TRUMP ENLISTS JACK NICKLAUS TO REVAMP ANDREWS GOLF COURSE
Since 1974, when Gerald Ford became the first President to golf there, the course at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland has been known as “The President’s Golf Course.” Almost every President since then has golfed there, including Barack Obama, who frequently played on the course. The USA’s current President, Donald Trump, is a huge golfer, but has infrequently golfed at Andrews, preferring to play at one of the courses he owns in New Jersey, Florida, or in northern Virginia. That may change after golf legend Jack “The Golden Bear” Nicklaus, at the behest of Trump, redesigns the two 18-hole courses at Andrews.
On November 22nd, Trump made a helicopter tour of the golf courses at Andrews on Marine One. Before taking off for the tour, Trump told reporters he would meet with Nicklaus to restore what he described as deteriorating golf facilities at the Maryland base.
“We’re doing some fix-up of the base, which it needs. We’re gonna try and reinstitute the golf courses. I’m meeting with the greatest Jack Nicklaus,” Trump told reporters outside the White House before boarding Marine One. “He’s involved in trying to bring their recreational facility back.”
How Will the Project Be Funded?
That’s the multi-million-dollar question. Unanswered questions persist regarding the project's financing. Neither Joint Base Andrews nor the White House has clarified who will fund the course improvements on military property or will pay for Nicklaus's design services. Trump has existing business connections with other Nicklaus-designed courses, specifically Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point in the Bronx and Trump National Jupiter in Florida.
In addition to the Andrews golf course project, Trump is currently overhauling the White House. The renovations include plans to demolish the East Wing, work that has already begun, for a $350 million ballroom, funded by private donors, and he has already replaced the Rose Garden lawn with a patio reminiscent of Mar-a-Lago.
Furthermore, the Oval Office has undergone a substantial redesign featuring gold accents and cherubs. Trump has also publicly announced a proposal for a Paris-style “victory arch” near the Lincoln Memorial.
The ballroom project has faced criticism from ethics experts and spurred legislative proposals for increased transparency. Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren and Democratic Representative Robert Garcia of California have introduced measures to ban donations from individuals with conflicts of interest and mandate comprehensive donor disclosure.
Who is Jack Nicklaus (The Golden Bear)?
Nicklaus is an 85-year-old American retired professional golfer and golf course designer. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest golfers of all time, having won 117 professional tournaments in his career, including a record 18 major championships.
Tiger Woods is still three behind the Golden Bear on the majors list. Nicklaus is, naturally, an inductee of the World Golf Hall of Fame.
His company, Nicklaus Design, has completed over 425 courses across 40 states and 45 countries and would handle the redesign work at Andrews. It is one of the world’s largest golf course design and construction companies.
How Bad Are the Courses at Andrews?
According to the President, they’re pretty bad.
Trump said Saturday that the base at Andrews “was a great place that’s been destroyed over the years through lack of maintenance. So we’ll fix that up, and Jack will be the architect, and he’ll design it.”
Trump also specifically referenced, “Two existing courses that are in very bad shape,” saying, “we can — for very little money — fix it up.”
The courses at Andrews have two 18-hole courses, three practice putting areas, two other practice areas, and a driving range. In a quick review of several rankings of military golf courses around the world, Andrews does not show up in the top ten. The website GolfPass gave the courses at Andrews a rating of 3.5 out of 5 stars.
Trump added that they would also look at improving “other things” at Andrews.
An Andrews Regular Applauds the Plan
Steve Van Ert retired from the USAF three years ago as a MSgt after serving his last 11 years of active duty flying as an airborne communications systems operator on executive and VIP transport aircraft at Andrews. He decided to stay in the area after his retirement and golfs regularly on base. He applauds the plan to upgrade the facilities.
“I don’t think the courses are particularly bad. They play well, but could be better maintained. It goes in cycles,” Van Ert said. “The courses and facilities could be more presidential,” he added.
“I used the changing rooms at the course a few weeks ago, and they are badly in need of repair, particularly the restrooms,” Van Ert said.
Van Ert also thinks the facilities on the course need to be upgraded.
“The course is in need of an on-course bathroom. It would also be nice if they reopened the concession stand that was on the course a few years ago,” Van Ert remarked.
He closed by saying,
“If the Andrews course and the base are supposed to be for the President, then there are many facilities on base that could probably be improved. Some things are in pretty rough shape around the base.”
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George Riebling
Air Force Veteran
George Riebling is a retired USAF Colonel with 26 years of distinguished service as an Air Battle Manager, including operational assignments across fi...
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