Donald Trump and golf

During his career as a businessman and politician, Donald Trump has had a relationship with the sport of golf. As a real estate developer, Trump began acquiring and constructing golf courses in 1999. By 2016, he owned 17 golf courses worldwide through his holding company, the Trump Organization.

Courses owned by Trump have been selected to host various PGA and LPGA events, including the 2022 PGA Championship, although the PGA terminated this in the aftermath of the January 6 United States Capitol attack in 2021. A spokesman for the Trump Organization said that "This is a breach of a binding contract and they have no right to terminate the agreement".

Following his election, Trump broke precedent with recent presidents and chose not to divest from his business holdings, including his golf courses. Although not illegal, this led to criticism from ethics lawyers and journalists for potential conflicts of interest. At least three lawsuits (D.C. and Maryland v. Trump, Blumenthal v. Trump and CREW v. Trump) were filed claiming that foreign payments at Trump golf courses and hotels violate the Emoluments Clause of the U.S. Constitution. The three lawsuits were dismissed as moot, dismissed for lack of standing, and allowed, respectively.

Trump, according to Jack Nicklaus, "loves the game of golf more than he loves money". According to Golf Digest, his handicap is as low as 2.8, a figure that sportswriter Rick Reilly dismisses at length in his book Commander in Cheat: How Golf Explains Trump. Trump began playing golf while attending Fordham University. In the introduction to his 2005 book The Best Golf Advice I Ever Received, Trump wrote, "for me and millions of people—men, women, young and old around the world—golf is more than a game. It is a passion".

Trump's love of golf has also affected American diplomacy. Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe played golf with him five times, helping the two leaders to become personally close. After Trump's victory in the 2024 United States presidential election, President of South Korea Yoon Suk Yeol reportedly began playing golf again to similarly benefit his country when Trump was again president.

In 1999, Trump opened his first golf course: the Trump International Golf Club, West Palm Beach in Florida. Land for the US$45 million course was acquired through a lawsuit against Palm Beach County, Florida, after Trump's purchase of the Mar-a-Lago resort. By 2007, Trump owned four courses around the US. After the 2008 financial crisis, Trump began purchasing existing golf courses and re-designing them.

Golf courses owned by Trump hosted the LPGA Tour finale from 2001 to 2008, as well as the 2009 US Junior Amateur and US Junior Girls Championships. In 2014, the Professional Golfers' Association of America announced a multi-year partnership with the Trump Organization. The PGA of America selected Trump golf courses to host the 2017 Senior PGA Championship and the 2022 PGA Championship.

In June 2015, Trump announced his candidacy in the 2016 presidential election with a controversial speech which led to companies such as Macy's and NBC cutting ties with the businessman. While speaking on illegal immigration, Trump claimed that Mexico is "sending people that have lots of problems... they're bringing drugs, they're bringing crime. They're rapists. And some, I assume, are good people," drawing criticism from immigration and Latino advocacy groups. The LPGA, PGA of America, PGA Tour, and United States Golf Association issued a joint statement, saying that while the organizations "do not usually comment on presidential politics, Mr. Trump's comments are inconsistent with our strong commitment to an inclusive and welcoming environment in the game of golf." The PGA of America also decided to relocate the 2015 PGA Grand Slam of Golf—an exhibition match which had been scheduled to take place at Trump National Golf Club, Los Angeles. In 2018, PGA Tour Latinoamérica held its Shell Tour Championship at Trump National Doral Miami's Golden Palm course after plans were announced to demolish the Melreese Country Club in Miami, which had held the event, for a football stadium.