Trump National—a Prime Slice of Golf and Leisurely Oceanfront Exploration
While coasting down the driveway that brings you to the doors of Trump National Golf Club, certain visions unfold that never get old. The paved road opens up to a scene of almost absurd Technicolor: ocean waters lapping against craggy shores and the cerulean blue sky jutting against the course’s smooth green knolls. “You can see the Pacific Ocean from all 18 holes,” says Joey Lewis, resident PGA golf professional. “It’s something that really separates us.”
The elevated beauty of the place and friendly climate of the Palos Verdes peninsula makes playing this public course particularly comfortable, especially in the late afternoon, when the sun starts to travel towards the ocean, setting the coast aglow and casting dramatic plays of shadows and light along the panorama. “It’s brilliant,” says Lewis, who is always pleasantly struck by the scene, despite having witnessed it countless times during his six-year tenure at the club.
The course’s most standout hole? All of them, according to Lewis. “People ask what our signature hole is, and there really isn’t one. The views and vistas are so stunning from every single one of them it’s like there are 18 signature holes out there.” But if you had to pick one? “The 18th,” says Lewis, citing its history.
Prior to the course being acquired by Trump National, a landslide demolished the hole. It was subsequently redesigned and rebuilt to the tune of approximately $64 million. Then there’s its beauty. “When you’re on that hole you really can’t see anything else but water,” he says. “And you can only see the horizon and the sunset in the evenings. It’s spectacular.”
Beauty aside, it’s not a creampuff cruise. “It is a challenging course,” states Lewis, sagely pointing out that its challenge only creates extra rewards in a game built on experiencing peak highs and trough lows—an alluring combination that hooks players. “If you think about it, we’re hitting a little golf ball into a 4-inch cup that is 450 yards away. The challenge of it is significant.”
If you want to brush up on your skills before playing the course, there’s an onsite Golf Academy helmed by instructor Chris Brown that caters to all skill levels, from beginner to pro. “Chris is the brains behind the academy,” remarks Lewis. “He’s the one who created the game improvement program. He does a fantastic job.” Any quick tips for golfers struggling with their game? “You can’t practice your basics enough,” explains Lewis. “Look at the NBA stars. They are practicing their free throws every day. The same thing applies to golf. Without that basic framework there, it really makes progression difficult.”
You don’t have to be a golfer, though, to partake in the diversions on the exceedingly well looked after property. There are plenty of public-access oceanfront trails to meander along, and in the clubhouse, a sedate lounge (“The breakfast menu is out of this world,” reveals Lewis) and a formal dining room, Cafe Pacific. It’s here that every Wednesday, the chef presents a global culinary theme (past destinations have included Morocco, Brazil and Croatia) inspired by his travels around the world.
Striding onto the putting green, Lewis sets up the ball and knocks it into the cup with ease. Musing more about the lure of golf, he says, “When you hit that really great shot, or you make that 30-foot putt when you weren’t even expecting it—the feeling that you get from it is really tough to explain.”
“Those won’t come around very often but when they do, it’s like, ‘Yes, this is why I play this game.’”
Photography by Paul Jonason