At least three elite golf courses in the wealthy New York community of Westchester turned up their noses at President Obama and declined to let him play during his Labor Day travels to the area, citing concerns of inconveniencing their high-profile clients, a source told New York media.
Among the courses: The Trump National Golf Club, the Winged Foot and Willow Ridge, NBC 4 New York reported.
The courses would have had to shut down to accommodate the president and his entourage — including Secret Service — during one of their busiest holiday weekends.
Mr. Obama was in the area for fundraising events in New York and Rhode Island, beginning Friday, Aug. 29. His advance team called the clubs just a day or two ahead of the president’s planned Saturday stop in the Westchester area, one source said to NBC 4 New York.
Representatives for Trump National in Briar Cliff Manor, for Willow Ridge in Harrison and for Winged Foot in Mamaroneck refused to comment. The White House didn’t comment, either. But at least one political analyst said the news tidbit spoke volumes about Mr. Obama’s declining popularity.
“I think he has lost that star quality he had in his first two years in office and in that 2008 campaign,” said analyst Dan Gerstein, in NBC 4 New York.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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