The real reason Michael Jordan wants to build his own golf course

Michael Jordan is serious about building his own golf course, but not for the reason that went viral last week.

MJ has had his eye on a tract of land near his South Florida home for some 20 years, and it has nothing to do with slow play on any of the three courses he belongs to -- Medalist, The Floridian and Bear’s Club. Rather, the six-time NBA world champion and Tiger Woods’ “big brother” likes to tee it up with a bunch of his buddies -- like a whole lot of them.

“Michael likes to play in big groups -- six, seven, eight groups,” Tim Rosaforte said on Golf Channel’s Morning Drive Tuesday. “The Bear’s Club is a traditional place, not really a good place to do that.

“You can do it at the Medalist, no problem,” Rosaforte said. “They have seven- and eight-man ... games like that all the time.”

Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods playing golf together

Jordan’s passion to stamp his name on his own track could hardly be due to pace of play, since he and seven of his BFFs recently made it around The Floridian in three hours and eight minutes before competing in the club’s member-guest tournament.

“It’s not really slow play; it’s fast play, the way Michael likes to do it,” said Rosaforte, who noted that Jordan was “very upset about the way this was positioned.”

Jordan, rumor has it, has chatted with noted course developer Tom Doak as well as others about designing a layout on a piece of property that Rosaforte said was not particularly inviting.

“It’s a flat piece of property, nothing really aesthetically beautiful about it, but Michael puts his name on it ... There’s obviously going to be a lot of buzz if Michael gets this thing put together, does his due diligence and launches this deal,” Rosaforte said. “Whoever the designer is, it’s going to be Michael’s golf course, and you can bet he won’t have to worry about getting around there in more than just a foursome.

“You want to bring eight, you’re a member, you’re a guest, come on,” Rosaforte summed up. “That’s what Michael’s all about.”

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