Trump Courses - Would You Pay to Play One Now?

[minitour]

I'd golf my conscience and play 36.  Then buy as much Trump SWAG as I could find in the pro shop.

[imsys0042]

4 hours ago, Elmer said:

I am weary of going somewhere and paying for something when the owner tells me it is "the best" or "great". Especially when it is well past my budget allowance.
I understand with DT it is about Marketing, but his sales pitch of "best courses" etc.... seems desperate. I understand it is marketing and that this is the game, but it dissuades me.

I have to imagine there are 10 courses you could play which are more prestigious and worth the exorbitant cost. And none of the owners of the 10 courses are telling you how their course is the "best"
But once again this is all opinion!

Is anything he owns highly ranked?   I'm sure they are beautiful courses, but you need more than superficial beauty.  Aside from Doral, does he have any great layouts?   Anything that cracks top 100?

[Chilli Dipper]

2 minutes ago, imsys0042 said:

Is anything he owns highly ranked?   I'm sure they are beautiful courses, but you need more than superficial beauty.  Aside from Doral, does he have any great layouts?   Anything that cracks top 100?

Turnberry; it seems sacrilege that Trump stamped his name all over that course.

[imsys0042]

32 minutes ago, Chilli Dipper said:

Turnberry; it seems sacrilege that Trump stamped his name all over that course.

Oh no, that's right!   Sad that Duel in the Sun happened there.   He does rebrand everything in his image. 

[bkuehn1952]

I would not pay a premium on the green fee because it was a Trump-branded course.  I won't make travel plans to an area to play one of his courses.  If I happened to staying near one of his courses and could play for a market rate, I would play.

[saevel25]

18 hours ago, imsys0042 said:

I might not seek them out, but I wouldn't blacklist them either.  

Pretty much. I would not actively plan a trip to play these courses. 

[jsgolfer]

My wife and I have friends who are members at Trump National here in the DC area, so I would definitely play if they asked us to play.  However, I'm like others, I'm not searching out his courses, but if the opportunity presented itself, and the cost wasn't prohibitively expensive, I'd play any of them.

[David in FL]

20 hours ago, metaswinger said:

After the last 6 months?

Me? Nope.

I don't understand the question.  Of course I'd play any nice course given the opportunity.  

[DaveP043]

1 minute ago, jsgolfer said:

My wife and I have friends who are members at Trump National here in the DC area, so I would definitely play if they asked us to play.  However, I'm like others, I'm not searching out his courses, but if the opportunity presented itself, and the cost wasn't prohibitively expensive, I'd play any of them.

I didn't really think about our local Trump course.  I played there this spring in an interclub match, and may play there in the future.  I enjoy the course, and the guys I've played against have generally been good guys. The price to join there was prohibitive even before Trump bought it, and its become even more expensive, so I'm definitely not joining, even though its only about a 10 minute drive from my house.

[nevets88]

The few times I did use his course, I had to fight back from eyerolling when handed a water bottle w/his face on it. This was way back, when he only dipped his toes into politics, never liked the aura of his courses.

[Golfingdad]

47 minutes ago, nevets88 said:

The few times I did use his course, I had to fight back from eyerolling when handed a water bottle w/his face on it. This was way back, when he only dipped his toes into politics, never liked the aura of his courses.

LOL.  Wife and I got engaged on Wollman Rink back in '06.  Didn't say Wollman anywhere around the boards that I could see but said TRUMP in big block letters in a few places.  And, yup, the water bottles also said TRUMP and probably had his face on it too.  In fact, I'm pretty certain that I saved one of those water bottle wrappers because it was so funny.  (Gonna look for it) 

[Shindig]

Same as many others:  I'd play, sure.  But not for the price they're asking.

I also recognize the price makes the rounds faster by lowering demand for the course.  That's fine;  I'll take the lower price and longer rounds that I get at L.A. City courses, and use other methods (such as desert summers) to play with reduced demand.

There are some businesses I won't patronize because of what the owner did, or does with his or her money, or because the company as a whole does things I sharply disagree with.  I avoid Chick-Fil-A, and would even if I didn't make better chicken at home.  I haven't purchased a Gatorade in over six years (I have on occasion had one when someone else is providing.  PowerAde is a great substitute here also).  Kellogg products aren't welcome in my house. 

But Trump?  Trump isn't a brand I'd avoid because of the brand or person.

[14ledo81]

I would not, simply because I can't afford it.

[DaveP043]

33 minutes ago, Shindig said:

I also recognize the price makes the rounds faster by lowering demand for the course.

I'm not sure that play is any faster at the Trump properties as compared to anywhere else in the world.  Folks with money can be just as slow as poor folks, just like better players can play just as slowly as less skilled players.  Some people may even feel entitled to play as slow as they want to, simply because they spent a lot of money.

[Shindig]

38 minutes ago, DaveP043 said:

I'm not sure that play is any faster at the Trump properties as compared to anywhere else in the world.  Folks with money can be just as slow as poor folks, just like better players can play just as slowly as less skilled players.  Some people may even feel entitled to play as slow as they want to, simply because they spent a lot of money.

Fair statement.  I am in the habit of blaming pace of play on how crowded the courses (L.A. City municipals) are.  There are definitely other causes.

[krupa]

If I walked into a corner store for a soda and the owner was spouting off like Trump does, I'd walk out again.  So no, I wouldn't play a Trump course.

 

[billk86]

A few years ago I was invited to play Trump International in West Palm Beach (a friend of a friend is a member).  The course was beautiful and the facilities were top notch.  

At the turn we were in the clubhouse fueling up for the back nine when Mr T himself walked into the room.  While I wasn't really a fan of his then (or now), I will say that he greeted everyone in the room (members and staff) by their first name as he walked around.  When he reached the member I was with, he said hi and then was introduced to me and my friend. He shook our hands and thanked us for visiting.  He asked how we liked the course and how we were playing.  I thought it was kind of cool at the time...

 

[Shindig]

44 minutes ago, billk86 said:

I thought it was kind of cool at the time...

Regardless of what one thinks of Mr. Trump, it's still pretty cool to meet someone like that.  Especially since it wasn't just a passing through situation, but he stopped and said hi.