The Donald Honored, Not Thrilled With Ranking Debut

He also tells Josh Sens that Pine Hill is better than Pine Valley and that he settled on architect Martin Hawtree because R&A Chief Inspector Peter Dawson ranked him first, second and third when recommending architects.

Hawtree, you may recall, carries out Dawson's Open venue "Treatments" to mask regulatory abstinence.

DT: I got Dr. Martin Hawtree to design it. I went to Peter Dawson of the R&A and I asked him who his top architect choices were. He said his first was Martin Hawtree, and that after that he’d go with Martin Hawtree, and Martin Hawtree. He’s just been incredible. When you see the work he did there, you can’t believe it. It’s set in these giant dunes, but the course is very easy to walk, which is difficult to do in land like this. There are beautiful footpaths that wind through the dunes and they’re surrounded by these incredible high grasses, but you don’t have to go up and down a lot of hills. The purpose of the dunes is to protect you from the weather, so when you’re playing the course, it can feel still even though there are 50 mph winds swirling just above you.

Comments

[ol Harv]

Does anyone say the words "beautiful", "incredible" and "spectacular" more than The Donald? ......Incredible.

[Pat]

It's good to know he thinks the Old Course is "a wonderful course with incredibly rich history."

[The Pro from Dover]

Nothing but modesty from DT. He is just TOO darn modest. When his new course gets to be a couple hundred years old , then it will have earned to right to be compared to TOC.

[D. maculata]

So, he makes sure we know he was invited, by the chairman, to play in a tournament celebrating the 100th anniversary of Pine Valley. Then right on cue proclaims his course, Pine Hill, as good or better. For the life of me I can't come up with a word that describes that kind of class.

Thanks for the invite, sucker!

[Pasaplayer]

"Martin, I have this wonderfully rich commission for you, but first, you must swear absolute silence as to my next request concerning a certain course in Fife.".

[ol Harv]

@D, That kind of class is........Incredible.

[PJ]

An analogy: Many car manufacturers state all the reasons why they're better than BMW (I'm looking at you, Cadillac). Not once does BMW ever mention a competitor. They don't have to - everyone already knows.

The Donald is the rare breed who has the financial means to try and chase down his massive inferiority complex. His courses compared to the best? He knows. As hard as he tries, he'll never get to where he wants to be.

[Spiegs]

Why does he always seem to be wearing the same outfit when seen playing golf up to, and including, that ridiculous red hat? It's unbelievable. Maybe it fits his head in an incredible way. Other hats are nice, but that one is spectacular.

[The Pro from Dover]

How may DIFFERENT club championships does DT claimed to have won? Does anyone know if he has actually won a Club Championship at a course / club he does not own?

@ PJ +1 "As hard as he tries, he'll never get to where he wants to be."

@ Ol Harv how about, "indescribable"??

[D. maculata]

Well, there's always Trump dunes vs. what Bandon has. Sounds like penis envy. If Marla won't confirm the "toy" reference, we ain't buyin' it.

[vwgolfer]

Oh back in the day before the internet, one of his soon to be wives, Marla to be precise somehow declared during divorce proceedings that The Donald was the best s-x she ever had. Even as a naive wide eyed new to NYer former fly over stater I was struck at the cojones it would take to issue your own press release about how great your are in bed with your soon to be ex wife. Everything the guy has said publicly since seems kinda of buffoonish. But that PR move was kinda of genius.

[ol Harv]

@Pro, the club championship bs reminds me of the North Korean who had like 10 hole-in-ones in one round. I constantly laugh when I read the accounts of Trump being a single-digit handicap. I remember when he was at Winged Foot many years ago and used to sport a low handicap, many friends of mine who were members there, and actually did have single-digit handicaps, said there wasn't a chance in hell he could break 80 on either track there.

@Spiegs, That is the ONLY outfit I have ever seen him in no matter where he plays. Golf Channel had a special with him playing a bunch of different guys and he wore it every time. Do a google images search. You would think someone on his staff or even his wife would have told him to lose the khakis. I'd actually like to see him sporting the Rickie Fowler look, all orange with the hat over the ears. Incredible.

[PABoy]

A invite for the PVGC centenial celebration went to every club president in the Golf Association of Philadelphia. Donald Duck could have gotten an invite I think he ran my club when I was on the board.

[Martin Del Vecchio]

"Not once does BMW ever mention a competitor. They don't have to - everyone already knows. "

Except when they do it, which is pretty much all the time:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VohEkWMkbsI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Fm_TqyuXFs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2oBnhfOr7-M

Pine Valley isn't a competitor; it's a very private club who couldn't give a shit what Trump says or does or thinks.

[Stephen W]

Is this chap for real? I haven't heard such nonsense for years.

[PJ]

@Martin - I exaggerated to make a point. Thanks for setting the record straight. I hope I didn't offend you or your Cadillac.

[Stanley Thompson]

His handicap is a "vanity handicap". Love to play against those guys. Easy money.

His vanity also enables his descriptions of his golf courses. Exaggerated adjectives.

He should let his courses be rated on their own merits. They might lose some "adjectivity".

[ol Harv]

Would be interesting to know where the course would have been ranked had The Donald's name, (excuse me, I mean BRAND) never been associated with the project. What do the marketing and advertising experts call it when the brand actually creates less favor?

[Chris from DE]

Stanley, those guys are fun to play against if you're a masochist. Every time I play in a tournament, I seem to get paired with a guy who has the white belt, alligator shoes, a bag full of blades and a single digit handicap. Then I watch him hack around the course to a 90+ while repeating, "I can't believe how poorly I'm playing...I haven't played this poorly in 20 years!"

Easy money...terrible golf experience.

[madison ave.]

it's an act people and sure appears most of you are falling for it!

[RLL]

Stanley: +1 on Trump and his "adjectivity". Great word to sum up just about everything that comes out of his mouth.

[The Pro from Dover]

@ Harv good analogy on former North Korean President and the highly exaggerated number of hole-in-ones he reported. I think it was the first round of golf he had ever played.

Also, Kind like Willie Nelson when describing the little nine hole course he owned in TX -- Hey Digs, paying attention here? We're talking TEXAS --- They asked Willie what par was on the first hole and Willie said (sic), "Anything I want it to be". "Yesterday it was a Par 9, and I made a birdie there".

Also Kind of like Trump saying -- "I now own this course so today before it officially opens, we will have the first ever club championship. I win since I am the only one here to play" After the round, "Now I have another notch on my Championship Belt" How many does that make Eric?" "Hey Eric! Did you use my spray and comb?!"

Stanley add a +1 to RLL's +1 You are now +2