Michael Jordan Isn’t Easy To Beat On His Own Course According To Rickie Fowler

Anyone who knows anything about Michael Jordan knows that the man loves him some golf. Not only does he love golf, but he is also a notoriously fast player. Jordan famously built his own course because he had “grown frustrated with the pace of play” at his former home course The Bear’s Club in Jupiter, Florida owned by Jack Nicklaus. When you’re as fierce a competitor as Michael Jordan, if you’re going to build yourself a course you’re going to build it to your strengths. According to PGA Tour star Rickie Fowler, that is precisely what Jordan did.


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Jordan’s golf course, Grove XXIII, has been notoriously nicknamed “Slaughterhouse 23”. A course doesn’t get that kind of nickname unless you can do some damage on it. Check out what Rickie Fowler had to say about what it’s like to play Jordan on his own course.

“It’s his golf course, so it’s set up very well for him … It’s almost the shorter you hit it, the wider it is. The tees and pins are done every day, so the golf course basically sets up around him — they can play as long as you want but they set the back tees at roughly, you know, 7,000 to 7,100 (yards) and MJ plays the back tees wherever they set them.

“If I want to hit driver, I have to kind of put it into a little bit of a tighter spot,” Fowler said. “I can obviously play back if I want, but that becomes a little bit of a disadvantage, especially if it’s a hole where he’s getting a stroke. He’s great with wedges in his hands, around the greens, and as a bunker player. He’ll putt anyone straight up. If I’m giving him a shot, I can’t then play from the same spot he is when he’s laying zero.”

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Fowler, who gives Jordan 10 strokes when they play, says he’s been able to beat MJ several times, but only because they haven’t played much at The Grove. Back in 2018, Fowler admitted that playing against Jordan was good preparation for PGA Tour events because the rounds are so competitive.

“He’ll play you for whatever you want. Whatever makes you scared.”, Fowler said of Michael Jordan.

Bottom line: MJ is the GOAT and he’ll give you a run for your money in any competition. Good luck beating him.


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