DeSantis in hot water for an embattled golf course plan backed by Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus

DeSantis in hot water for an beset golf course arrange sponsored by Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus

Tiger Woods, Ron DeSantis and Jack Nicklaus were all wrapped up in a Florida contention over golf courses in state parks.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A proposition to put golf courses in a Florida state stop — which has landed Gov. Ron DeSantis in hot water politically — included two of the greatest names in proficient golf history:
Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus.

The proposition to construct courses at Jonathan Dickinson State Stop in Southeast Florida is presently put on hold after bipartisan pushback and dissents over the state. But had the thought gotten state endorsement, and both Woods and Nicklaus would have been included in course-design work.

“There were really aiming to be at slightest two courses; one would be a Tiger course and one would be a Jack course,” Eugene Stearns, an lawyer who speaks to Nicklaus, told NBC News.

He said Nicklaus, who has outlined more than 300 courses over the world, would have done the work free of charge had the proposition gotten to be a reality.

“For Jack, it was a charitable issue,” Stearns said.

The proposition — which was first reported by the Tampa Cove Times — was portion of changes to nine state parks that too included the expansion of comforts like pickle ball courts and modern lodges. Golf courses, in any case, were the greatest point of discussion from the proposition.

A DeSantis organization official said the plans were not finalized and they anticipated pushback. But things spiraled as well rapidly some time recently they were prepared when they were made open.

“We kind of misplaced the account on this one,” said a DeSantis organization official. “Leaks did not help.”

DeSantis never said he supported the arrange, and he has expressed he never “affirmed” it. It came out of an office whose head the senator appoints.

The backfire ran the political range, from Democrats to natural bunches to most state Republicans, counting Sens. Rick Scott and Marco Rubio, in conjunction with Rep. Matt Gaetz.

“I know you cherish our Florida environment. We campaigned together on sparing the environment in 2018. I saw your earnestness firsthand, up close,” Gaetz posted on X, coordinating his comments to DeSantis. “Please utilize your fabulous administration aptitudes to murder this anti-Florida Man activity. Keep our parks natural.”

There has also been pushback to past attempts to put golf corses in Florida state parks, with the general idea that people in the state are opposed to any additional development in those areas.

 

TGR Design, Wood’s Florida-based golf course design company, did not respond to multiple requests seeking comment, but four sources, including the DeSantis administration official, confirmed that it was involved in the early stages of the proposal.

 

The proposal was spearheaded by Folds of Honor, an Oklahoma-based non-profit organization that helps veterans. It uses golf, among other things, to raise scholarship money for families of members and first responders who were killed or disabled.

 

The group, which has floated the idea of golf courses in Florida state parks in the past, issued a statement last week confirming its involvement. It said the plan was to bring “world class” golf to Southeast Florida and donate proceeds to military and first-responder families.

 

The statement from the group was shared and amplified by nationally-known conservative firebrand Dan Bongino, who said the group personally assured him the proposal was not returning.

 

“My good friends at ‘Folds of Honor’ have also assured me that they do not plan to move forward on this project,” Bongino, who lives in the area, wrote on social media. “They are great people, doing great things. They just didn’t understand the local passion for JD Park.”

 

A second lesser-known group, Delaware-based Tuskegee Dunes Foundation, earlier posted on a newly-created website that it was also behind the proposal, but it has since backed away.

 

“We have received clear feedback that Jonathan Dickinson State Park is not the right location,” the group posted. “We did not understand the local community landscape and appreciate the clarity. We will not pursue building in the beloved Jonathan Dickinson State Park.”

 

Little is known about that group, which shared an Oklahoma address with Folds of Honor, but the group in January did hire two Florida lobbyists, including Ryan Matthews, the former head of the state’s Department of Environmental Protection, which is the agency that would have had broad authority to move forward with the plan and whose leader DeSantis appoints.

 

DeSantis’ communications team initially supported the idea, even as public pushback grew.

 

In a statement last week, DeSantis press secretary Jeremy Redfern said that it was something former President Teddy Roosevelt, a well-known conservationist, would have supported.

 

“Teddy Roosevelt believed that public parks were for the benefit and enjoyment of the people, and we agree with him,” Redfern said. “No administration has done more than we have to conserve Florida’s natural resources, grow conservation lands, and keep our environment pristine. But it’s high time we made public lands more acce

ssible to the public.