Tia Spencer, a precocious fifth-grader at Waimanalo Elementary School, spent the school year learning about President-elect Barack Obama. In just a few minutes, he would be walking past her back yard.

“;I see the way he's trying to change the world,”; said 10-year-old Tia. “;It's not going to happen overnight, and he's telling people to give him time. This will be the closest I've ever been to a famous person.”;

Tia waited with binoculars that got the attention of several of her neighbors living in Saddle City, a small community in Waimanalo on the edge of Olomana Golf Links, where Obama went golfing yesterday on his first full day of his winter vacation.

They watched dozens of other golfers pass by — each saying Obama was right behind them — and talked to Secret Service agents when finally, at about 4:15 p.m., Obama's ball landed right in front of the waiting crowd.

“;Hey, what's up?”; said Obama, dressed in a white polo shirt and light-brown cargo shorts with dark sunglasses, as he drove up on a golf cart. “;How's everyone doing? You having fun?”;

“;How was your shot?”; one of the residents yelled.

“;It's terrible,”; Obama joked. “; I knew you guys were here, so this is where I was aiming.”;

Obama, a left-hander, swung and hit the ball in front of the crowd.

“;All right, that wasn't bad,”; he said. “;I didn't embarrass myself.”;

Obama, who stayed for no more than a minute or two, left by telling the residents, “;Merry Christmas.”;

A woman yelled, “;Mele Kalikimaka!”; the Hawaiian greeting, to the Hawaii-born Punahou graduate, prompting Obama to repeat back, “;Mele Kalikimaka!”;

As Obama finished playing the 18 holes of golf, the residents of Saddle City effused over the encounter.

“;The first time he came here, we missed him,”; said Ty Kakalia, 37, referring to Obama's vacation in August, when he also golfed at Olomana. “;It's the most exciting thing to happen in Saddle City.”;

At the snack bar, Obama bought two hot dogs, two fried-egg Spam musubi, two passion-orange sodas, a Powerade and a Coke, for $17.75, according to pool reporter Jeff Zeleny of the New York Times.

Obama and his wife Michelle are not sleeping in so far on their Hawaii vacation. Today and yesterday they went to the gym at Marine Corps Base Hawaii for a workout before 7:30 a.m.

Today, some residents were outside their homes watching the motorcade pass and taking pictures. A little boy standing at the end of a driveway in his pajamas waved as the motorcade drove by. Others who were out for a stroll or walking their dogs stopped to wave.

Obama left the gym after about 50 minutes and waved to about 20 onlookers who had gathered in the parking lot. He went around his SUV and decided to greet the small group that had gathered. He shook hands and chatted briefly before saying, “;Happy Holidays guys. I appreciate your service,”; and then headed back to his vacation home.

Michelle Obama did not leave with the president-elect. Media were told she stayed behind for a longer workout.

Security appeared tighter on his third trip to the island this year. Secret Service agents stopped the public on Kailua beach about 100 yards away from the home. Throughout yesterday morning, the Obama family, including Obama's sister, Honolulu teacher Maya Soetoro-Ng, walked between the yellow homes on the nearly 1-acre, $9 million compound.