The Week That Was, september 27, 2015

     Mike Keiser is lending his name -- and, more importantly, his money -- to a world-class golf venture that’s been proposed by a commentator for the Golf Channel. The famed developer of Bandon Dunes and other destination-worthy golf venues has joined Mark Rolfing, who’s set out to create a 27-hole complex along Chicago’s lakefront, on property currently occupied by a pair of municipal tracks. The proposal is unquestionably a long shot, but Rolfing has won the support of some particularly effective persuaders in the city’s golf scene, among them Jerry Rich of Rich Harvest Farms, Josh Lesnick of KemperSports, and John Kaczkowski of the Western Golf Association. “It’s easy to envision the end result,” Keiser told the Chicago Tribune. “But it’s hard to envision all the ins and outs.” The end result is a course capable of hosting the BMW Championship and an easy-to-play nine-hole layout. The ins and outs are largely political, as the developers appear to be intent on seeking government approval to fill in a bit of Lake Michigan. “I’m dubbing this as the future of urban golf in America,” said Rolfing, who believes that Chicago is “arguably the greatest golf town in America.” A possible ace in the hole: Barack Obama, a golf nut who could lobby to have his presidential library built overlooking the complex.

     John McConnell is looking to acquire his 11th golf property. The Triad Business Journal reports that McConnell Golf is “in talks” to pick up Providence Country Club, a venue in Charlotte, North Carolina that describes itself as “one of Charlotte’s premier family country clubs.” Providence’s centerpiece is an 18-hole, Dan Maples-designed track that opened in 1989. McConnell Golf’s portfolio consists of seven golf properties in North Carolina and three in South Carolina. Providence would be the company’s second property in the Charlotte area, joining Old North State Club in New London.

     Donald “the Candidate” Trump may also be looking to add to his golf inventory. The Wall Street Journal reports that the Trump Organization “is considering making a play” for Trump International Golf Club Puerto Rico, a venue on the nation’s northeastern coast that declared for bankruptcy protection in July. (The Organization manages the club but doesn’t own it.) Before it took to wearing the Trump brand, the club -- the centerpiece of a 700-acre resort -- was known as Coco Beach Golf & Country Club. It features a pair of 18-hole, Tom Kite-designed golf courses and a well-appointed, 46,000-square-foot clubhouse. At this time, U.S. Bankruptcy Court has received just one offer, a low-ball $2 million bid from a San Juan-based group, OHorizons Global LLC. If Trump ends up trying to strike a deal, remember this: He knows an opportunity when he sees one.

     Two years shy of its 125th anniversary, an all-male club in suburban Glasgow, Scotland has opened its doors to women. The members of Pollock Golf Club, described by the Herald as “one of Scotland’s most exclusive clubs,” voted overwhelmingly (89 to 11 percent) in favor of the overdue change and almost immediately welcomed four female juniors. With the decision, the club can make good on its stated aim, which is “to consistently achieve the highest standards of professionalism and hospitality in golf.”

     Question: How does a presidential candidate know when the nomination will never be his? Answer: When he earns an endorsement from the American Neo-Nazi Party.