President Obama usually limits his frequent golf outings for pure recreation, choosing to reserve the fairway time for personal friends rather than political schmoozing.

But on Sunday, Obama broke with his those now familiar ways and invited three Democratic congressmen to brave the 95-degree-plus temps and join him on the course at Andrews Air Force Base, just outside the Washington Beltway.

Democratic Reps. Joe Courtney of Connecticut, Ed Perlmutter of Colorado and John Yarmuth of Kentucky hit the links with Obama on Sunday.

A reporter traveling with the president asked the White House whether the Iran deal lobbying inspired the invites but didn't receive an immediate explanation.

The invitation could be a thank you of sorts rather than a lobbying opportunity because all three House Democrats have offered praise for the deal over the past week.

Yarmuth is Kentucky's first Jewish member of Congress but he does not align with the predictably pro-Israeli block of lawmakers.

He supports the deal, arguing that it would effectively block Iran from building a nuclear weapon and the alternative was war in the Middle East or a nuclear arms race.

Earlier this year, Yarmuth skipped Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech to Congress in which he denounced the direction of the negotiations.

Attendance at Netanyahu's speech has "unfortunately become a litmus test on whether you're pro-Israel or not and I just resent that," he told the Washington Examiner back in early March.

The same day the deal was announced, Courtney, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, issued a statement calling it a "hopeful development."

Before directly stating his support, however, he said he would review the 150-page document to determine if it "sufficiently monitors and contains any efforts by Iran to militarize its nuclear program and maintains deterrents to prevent Iran from considering any straying from the agreement's obligations."

Perlmutter also offered praise for the deal, though he said he is still reviewing it.

"I will carefully read and review the terms of the agreement over the next 60 days, but I believe this agreement aligns with the initial framework reached several months ago," he said. "We must make sure Iran holds up its end of the bargain at every step of the way through strict verification requirements, but this is a positive step toward reducing the nuclear threat that exists in the Middle East and gives peaceful diplomacy a chance to succeed."