineyard for their summer vacation on Saturday. On Wednesday, the White House confirmed that they would be arriving a day earlier than expected.

According to the White House, the family will be departing from Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland on Air Force One just before 5 p.m., arriving at Cape Cod Coast Guard Air Station at 6 p.m. The family will take the short trip over to the Vineyard aboard Marine One, landing at Martha's Vineyard Airport.

President Obama and his family are en route to the Vineyard for their 16-day vacation.

The President, First Lady Michelle Obama, and daughter Sasha departed from Andrews Air Force Base aboard Air Force One just before 5 p.m. National Security Advisor Susan Rice and senior advisor Valerie Jarrett are traveling with the family, as are the Obama family pets, Portuguese water dogs Bo and Sunny.

Air Force One will travel to U.S. Coast Guard AIr Station Cape Cod, and the First Family will take the short flight to the Vineyard aboard Marine One. They are expected to arrive on the Vineyard around 6:20 p.m.