BY AAGD STAFF
APRIL 26, 2019
NBA team owner of the Charlotte Hornets, Michael Jordan is a renowned golf enthusiast who is now taking his game and business acumen to a whole new level. The billionaire (reportedly worth 1.9 billion dollars), is slated to open his very own golf course sometime later this year. Developed by The Grove Golf Club, a West Palm Beach company, the private club will include a driving range, 9,800-square foot clubhouse and maintenance facilities, according to the developer’s application filed with Martin County.
In being the greatest basketball player of all time, AKA “M.J.” has committed to building his course “Grove XXIII” in Hobe Sound, Florida, which is east of Interstate 95, just north of West Palm Beach.
Designed by Bobby Weed, the uniqueness of the course will be its conscious layout, keeping South Florida trade winds in mind for every hole. Specifically, the two nine holes will wrap around one another while traversing the course in opposite directions. Because of this, golfers who play will be exposed to breezes from every quarter of the course.
Grove-XIII-Bobby-Weed-Golf-Design
“In a release, Weed described the design process, and creating “a course for tomorrow, with a refined edge.” He added, “knowing the caliber of the membership and Michael’s passion for golf, we are designing a forward-thinking, progressive layout.”
However, development of the 18-hole course has not been without incident. In February 2018, it was cited by for polluting the St. Lucie River due to runoff at the 226-acre site.
Reprimanded for dirtying the South Fork of the St. Lucie River, state officials told TCPalm.com the development is putting unacceptable levels of sediment in the upper reaches of the river.
Ownership of the course includes Jordan, who is the majority (but not sole) investor. The NBA Hall of Famer is however deeply engaged with the buildout of the project and makes weekly visits to the site, according to Golfweek reports.
It is also reported that Weed, who has never been shy to move ground to create playable space, says, “The near flat site is getting a lot of earthwork,” And he’s also impressed with the way Jordan has thrown himself into the project. “Not all owner/developers are able to figure out what’s going on with bare ground. But his Airness is proving the exception, says Weed. “He can see it in the dirt.”
Tiger Woods plays a round of golf with Michael Jordan.
Those who have followed Jordan’s career are not amazed at his involvement in such a special development project, as he has always been obsessive in all aspects of his passions, from basketball to family, to entrepreneurship endeavors. Jordan has been playing golf for decades and has a decent game. We’ve seen him playing with guys like Tiger Woods, former World Number One and Rickie Fowler, the number one ranked amateur golfer in the world for 37 weeks in 2007 and 2008. He also plays often with Keegan Bradley and we’ve spotted him several times playing with President Obama. Fowler even noted two years ago before the Honda Classic that facing Jordan with some bills at stake is great practice.
Keep an eye out as Jordan perhaps starts spending more time away from the big ball and more time with the little white one.
