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Tim Gavrich

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Re: The Team of Gil Hanse and Donald Trump
« Reply #25 on: March 13, 2012, 11:40:35 AM »
Donald Trump plays the cult-of-personality game as well as just about anyone in this day and age.  I respect the heck out of him for that.  He knows that lots of people eat up the "obstreperous rich boss man" schtick and he plays the heck out of it.  Obviously, not everyone enjoys it, as by design the schtick is meant to elicit a visceral reaction in the negative.  But even if we don't "like" the persona he plays (I count myself there), I think we'd be remiss not to respect the fact he's gaming the heck out of the system our culture permits.

As for his partnership with Hanse, I think it's a terribly interesting one.  On one hand, I think Trump will get some legs out of the fact that a week after he announces that Hanse is going to redo the Blue Monster, Hanse wins the Olympic contract.  And then on the other hand, that very triumph gives Hanse a tremendous measure of leverage because it's major egg on Trump's face if Hanse leaves the Doral project because Trump is trying to bully him.  I personally think Donald Trump is intelligent enough to recognize that leverage and let Hanse do pretty much whatever he wants and believes he ought to to rehab the old girl.
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Anthony Butler

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: The Team of Gil Hanse and Donald Trump New
« Reply #26 on: March 15, 2012, 11:41:12 AM »
Never been there but I think TPC Boston has some artificial water, and is pretty flat.

It's not a hilly site as far New England courses go, but it has what I would describe as 'rolling' topography esp. on the back nine.

The PGA Tour seems awfully happy with what's happened at TPC Boston since Hanse renovated the course and the FedEx playoffs started. The crowds have been surprisingly good considering the prior New England PGA Tour did not draw that well. I have played there a couple of times and I don't regard it as anything special frankly... Boston Golf Club is a much better demonstration of his capabilities in this area, so the TPC must have been pretty bad for so much of the credit to be pushed in Hanse's direction. It's good spectators course, but I'm not sure how much credit Hanse should get for that.

I think if Hanse improves Doral just enough to allow Trump to ignore Seminole in declaring it 'easily the best course in South Florida... just ahead of Trump International in Palm Beach" the PGA will be pretty happy with the result.

In terms of public versus private persona it's surprising how 'cheap' Donald Trump is.. for a guy with a helicopter and solid golf bathroom fixtures that is...  If he doesn't feel like he got a 'bargain' he won't do business with you... it also explains why he doesn't do business in Asia.. They'd be on to his act in about 2 minutes.
« Last Edit: March 15, 2012, 12:55:38 PM by Anthony Butler »
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Ian Andrew

Re: The Team of Gil Hanse and Donald Trump
« Reply #27 on: March 15, 2012, 11:53:20 AM »
I'm speculating a little here but I expect Gil is smart enough to allow Trump to take public credit for some of the work and Trump is smart enough to let Gil make the important decisions on site while the cameras are elsewhere.