Does Donald Trump own golf courses? Here's the full list and what they're worth

Donald Trump doesn’t just play golf-he built a whole business around it. By the time he left the White House in 2021, he owned or had major financial stakes in at least 17 golf courses across the U.S. and internationally. These aren’t just public courses you can book on a weekend. Many are high-end resorts with luxury hotels, private memberships, and multi-million-dollar price tags. The question isn’t whether he owns golf courses-it’s how many, where, and how much they’ve made him.

How Trump turned golf into a brand

Before he ran for president, Trump was already a real estate developer with a taste for flashy projects. Golf became his signature. He didn’t just buy courses-he rebranded them. A course in New Jersey? Now it’s Trump National Golf Club. One in Scotland? Trump International Golf Club Scotland. He slapped his name on everything, turning each property into a marketing tool for his broader empire.

He didn’t build these from scratch. Most were existing clubs he acquired, then upgraded. He added new greens, renovated clubhouses, installed luxury condos, and raised membership fees. His goal wasn’t to make golf more accessible. It was to make it more exclusive-and more profitable.

The U.S. golf courses he owns

Trump’s U.S. holdings are spread across 10 states. Here are the key ones:

• Trump National Golf Club, Bedminster, New Jersey - His primary U.S. residence during his presidency. This 300-acre course hosted the 2017 G-20 summit and is one of his most valuable properties.
• Trump National Golf Club, Washington D.C. - Located in Sterling, Virginia, this course sits on land once owned by the U.S. government. Trump bought it in 2009 for $16.5 million and spent over $50 million upgrading it.
• Trump National Golf Club, Jupiter, Florida - A 225-acre oceanfront course with a private beach. Membership starts at $250,000. It’s one of the few Trump properties that still accepts new members.
• Trump National Golf Club, Los Angeles - Once a public course called the Los Angeles Country Club, Trump bought it in 2002 and turned it into a private club with a $100,000 initiation fee.
• Trump International Golf Club, West Palm Beach, Florida - Known for its 27-hole layout and ocean views. It’s one of the most visited Trump courses in Florida.

These aren’t small operations. Each course employs 100+ people. The Bedminster property alone has a 45,000-square-foot clubhouse, a 22-room hotel, and a 12,000-square-foot spa. Trump’s U.S. golf portfolio is estimated to be worth between $500 million and $800 million.

His international golf properties

Trump’s golf empire isn’t limited to the U.S. He expanded aggressively overseas, especially in places where his name carried weight.

• Trump International Golf Club Scotland - Located in Aberdeenshire, this 1,400-acre course opened in 2012. It’s his most expensive international project, costing over $200 million. The course sits on land once protected for its wildlife, sparking years of legal battles with environmental groups.
• Trump International Golf Club Dubai - A desert course designed by Greg Norman. It opened in 2017 and is one of the few Trump properties outside North America that’s still fully operational.
• Trump International Golf Club Philippines - Located in Batangas, this course opened in 2015. It was marketed as a luxury destination for Asian elites. But after Trump’s presidency, interest dropped sharply. The course is now partially closed.

His international holdings are harder to value. Some are tied to joint ventures with local investors, meaning Trump doesn’t own them outright. But he still takes a cut of profits, licensing fees, and branding rights. His name alone adds 20-30% to the value of these properties.

What happened to the courses after he left office?

When Trump became president in 2017, he transferred control of his businesses to his sons, Eric and Donald Jr. He claimed he was stepping away. But federal ethics reports later showed he still had financial interests in every course.

After he left office in 2021, things got messy. Several courses faced financial strain. Membership dropped as donors and corporate clients pulled out. Some clubs stopped advertising Trump’s name on their websites. Others quietly removed his portraits.

But here’s the twist: the courses didn’t collapse. In fact, many are still profitable. Trump National Bedminster still hosts high-profile events. The Florida courses remain popular with retirees and wealthy visitors. The Scottish course, despite controversy, draws golfers from Europe and the Middle East.

Trump’s brand may be polarizing, but for golfers who don’t care about politics, the courses still deliver. The greens are well-maintained. The service is top-tier. And the prices? Still steep.

How much are they worth now?

Valuing Trump’s golf empire is tricky. Public records are incomplete. Some properties are privately held. But based on real estate appraisals, tax filings, and industry estimates:

• U.S. courses: $500-800 million
• International courses: $250-400 million
• Total portfolio value: $750 million-$1.2 billion

That’s more than the market value of some professional sports teams. For comparison, the average NFL franchise is worth around $4.5 billion. But Trump’s golf empire is still one of the largest privately owned collections of golf properties in the world.

Are any of his courses open to the public?

Most are private. But there are exceptions.

Trump National Golf Club in Los Angeles lets non-members play on certain weekdays for $300-$500 per round. The course in Scotland allows public tee times, though they’re expensive-$250 in peak season. The course in the Philippines still takes walk-ins, but the quality has declined since 2020.

If you want to play a Trump course without a membership, you’ll pay premium prices. But you’ll get a course that’s meticulously maintained, with fewer crowds than public municipal courses.

Why do people still play them?

You don’t have to like Donald Trump to enjoy his golf courses. The truth is, they’re well-designed and well-run. The fairways are wide. The bunkers are deep. The water hazards are challenging. The staff is trained to anticipate your needs.

Many golfers say the experience is better than at other private clubs they’ve tried. One member from New York told a local paper: "I don’t agree with his politics, but when I’m on the 18th hole, I don’t care who owns it. I just want a clean ball, a fair lie, and a good cup of coffee after."

That’s the paradox. Trump turned golf into a brand built on exclusivity, wealth, and power. But the courses themselves? They’re just golf courses. And for many, that’s enough.

What’s next for Trump’s golf empire?

Trump has hinted at expanding again. In 2024, he filed paperwork to develop a new course in Georgia. He’s also reportedly negotiating to buy a course in Ireland. His sons are pushing to open more luxury resorts tied to the Trump brand-hotels, spas, and private villas attached to the courses.

But the political cloud still hangs over the business. Banks are hesitant to lend to Trump properties. Insurance costs have risen. Some corporate sponsors still refuse to associate with the name.

Still, the courses keep running. Membership renewals are holding steady. New players show up every weekend. The greens stay green. The clubs stay polished.

Whether you love him or hate him, Donald Trump built something real in the golf world. And right now, it’s still standing.