And the baseline was the real estate, that regardless of the success or failure of the golf facility, he would always have land that could be transformed through his particular brand of alchemy into a moneymaker. He was only interested in the best properties, and at the best possible prices. The economic downturn of the last decade was Trump's economic opportunity in the game, and the single-digit handicapper (his index is a 3.0) pressed his bets and made the most of it. Beginning in the mid '90s with his first Trump National course in Palm Beach, continuing into the gold leaf suburbs of New York City at Trump National Westchester, swallowing up elite properties in Palos Verdes, California, and Potomac, Maryland, Doral, Florida, Turnberry, Scotland and Doonbeg, Ireland, Trump could rightfully boast-and does-that he has the world's best golf collection. Loves it so much, it turns out, that using his art of the deal (some would say it was the art of the steal) Trump put together an array of courses that can make even him envious. I have this golf empire that while not my major business is a good business and it's a beautiful business. I've made a lot of good deals because of golf. I've built some great places and saved some great places and I've gotten a lot of credit for that from the golf world. "It's been said I've been very good for golf and I think I have. "I'm glad he said that," says Trump, never one to turn down a compliment or pay one to himself. Well, he got this done and he's rescued a number of good courses and clubs that were going under. "Some one asked me the other day if Donald Trump was good for golf. "I had been thinking that this course would never get done," says Nicklaus, the legendary player and equally accomplished golf course architect. Trump, who got it done and got his name on it-Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point Park. The city of New York, while spending an estimated $127 million to remediate the landfill site, according to the New York Times, flailed around to find someone to finish the project. Nicklaus designed Ferry Point, and he had been at the project for maybe 20 years as the original developer didn't come through. On this day, Trump was joining Jack Nicklaus for the opening ceremonies at Ferry Point Park, a course with which Trump has a development and operating lease agreement with the city of New York. The builder, developer, TV reality star and recent presidential candidate, has amassed a portfolio of 16 golf courses across the United States, Scotland and Ireland (and soon Dubai) that makes him the most visible and viable owner in the game. The man who put the "I" in icon, the "bomb" in bombast and the "go" in ego now is the man who has stormed into the game of golf and has put the "me" in gimme. That goes for wherever he is-opening a new office building, debuting a lush condominium or, as he was this day in May, introducing his newest golf course to the world. And make no mistake, Donald Trump doesn't just walk onto the scene, he bursts onto it. When the doors to the private chopper open, Trump bursts out. The big black and red and white and gold helicopter comes roaring over the Whitestone Bridge in New York City, touching down on one of the most unlikely golf courses on the planet, a project 30 years in the making, a project that sat idle for a decade.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |