Trump on his courses: "Trump LA is better than Pebble and Bandon is a wasteland"

[Scott Warren]

I was reading the Aussie version of Golf Magazine today and came across this typically bullish interview with The Donald.

You own courses all over the world. What makes your golf clubs the "best"?
I have the best liocations. bedminster should be in the top 10. My Florida course is the best in Florida and Trump National LA is better than Pebble Beach.

That's a big claim. You really believe Trump National LA is a better course than the famed Pebble Beach?
That's what people say until they play my course. I have 3000 acres and 2.5 miles on the ocean. That's the ocean, not the bay. Every single hole fronts the ocean. I love Pebble, too, but even people who love Pebble say Trump LA is superior. What Pebble has is history and some day Trump LA will have history, though I might not be around to see it. Trump LA is far better than Bandon Dunes in Oregon. It's unfair to compare a course in Los Angeles, a great metropolitan area, to one in a wasteland far away from civilisation.
-----------------------------

I realise that's how he rolls, talking his businesses up and getting publicity regardless of what he needs to say or do to get it, but is that an effective strategy in the golf industry?

Would designers potentially decline to work with him for fear of comments like that somehow being affiliated with them and their work?

Is trash talking Bandon not going to put noses out of joint that need not be out of joint?

He's clearly a very successful man, but comments like those above just leave me scratching my head.

[Steve Lang]

  Interviewer error or ploy? "What makes your golf courses the best?"

Calling Matt Ward..  have you ever interviewed the Donald and how would one ever penetrate his ego?

p.s.  he always wants the best, to be associated with the best.. forever a salesman..

[Andy Troeger]

Here's the thing...

If you believe him, it makes you want to go see the golf course to enjoy it for yourself...

AND

If you don't, you might be intrigued enough to go see the golf course to "prove him wrong" at least in your own mind.



Somebody wins either way in that deal 

[Melvyn Morrow]

Scott

Trump is just marketing his business. He has you thinking about it and posting his comments on GCA.com so he seems to know what he is going. Yet how good is his course(s), I feel you have to play them to make up your mind.  Like him, hate him he got you doing his publicity work and it did not cost him anything.

Melvyn

[Jim Franklin]

Here's the thing...

If you believe him, it makes you want to go see the golf course to enjoy it for yourself...

AND

If you don't, you might be intrigued enough to go see the golf course to "prove him wrong" at least in your own mind.



Somebody wins either way in that deal 

Andy -

You don't win because you played his awful piece of crap. He wins both ways because he gets you to pay him to play his crappy course.

[PCCraig]

I have actually heard great things about his courses in Jersey, for what it's worth.

Can any one of his courses hold a candle to Bandon...probably not...to an educated eye.

Sad to say it but I can understand why many of the guys that really look up to Trump and his lifestyle may think his courses are better than Pebble and Bandon. To each his own I suppose...  

[Bill Rocco]

Bedminster top 10 ? There is no question it is a good course but when I read that, I laugh and disregard it as absurd. A better more fair question how would you guys rank it among the Jersey courses, Pine Valley, Plainfield, Somerset, Galloway, Liberty National, Hollywood, Crystal Springs, Baltusrol, Atlantic City....note these are not ranked only a suggestion among the courses in Jersey. Don't forget the DONALD just bought a course too!

[Jim Franklin]

I have actually heard great things about his courses in Jersey, for what it's worth.

Can any one of his courses hold a candle to Bandon...probably not...to an educated eye.

Sad to say it but I can understand why many of the guys that really look up to Trump and his lifestyle may think his courses are better than Pebble and Bandon. To each his own I suppose...  

Pat -

You are correct. The NJ course is pretty good, but not as good as PV, Plainfield, Somerset, Galloway to name but a few. It would certainly make a good US Open course. I was a little rough on The Donald, but when I hear him make those comments, it drives me nuts.

[Andy Troeger]

Here's the thing...

If you believe him, it makes you want to go see the golf course to enjoy it for yourself...

AND

If you don't, you might be intrigued enough to go see the golf course to "prove him wrong" at least in your own mind.



Somebody wins either way in that deal 

Andy -

You don't win because you played his awful piece of crap. He wins both ways because he gets you to pay him to play his crappy course.

My point exactly!

I do agree the Jersey courses appear to be much better and worth a play though...at least based on comments and photos. The LA course is not a personal favorite!

[Tim Bert]

I love how the reason the comparison is unfair in his mind is because LA is a great metropolitan area.  By that logic, every public course in NY, LA, and Chicago is better than Sand Hills, right?

[Kalen Braley]

I've been to both Bandon and LA and took a very good look at his course in LA...and its not even close to what Bandon offers.

As Andy suggests, his only goal, unless he's completely delusional, is to get your interest up enough where you will go take a look and even consider a play.  To boot the fact that he brought up Bandon...unsolocited.... speaks volumes enough that he recognizes its a threat and a true class location or I doubt he would have mentioned it.

[Will MacEwen]

He says Trump LA is far better than Bandon, and then says it is unfair to compare them.  Knob.

[Emil Weber]

I love how the reason the comparison is unfair in his mind is because LA is a great metropolitan area.  By that logic, every public course in NY, LA, and Chicago is better than Sand Hills, right?

Yeah of course I mean, look at Sand Hills how boring is it.

[Jim Adkisson]

Actually, I consider Los Angeles to be a wasteland...just got back from 4 fabulous days in Bandon...ain't nothin' finer.

[Jason Connor]

Here's the thing...
If you believe him, it makes you want to go see the golf course to enjoy it for yourself...
AND
If you don't, you might be intrigued enough to go see the golf course to "prove him wrong" at least in your own mind.

Somebody wins either way in that deal 

And by 'somebody' you mean the Donald.  That's why he's so good at what he does.

If only Mr. Doak would have had permission to put a waterfall on some of those inland holes at Bandon maybe it would be comparable to Trump's LA course.

[Bob_Huntley]

I couldn't sit back anymore.....

5  GolfClubAtlas.com / Golf Course Architecture / Re:Better than Pebble (Trump Content)  on: April 15, 2004, 11:25:54 pm 
Started by Jeffrey Formanczyk, Message by Bob_Huntley


How on earth can anyone give credence to anything this man says. His ridiculous hairstyle with dyed ends makes him out to be a mountebank.

Surely, he is one of the most odious men in the public eye.
 

Bob

[Alex Miller]

I've grown up watching Ocean Trails be built, then fall into the ocean, then Trump turn what was an ok course into "Disneyland" golf. The course is 90% show and very little substance. If you're in Palos Verdes, the best course is Palos Verdes Country Club, and the best course for value is actually the Terrenea par 3.

I've played Bandon and it doesn't even hold a candle to it. The only thing that is keeping that place going is Trump's name and the number of commercial shoots they book for that place.

[JMEvensky]

I couldn't sit back anymore.....

5  GolfClubAtlas.com / Golf Course Architecture / Re:Better than Pebble (Trump Content)  on: April 15, 2004, 11:25:54 pm 
Started by Jeffrey Formanczyk, Message by Bob_Huntley


How on earth can anyone give credence to anything this man says. His ridiculous hairstyle with dyed ends makes him out to be a mountebank.

Surely, he is one of the most odious men in the public eye.
 

Bob

Welcome back--you've been sorely missed.

[George Pazin]

Here's the thing...

If you believe him, it makes you want to go see the golf course to enjoy it for yourself...

AND

If you don't, you might be intrigued enough to go see the golf course to "prove him wrong" at least in your own mind.



Somebody wins either way in that deal 

OR

if you never believe anything the guy says - and what thinking person in his right mind would? - you just laugh it off as hyperbole and don't play anything.

Then you probably miss out on the occasional gem that gets lost amidst the PR machine (Bedminster, by most accounts).

For a long time, The Boy Who Cried Wolf was taught to everyone as a precautionary tale; now it's taught in Marketing 101 as a how-to tale.

[cary lichtenstein]

I played Trump's course in LA...it is exactly what his hair is to his face

[Andy Troeger]

George,
That's obviously true, but he doesn't need everyone to fall into one of the first two categories. In the interest of full disclosure, I didn't pay full price.

[Ron Csigo]

The Donald's idea of better is serving the biggest shrimp cocktail in the clubhouse.  See his ridiculous commercial on the Golf Channel.

As for his Bedminster course, probably a top 10-15 in NJ.

[Wayne Freeman]

The only real reason to play Trump LA is if someone else is footing the tab.   It is however worth visiting to check out the views and equally as important, checking out the bombshells he usually hires to work the counters.  The restaurant there is also worth a visit....food, service and views top notch.

[Brent Carlson]

I ask of all of you, to agree with the Donald regarding his statement.  The last thing we need is more people at Bandon.  They are better off in Los Angeles. 

[Thomas McQuillan]

just read a review of trumps bedminster ''old'' course at www.top100golf.blogspot.com .

It seems to me from reading his review that everything  about the course is completely over the top and the object of the club itself was as a tribute to himself.

Would Trump's courses in general be more widely accepted if they were a little (okay a lot) more subtle and less brash?

I'm actually intrigued to see what his aberdeen course turns out like if it eventually does come to fruition.