President Bush celebrates his birthday with a round of golf

By Kelly Wallace, CNN White House Correspondent

KENNEBUNKPORT, Maine (CNN) -- President Bush, celebrating his 55th birthday Friday, hit the golf course bright and early, donning a cap his father, the former president, gave him, with the number "43" embossed on the front.

Bush is the 43rd president of the United States.

Joining the president on the links near the Bush family's vacation home were the former president, wearing a cap that bore the number "41," Bush's brother-in-law Bobby Koch and a pro affiliated with the Kennebunkport golf course.

Breaking into the president's holiday respite, Russian President Vladimir Putin called Bush during the day to discuss regional issues.

The two spoke for 10 minutes about the Balkans, and expressed pleasure with the results of the recent cease fire in Macedonia, a White House spokesman said.

Bush and Putin also said they had a "positive and strong" meeting in Slovenia on June 16. It was the two leaders' first meeting.

In the phone conversation, Bush pledged to continue to foster ties with Russia by sending Commerce Secretary Donald Evans, Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill, and National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice to Russia after the G-8 meeting in Genoa, Italy, July 20 to 22, the spokesman said.

The timetable for the Russia visit was not announced. The U.S. officials are to discuss stronger economic ties with Russia, the spokesman said.

Putin also wished Bush a happy birthday and wished the U.S. a happy Independence Day.

Bush, when asked what he was going to get for his birthday, told reporters, "I'm going to get what I want, spending time with my family. Couple of good phone calls from little girls down in Texas."

The president added that his twin daughters, Jenna and Barbara, had not called yet. "Little early," he said, "remember they are 19."

While the Bushes planned to take two shots off the first tee, the younger Bush, after feeling satisfied with his first shot, decided not to take another.

"Only one off the first tee," he told reporters.

Bush and wife Laura arrived at the stone and shingle family compound called Walker's Point on Thursday afternoon. The visit marked Bush's first appearance on the property since the presidential campaign, when he visited in June 2000 to celebrate his mother's 75th birthday.

The president often travels to his Texas ranch for some rest and relaxation, but aides say Bush considers Kennebunkport a special place.

"Kennebunkport has a very strong sense of family for him," Ari Fleischer, White House press secretary, told reporters.

Bush usually visits Kennebunkport once every year, Fleischer said. He spent a good amount of time here as a young man, his spokesman added.

He has "very good memories here," said Fleischer.

Some memories, though, are not so pleasant. Bush was arrested here in 1976 for driving under the influence of alcohol. Details of the arrest surfaced toward the end of the 2000 presidential campaign.

Bush may do some boating and then will have a birthday dinner with his family, aides said.

Also at the family compound are Bush's brother, Jeb, and sister, Dorothy. Gov. Tom Ridge, R-Pennsylvania, and his family traveled Thursday with the president to Maine aboard Air Force One.