Trump: How to Get Rich

Recently, an employee told me that the pastor of her church had used Trump Place as an example of what a firm foundation should be, whether it be in faith, family, or, as in my case, buildings. The pastor, whose church was near the construction site, would watch each building go up and marvel at the immensity of the work. Each building could be a hundred stories high, he said, considering the meticulous foundation work.

My publisher sent me an inspiring book by Bill Shore called The Cathedral Within, which celebrates the commitment and hope necessary to build something that endures. It might be a cathedral like the one in Milan, which took five hundred years to build, or it might be a community organization or a business.

Paul Davis, the man developing Trump Place for me and my partners, is a true cathedral builder. I have rarely seen anyone work so hard or so diligently—Saturdays, Sundays—he’s there at all hours, paying close attention to every impeccable detail of the layouts, room sizes, and the quality of the fixtures. He’s one of the big reasons for our success.

Some things are worth waiting for. For me, Trump Place is one of those things: Sixteen beautifully designed buildings on the Hudson River. A twenty-five-acre park. The Upper West Side as a backyard. This could prove to be my finest contribution to the city of New York. Time will tell, but I’m in no rush, and I won’t stop until I’m done.

Golf is a brain game, and practice makes perfect.

Play Golf

I made a lot of money on the golf course before I ever went into golf as a business. I found solutions to problems, new ideas for ventures, and even a new career. Golf has a way of giving you an equilibrium that you can’t always find in the office.

Doing what you love will always make you a winner, and after spending many happy hours on golf courses, I decided to build some of my own. I am now one of the busiest golf course developers in the United States, with two award-winning, internationally acclaimed courses fully operational and two more in the works.

My first course, the Trump International Golf Club in Palm Beach, Florida, has been home to the ADP LPGA championships for three years. When I first decided to develop the most beautiful golf courses possible, I did some research and got in touch with the most respected designers in the business—the Fazio family. Just as Michelangelo had an affinity for sculpting marble, some people have an affinity for sculpting land. In this case, Jim and Tommy Fazio designed a dream come true for any golfer, not only visually, but in terms of playability.

The course opened in 1999. With its waterfalls and landscapes unique to Florida, Trump International Golf Club is already a landmark course in the state—and the best course in Florida.

My second course was Trump National at Briarcliff Manor in New York. We moved three million yards of earth, the largest land excavation ever in Westchester County, and it was worth it. We were also dealing with stone, which was used for walls and a spectacular waterfall on the thirteenth hole—a 101-foot cliff of black granite quarried from the property—which pumps five thousand gallons a minute. The walls were built by my very talented stone mason, Frank Sanzo. Membership costs $300,000. I think it’s a bargain.

My third golf course is Trump National Golf Club, in a sumptuous area of New Jersey known as Bedminster. It is being designed by the master golf course architect himself, Tom Fazio. Three times,Golf Digest has named Fazio the Best Modern Day Golf Course Architect, and when you see this course, you’ll know why. It will be long, big, and beautiful, and I am involved daily in the design and construction. Additional plans for this property, formerly owned by automaker John DeLorean and located in the heart of New Jersey’s horse country, will include a second course and a world-class clubhouse designed in the colonial mansion style.

I don’t want to limit my golfing to the East Coast, so in 2002 I bought a course along two miles of the Pacific Ocean. What was formerly known as Ocean Trails in Palos Verdes will now be known as Trump National Golf Club, Los Angeles. The course had fallen into disrepair under its previous owners—the eighteenth hole fell into the ocean—so I’m rebuilding it with legendary golf course architect Pete Dye. We’re also planning to build luxury estate homes on the property. When completed, this course will be the best in California.

Dave Anderson, Joe Kernen, me, and Ron Howard at the opening of Trump National Golf Club in Briarcliff Manor, New York.

When we announced the deal, the Los Angeles Times reported, As he has so many times before, Trump has spotted a trend to tap. True, but mostly I was following my instincts and my interests.

Building golf courses is not a big business for me and it’s unlikely that I will ever do another one. I want only the best.