When you come to think of it that is the secret of most of the great holes all over the world. They all have some kind of a twist. C.B. MACDONALD
Thanks to reader Rick for noticing in yesterday's Ipsos survey of celebrity and most trusted personalities "whose endorsement of a company would be most likely to drive business." I suppose we should take a list topped by Betty White (really?), Denzel Washington (really, really?) and Sandra Bullock (really, really, really?).
Seems the European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre wants to ruin the views at The Donald's new Scottland course with a £150m project off the coast, which he's slating for a July 2012 opening.
In a statement, Trump said: "I am very disappointed that Scotland may allow the development of a wind-power plant directly off Aberdeen's beautiful coastline.
"When I first became involved with our billion-pound development – golf course construction is weeks away from completion with a planned opening before 1 July 2012 – I was repeatedly promised, as an incentive for us to go forward and proceed with this project, that wind turbines would not be destroying and distorting the magnificent coastline.
Unlike my white-with-gold-trim hotel design beamed in from Dubai.
"Unfortunately, despite these prior assurances that the wind project would not proceed, I am now learning that this issue has again raised its ugly head.
"Scotland is one of the most beautiful countries on earth, with its greatest asset being its magnificent coastline, a coastline known for its great beauty throughout the entire world."
The Donald, waxing on about preserving natural beauty. What a world!
An unbylined Daily Mail story says Donald Trump has erected a fence and planted trees to hide a property he doesn't like next to his Trump International Scotland project. And because it's The Donald, a man of great class that the Golf Channel proudly touts as a partner, he sent property owner David Milne the bill!
Shehani Fernando, Ken Macfarlane and Elliot Smith of the Guardian feature this preview of You've Been Trumped, the Anthony Baxter documentary debuting at this week's Sheffield Doc/Fest on the controversy surrouding Donald Trump's Aberdonian golf resort. It's about five minutes long but worth checking out.Even though his presidential bid is over, there's still plenty of scrutiny of The Donald and much of it involves his work in the golf business.
Andy Wightman, a self-described "independent writer and researcher on issues of land and democracy" posts a paper looking at the many issues, brouhahas and other facts related to Trump's Scotland project. I haven't had time to do more than scan it, but there appears to be some interesting stuff.
And the Washington Post's Annie Gowen looks at Trump's environmental record. A photo gallery accompanies the piece.
Over the years, Donald Trump — the “Celebrity Apprentice” star, real estate mogul and impossible-to-ignore presidential candidate — has developed 11 luxury golf courses around the world, leaving a trail of happy golfers but angry residents and environmentalists in his wake. He infuriated neighbors in California for trying to plant trees to shield pedestrians from flying golf balls and in Northern Virginia for taking them out.
His fight with five gritty Scots who refused to move from the stone cottages standing in the way of his $1.6 billion golf course in Scotland inspired a film, “You’ve Been Trumped,” that played to sold-out crowds at Toronto’s documentary film festival this month. (Choice scenes: Trump worrying over his hair at a press conference on a windswept bluff and accusing one of the holdouts of living “like a pig.”)
What's unfortunate about reporting like this is that non-golfers will continue to associate all of golf with the Trump vision. Not helpful.
Michael Hiestand reports there is also this:
HBO's latest Real Sports on Tuesday includes a feature on Donald Trump building a lavish golf course and hotel in historic northeast Scotland — a project that sparked local environmental protests. But on HBO, Trump says: "You can't improve on God's work. But I'm changing it around just a little bit so we can putt." How considerate.
I'm struggling with the shock of the news because it just seemed like such a lock that The Donald would run, but he blinded us with today's announcement.
"I maintain the strong conviction that if I were to run, I would be able to win the primary and ultimately, the general election," Trump said in a statement on Monday. "I have spent the past several months unofficially campaigning and recognize that running for public office cannot be done half heartedly. Ultimately, however, business is my greatest passion and I am not ready to leave the private sector."
In the end, however, his decision almost certainly had more to do with his lucrative NBC television contract for his "Apprentice" franchise than anything else. Trump was running out of time to decide whether he would sign on for another season of the "Celebrity Apprentice." Sources close to Trump said negotiations ran to the 11th hour with reports of Trump on hourly calls with NBC executives throughout the weekend who were trying to convince Trump to continue to helm the show.
There's a fun job!
Paul Gittings profiles Martin Hawtree, The Donald's second architect for his Scotland project and next in line to be blamed for something. In the meantime, he talks about creating plans and about fairness, two things you generally don't want to hear when someone is building a links course.I'm going to guess you'll be able to spot which one stands out there...
The MGWA is pleased to announce the honorees for the 2011 National Awards Dinner: Ernie Els, the Winnie Palmer Award, for his foundation work on behalf of autism; CBS Sports broadcaster Jim Nantz, the Lincoln Werden Golf Journalism Award; Donald J. Trump Family, Family of the Year; Metropolis Country Club, Club of the Year; Nationwide Insurance, the Bing Crosby Tournament Sponsor Award; Mary Bea Porter-King, Distinguished Service Award.
Ron Sirak reports that the USGA has looked at Trump Bedminster as an emergency option in case of issues with a host site.
"The subject of 'what if Armageddon happens' has been discussed," USGA director of competitions Mike Davis told GolfDigest.com. "What if all 18 greens are dead; what if there is vandalism beyond repair; what if the weather is so bad the week of the US Open -- flooding -- you can't play; what if 9/11 happened the week of the U.S. Open? We have had this conversation the entire 21 years I have been here."
And certainly when I think of last ditch, desperation, Hail Mary options for the U.S. Open, I think The Donald!
Geoff Shackelford is a Senior Writer for Golfweek magazine, a weekly contributor to Golf Channel's Morning
Copyright © 2022, Geoff Shackelford. All rights reserved.
