- Jordan, now 62, is regarded by many as one of the greatest athletes of all time
- But he once ran into trouble at the La Gorce Country Club in Miami, Florida
- The club is in high demand, with DJ Khaled reportedly on the waiting list
This is the bizarre reason that saw Michael Jordan banned from an exclusive country club that costs $1million to join.
Jordan, now 62, is regarded by many as one of the greatest athletes of all time – having won six NBA Championships with the Chicago Bulls.
But he once ran into trouble for attempting to translate his court skills to those of luscious green fairways.
In 2012, Jordan, who is a huge fan of the sport, opted to put his skills to the test at the esteemed La Gorce Country Club in Miami, Florida.
However, per the Los Angeles Times, he was asked to return to the club house after playing 11 of 18 holes – because he was wearing cargo shorts.
With the NBA legend refusing to change into long trousers, he was asked to leave the course after being banned as a result of his actions.
This is the bizarre reason that saw Michael Jordan banned from an exclusive country club that costs $1million to join
In 2012, Jordan, who is a huge fan of the sport, opted to put his skills to the test at the esteemed La Gorce Country Club in Miami, Florida
With the NBA legend refusing to change into long trousers, he was asked to leave the course after being banned as a result of his actions
Following the incident, his representatives released an official statement which read: ‘Michael Jordan did wear cargo pants. He had been there many times before and had worn cargo pants previously, and had never been made aware that he was violating any dress code.
‘This time, he was made aware of the violation on the 12th hole, and at that point he did refuse to interrupt his game, and return to the clubhouse and change.
‘We were not aware that he is not allowed to return to La Gorce. I guess it’s their loss – as MJ is a great golfer, and a great guest.’
The club is in high demand, with DJ Khaled being one of many individuals who have reportedly been trying to gain membership at the exclusive site.
According to the Financial Times, some luxury golf clubs in south Florida have had to triple their membership fees since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.
One individual who works in finance told the publication that ‘the old clubs are impossible to get into’.
‘It’s crazy the initiation fees that people are paying to just have a place to go to dinner or play golf.’
Speaking to the New York Post, a hedge-fund investor described the rush to be part of such clubs as a ‘luxury golf arms race’.
The club is in high demand, with DJ Khaled being one of many individuals who have reportedly been trying to gain membership at the exclusive site
They added: ‘The types of people moving down there are used to getting their way and having access to the best of the best,’ the hedge fund investor said.
‘Then you tell them ‘Congratulations, you moved to Palm Beach, you can’t be a member of any of the old-school clubs because the wait-list is 10 years long’.
Private golf club Indian Creek, which is in a part of Florida that includes residents such as Jeff Bezos, Ivanka Trump and Tom Brady, reportedly charges $500,000 for new members.
However, the Financial Times reports that its membership fee was less than half that amount before the pandemic.
As a result, the high-end members’ club is reportedly considering increasing its membership fees even further due to higher demand.
