The golfing world has spent much of the past year fretting over what a prolonged presidential campaign with Donald Trump at the fore might do for the game’s reputation.
The golfing world has spent much of the past year fretting over what a prolonged presidential campaign with Donald Trump at the fore might do for the game’s reputation.
With this week’s shock election win I fear that golf’s image has been relegated somewhat in the list of world problems. Nonetheless, the truth is that the businessman’s latest job role is about to cause the game a serious dilemma.
After all, when golf is desperately attempting to broaden its appeal and open its doors to new classes and creeds, having a complete xenophobe as one of your biggest patrons isn’t exactly ideal. This may be problematic enough if the said patron didn’t also happen to be the leader of the free world.
Of course, if Donald Trump does as good a job at rescuing America from its present quagmire of problems as he did redesigning Trump Turnberry, then all, may, be forgiven.
Nonetheless the past eighteen months haven’t exactly been plain sailing for those charged with governing the sport. The game has spent the entire campaign attempting to dodge, patch over or simply ignore the potentially destructive mines thrown by the businessman, seemingly safe in the knowledge that once the campaign was over he would be thrown into the dustbin of history, leaving the governing bodies safe to resume business as usual.
Just a few weeks ago three democratic senators called for the USGA to move the US Women’s Open away from Trump National in response to the leaked video in which he is seen bragging about sexually assaulting women.
The letter, written by Robert Casey, Richard Blumenthal and Edward Markey, highlighted the LPGA’s proud history of advancing women’s equality and consequently stressed the incompatibility of staging the event at the course in Bedminster, New Jersey.
The USGA kept any decision closely under wraps until election had passed, a seemingly weak move, although one which can now be justified, considering that come January the host course will be owned by the country’s leader.
This has been far from the only question raised by the Trump campaign. Earlier this year the PGA announced that they would be moving the World Golf Championship away from its traditional home at Doral, ironically to a course in Mexico City, whilst the Open Championship status of Trump Turnberry has also been brought into question.
So, what will be the consequence of a Trump presidency for the game?
As with all other Trump related matters it’s almost impossible to say.
I suggest that, barring Trump using golfing analogies as frequently as he slurs racist remarks during his presidential speeches, the game may be better off with the businessman sitting in the Oval Office than it would be if he’d received a crushing defeat on Tuesday. After all, surely he will be too busy reaping havoc elsewhere to be concerned with damaging golf’s reputation any further.
In fact, had he failed to secure office, he may well have returned to extending his golf empire, which has apparently taken a hit since his bid to gain office began.
Then again Barack Obama has currently racked up over 300 rounds of golf whilst at the helm, so maybe Trump won’t be completely neglecting the game he professes to love.
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