TO MIAMI – TO Trump National Doral Golf Resort in Miami, it’s the gift shop that perhaps best represents Donald Trump’s trajectory from real estate mogul to political heavyweight.

A large black-and-white portrait of the Republican presidential candidate stands above the entrance, his finger pointing toward the viewer, above signed copies of his 1987 book, The art of the marketsold for $1,000 (£773) each.

Several covers of Time a magazine featuring him hangs on either side, including one proclaiming “The Apprentice is a TV hit!” it was was proven false in 2017. Despite the publication requesting its removal – and there is several other authentic options to choose from – the false version remains exposed.

Among Maga’s huge collection of golf accessories, clothing and products, there are two things that customers can’t get enough of. The first, a $45 putter cover featuring a leathery version of Trump’s face with a tuft of fake hair that staff say is a regular seller.

The second, a black and gold Make America Great Again hat worn by Elon Musk when he proclaimed himself “Dark Maga” at a recent rally in Butler, Pa. It was previously the site of an assassination attempt on Trump.

Selling for $60, it has already sold out three times and is currently out of stock, suggesting that Musk is becoming a powerful force in the Trump universe.

I’m at Trump National Doral Resort playing golf — the 78-year-old’s favorite pastime and the cornerstone of his namesake empire — ahead of Tuesday’s election, where he hopes to beat Kamala Harris and gain a second term as president.

Although it was once a high-profile swing state, Florida has been a constant trend since 2016 and is now the center of gravity of Trump’s family and business affairs.

New York’s move south was accelerated by Covid, its 2020 election defeat and the lawsuits against the mogul and his organization. He was convicted of crimes for secret payments, and his organization was fined $450 million for fraudulently inflate property values.

Trump’s South Florida resorts are the crown jewels of his business, alongside more diversified investments such as cryptocurrency and social media. A Reuters analysis of Trump’s court and tax records and other financial information shows that they are becoming increasingly important to its overall revenues.

Chief among them is his private home at Mar-a-Lago, nicknamed the “Winter White House.” The private members’ club is expected to net Trump $24 million in cash in 2024, according to the Reuters analysis.

There are also members-only golf clubs in Jupiter and West Palm Beach — where Secret Service agents found the butt of a gun in the bushes during a second alleged attempt on Trump’s life in september. Ryan Routh. He denies the accusations. They are expected to bring in $8.4 million and $10.4 million, respectively, this year. according to the same estimates.

And then there’s Doral, the only golf resort and hotel open to the public where visitors can sample the Trump brand. Membership costs $100,000 for the “initiation” fee and $17,000 per year – an exorbitant amount but by no means highest by Florida standards. This is expected to net Trump $10.5 million in cash this year.

A “unique” swing and athletic style

“When you first hit a golf ball, your heart is like”… my golfing buddy from Florida mimes fireworks with his hands and pretends to melt.

As a newbie, I’m intrigued. I have no idea what I’m doing, but I’m learning the basics of grip, stance and swing. A few “puffs“Later, I connect with the ball in a satisfying shot that instantly reveals what makes the game so addictive.

It’s the complexity that makes golf so interesting and challenging, I’m told. The game teaches you honesty, discipline and personal responsibility, according to former President George W Bush.

This requires strength, precision and a “golf IQ”. That in addition to spending a few hours strolling under the warm Florida sun? It doesn’t take a “very stable engineering» to see the call.

Many presidents have played golf, with Bill Clinton even claiming to have improved his handicap while in office. But Trump is synonymous with sports. He played roughly the same number of rounds as Barack Obama in office – 300 to Obama’s 333 – but in half the time.

With a 2.8 handicap it is classified as the best golfer among presidents and is often photographed with his white polo shirt tucked in, his red Maga hat, touring his Florida properties on a buggy. Earlier this year, he was filmed arguing with locals about Joe Biden being a “broken pile of shit” and calling Kamala Harris “pathetic.”

Those who have seen him play say he has an athletic style with a “unique” swing and “unusual” putting. The consensus seems to be: It probably shouldn’t work, but it does.

At Doral, the lush gardens are immaculate, with palm trees, manicured greens, lakes and four courses to choose from. But it is inside the complex that visitors fully experience Trump.

It’s luxury imagined by an ’80s real estate mogul with a late-life penchant for Republican-style Americana.

The decor weaves Trump’s signature aesthetic—vast slabs of marble, gold-plated light fixtures, and ornate gilded frames—with liberal doses of the American flag and references to the Constitution. He mixes the personal and presidential aspects in a way that makes it hard to remember that there was a time when Ethics experts urged Trump to divest his family businesses while he was running for high office.

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In the lobby, a gold statue of an American eagle with a handful of arrows in its beak sits atop a signed copy of the constitution. Elsewhere hangs a portrait of Trump’s face made from bullet casings used by police and law enforcement, created by a Brazilian artist.

At the Champions Bar, where Trump regularly comes to sign Maga hats, the atmosphere is somewhere between a gentlemen’s club and a sports bar. Chesterfield style chairs are upholstered in a fabric that may or may not be real leather. The menu includes Philly cheesesteaks, Cuban sandwiches and a burger with Trump’s name on the bun.

Longtime staff who say they enjoy working there broadcast ESPN on all three TVs to keep the mood light. The country they are from is displayed on their badge, including Cuba, Nicaragua, Dominican Republic and Peru.

Chris Henry, CEO of Majestic Hospitality, whose company consults on new hotel developments, said it was a “strangely American situation” to have someone so tied to his company while also running for president.

He said a typical hotelier might have given more distance between himself and the brand, but it showed that Trump’s business is “savvy” because he is able to keep his clubs in the news by attending them as a private citizen and public figure.

“It’s an interesting situation that he’s put himself in,” Mr. Henry said, adding that his club attracted those who liked Trump’s “cult of personality” as well as “wealthy” loyalists and “new rich”.

He added: “It definitely goes both ways. On the other hand, I think there are others who don’t want anything to do with it – they think it’s trashy, ostentatious, it’s vile. This is a very unique situation.

Trump Doral has been contacted for comment.