Golf courses, and in particular former President Donald Trump’s own properties, have long been a source of concern among Secret Service officials tasked with securing the grounds, according to people familiar with the matter.
While security around Trump was bolstered in the aftermath of the first attempt on his life over the summer, the new beefed-up protective detail wasn’t able to prevent another would-be assassin from coming within 500 yards of the former president, armed with an AK-47 with a telescopic sight on Sunday.
In some ways, a similar issue led to both situations: difficulty securing a perimeter around the former president.
A golf course presents a particular challenge. The fairways and greens of a golf course are often the largest outdoor area a president can visit, and their design — often abutting public roads and containing elements such as trees and hills that can conceal would-be assassins — make them particularly difficult for the agency to secure.
Like other presidents before him, Trump’s presence at a golf course does not prompt the club to shut down to the general public, nor for the roads to be closed nearby.
Instead, groups of agents in golf clothes typically ride in golf carts ahead and behind the former president as he plays and secures the areas before he arrives.
