Inside Florida Politics: Biden’s team says Florida isn’t in play
President Joe Biden’s campaign chair said recently that Florida isn’t a battleground state.
Donald Trump and Joe Biden’s golf banter continues to make top headlines in the months ahead of the 2024 United States presidential election.
Trump issued another challenge to play golf against the sitting president on Tuesday, this time on the famed Blue Monster at Trump National Doral Miami.
“It will be among the most watched sporting events in history,” Trump said, adding that if Biden won, Trump would write a $1 million check to the charity of the president’s choice.
It was the latest barb in a sporting campaign trail dispute that began during the first 2024 presidential debate on June 27.
Biden and Trump both pointed to their golf prowess to emphasize their mental and physical wellness. Biden claimed he was a six handicap and Trump would be unable to walk 18 holes in the contest.
Donald Trump and golf: Fancy resorts, A-list partners, cheating at highest level
On Tuesday, Trump reiterated his “offer” to another debate with the current president. This time, however, he said it would be “man-to-man” and “no holds barred” with no moderators.
Then Trump upped the ante by also challenging Biden to an 18-hole contest on his Trump National Doral golf course, the famed “Blue Monster.”
But the 45th president said he doubted his successor would accept.
“I bet you he doesn’t take the offer, because he is all talk,” he said.
Recent: Trump calls Biden ‘all talk’ in Doral rally after challenging him to debate, golf match
Ernie Els said it was true.
He saw Donald Trump’s tee shot in 2022 on the 7th hole at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach bounce twice, run to the flag, hit the stick and drop in the hole.
“We’re all watching and I’m like, ‘this thing is looking good,’ ” Els said Monday. “It bounces and I got my contact lenses in. I saw it clearly.
“We throw our clubs in the air. You know, ‘it’s unbelievable.’ You play with the ex-president and he makes a hole-in-one. How many times does that happen? That’s the thing that goes through your mind.”
‘I saw it clearly’ Ernie Els was wearing his contact lenses when Donald Trump made his hole-in-one
In March 2024, Donald Trump didn’t have to boast when it comes to his golf game.
He had one of his groupies do that.
Congressional candidate Brian Jack from Georgia knows who to impress if he wants to get an endorsement. Jack, the White House political director when Trump was president, attended a rally in Rome, Georgia, and praised Trump’s golf game in the Trumpiest way, according to Mediaite.com.
“I’m not sure if I should say this,” Jack said. “But just a few weeks ago, President Trump put to shame two professional golfers. I ain’t gonna mention their names, but just know he shot a 70 on 18 holes.”
More: This time Donald Trump had one of his groupies boast about an unbelievable golf feat
Donald Trump declared himself a winner again in January 2023.
Trump announced on his social media platform that he won the Senior Club Championship at Trump International Golf Club in unincorporated West Palm Beach, despite not playing the first round of the tournament.
Members arrived the second day surprised to see Trump with a five-point lead, according to the Daily Mail. But Trump never played the first round as he was attending a funeral in North Carolina of ardent supporter Lynette Hardaway, known by the moniker “Diamond” of the conservative political commentary duo Diamond and Silk.
Trump told tournament organizers he played a strong round on the course Thursday, two days before the tournament started, and decided that would count as his Saturday score for the club championship. That score was five points better than any competitor posted during Saturday’s first round.
More: Trump declares himself the winner of his own club championship – in the Trumpiest way ever
Donald Trump has a long (creative) history with golf. He owns fancy resorts and lavish courses around the world. He has played with the biggest names. And he’s received endorsements from some of the most well-known golfers in the world. Even other than himself.
But above all, the former president’s dubious claims on the course have become legendary and were the subject of a 2019 book by sportswriter Rick Reilly: “Commander in Cheat: How Golf Explains Trump.”
“Trump doesn’t just cheat at golf,” Reilly wrote. “He throws it, boots it, and moves it. He lies about his lies. He fudges and foozles and fluffs. At Winged Foot, where Trump is a member, the caddies got so used to seeing him kick his ball back onto the fairway they came up with a nickname for him: ‘Pele.’”
Donald Trump and golf: Fancy resorts, A-list partners, cheating at highest level
The Trump Organization touts 20 golf properties on its website, including 12 in the United States, two in Scotland, one in Ireland and the United Arab Emirates.
It also manages Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point in New York, though it briefly lost control of the course until winning it back legally. It also has two courses in Indonesia and one in Dubai that are expected to open soon.
Seven of the courses are open to the public while nine are private.
More: Take a look at the golf courses owned by Donald Trump
Trump National Doral Miami was restored as a Masters Tournament tune-up in April 2024 with the hosting of LIV Golf Miami.
“This is a great place to get ready for Augusta,” six-time major champion Phil Mickelson said. “It gives you an opportunity to get momentum if you play well but also gives you a chance to play every shot you’re going to need into Augusta.
“Now Augusta has more undulation and elevation changes, but Miami forces you to hit a lot of long irons, mid-irons, short irons. There’s trouble on every hole. You have to miss it on the correct side and strategically gets you ready for all the shots, challenges, physically and mentally that we are going to face next week.”
The Doral Open and WGC-Championship hosted pre-Masters spring events at the club from 1962 to 2016, when the PGA Tour moved the WGC event to Mexico.
All eyes on Augusta: How LIV Golf Miami restored Trump Doral as a Masters tune-up
Antonio Fins and Tom D’Angelo contributed to this report.
Eric J. Wallace is deputy sports editor for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at ejwallace@gannett.com.
