This is Trump’s upcoming construction project, joining the White House ballroom, Rose Garden replacement and others

President has dedicated a large portion of his two-week Florida vacation to golfing. However, upon his return to the White House, he’s setting his sights on a military golf course he’s never played before, with plans for a .

The Courses at Andrews — located within the secure boundaries of Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, roughly 15 miles (24 kilometers) from the White House — have long been a go-to retreat for presidents seeking a few hours of respite from the pressures of leading the free world. These courses are often called the “president’s golf course.” Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Joe Biden have all spent time there, and Barack visited more frequently than any other president, approximately 110 times over eight years.

Trump has consistently favored the — spending roughly one out of every four days of his second term at one of these locations. Now, however, he’s hired golf champion to serve as the architect for a major overhaul of the Courses at Andrews.

“It’s remarkable that someone can find time to step away from global crises for a couple of hours. And they’re just regular people, like everyone else,” stated Michael Thomas, the former general manager of the course who has played golf with numerous presidents who visited Andrews over the years.

Andrews — more commonly recognized as the home of — features two 18-hole courses and one 9-hole course. Its facilities have undergone renovations before, including in 2018, when Congress allocated funds to replace outdated presidential aircraft and construct a new hangar and support facilities. That project was near enough to the golf courses that they also needed adjustments at that time.

Trump met with Nicklaus — who has designed premier golf courses across the globe — before Thanksgiving. The president described Andrews as “a great place that’s been neglected over the years due to insufficient maintenance.”

Other golfers, though, describe Andrews’ grounds as being in solid condition, even with a few dry spots. Online reviews highlight the course’s mature trees, challenging roughs, and ponds and streams that act as water hazards. The courses are mostly flat but offer views of the adjacent base.

‘They all like to drive the cart’

Ford was the first president to play golf at Andrews, in 1974. Thomas started working there a few years later and served as general manager from 1981 until his retirement in 2019.

He noted that over the years, the Secret Service has used up to 28 golf carts — along with the president’s typical 30-car motorcade — to maintain perimeter security.

“It’s like a Cecil B. DeMille production every single time,” Thomas said. He had the chance to play golf with four different presidents, as well as with Biden when Biden was vice president.

He explained that the commanders in chief typically enjoyed their time on the course in their own distinct ways, but “they all love driving the golf cart because they never get the chance to drive otherwise.”

“It feels like getting your driver’s license all over again,” Thomas laughed.

Trump , and as of Friday, has spent an estimated 93 days of his second term playing golf, per an Associated Press analysis of his schedules.

That count includes days when Trump played at courses owned by his family in Virginia — about 30 miles (48 kilometers) from the White House — and near his Florida estate , where he’s currently spending the winter holidays. It also covers 10 days Trump stayed at his golf club in , where his schedule left room for golf rounds.

Trump has visited Andrews before, but neither the White House nor the base has any record of him playing the golf courses there.

Another of Trump’s Construction Projects

Andrews’ military roots stretch back to the Civil War, when Union soldiers used a church near Camp Springs, Maryland, as sleeping quarters. The golf course there opened in 1960.

The White House stated that this renovation will be the most substantial in Andrews’ history. The courses and clubhouse require upgrades due to age and general wear, it noted, and there are ongoing discussions about adding a multifunctional event center to the project.

“President Trump is a champion-caliber golfer with an exceptional eye for detail and design,” White House spokesperson Davis Ingle said in a statement. “His vision for renovating and enhancing Joint Base Andrews’ golf courses will deliver much-needed upgrades that service members and their families can enjoy for many generations.”

The White House said plans are still in the very early phases, and neither the cost nor the funding for the project has been finalized. Trump has only stated that it will need “very little money.”

The Andrews upgrades are part of a long list of Trump construction projects, including for a now projected to cost , renovating the and replacing the Rose Garden’s lawn with a patio area similar to Mar-a-Lago’s.

Beyond the White House, Trump has overseen construction projects at the Kennedy Center and aims to build a near the Lincoln Memorial. He has also expressed interest in in northern Virginia.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, the Trump administration with a non-profit regarding three public golf courses in Washington — this could give the president additional influence over golfing in the nation’s capital. The White House, though, stated that this action is not connected to the Andrews plans.

Presidential Benefits of Golfing at Andrews

Thomas said that when the president is playing golf, Andrews officials close off nine holes at a time so no one plays ahead of him. This provides extra security while also maintaining a consistent pace of play.

This is relatively easy to do because the courses are not open to the general public. They are typically reserved for active or retired military members and their families, plus some federal employees affiliated with the Defense Department.

Thomas recalls playing a round with the elder President Bush — a World Golf Hall of Fame member known for his quick play — while first lady Barbara Bush walked with Millie, the couple’s English Springer Spaniel. Thomas noted that George W. Bush also played quickly and got extra exercise by often riding his mountain bike before golfing.

When Obama wasn’t playing golf at Andrews, he tried to replicate at least some of that experience at the White House. He had a golf simulator installed there after then-first lady Michelle Obama asked Thomas how they could get the model the president had seen advertised on the Golf Channel. Thomas provided her with a contact at the network.

Obama famously cut short a golf round at Andrews after nine holes in 2011 to rush back to the White House for what ended up being a top-secret review of the final preparations for a Navy SEAL raid on the compound of .

However, Thomas said that during his golf games with presidents, he never saw play interrupted by an important call or any major emergency that forced them to leave the course mid-hole. There were also never any rain cancellations.

“If rain was on the way, they’d get the weather forecast before we did,” Thomas said. “They’d cancel right away when that happened.”