ON A MUGGY TUESDAY MORNING IN JULY, Khaled's shiny black Rolls-Royce pulls into Miami Beach Golf Club. "My name is Khaled Khaled, and I am a golfer now," he says. After all, he's already teamed up with the Jordan Brand, recruited dozens of celebrity friends, and played with some of the best golfers in the world to support his dreams. Moreover, golf is incredibly resistant to change.īut don't bother trying to tell him any of that his brand of optimism won't allow him to hear it. It's an extremely tall order: He's a perfectly decent recreational golfer, especially for someone who's only been playing for a few years, but he will never make the Tour. Khaled, 47, is convinced he'll help break down barriers in golf to make the sport more diverse - and that he'll eventually play on the PGA Tour. I spent three days following Khaled on the golf course, inside his home, at events, and at his celebrity golf tournament, to better understand his obsession with the sport, and try to gauge just how far his optimism can take him. I was also deeply skeptical - there was no way anyone could make me feel any differently about golf, not even the king of optimism.īut I was at least willing to give him a shot. And so when I heard that the Palestinian American hip-hop star was investing all this time and energy in golf in an effort to open its gates, to make it feel more welcoming, I was immediately intrigued. I didn't vibe with the crowd, which I perceived to be mostly old white people with pricey golf attire it was expensive to play - and exclusive. In all my years as a sports fan, I've never felt welcome on a golf course. He smiles, and just like that, his optimism returns. "Right down the middle!" he yells, as he fist pumps the air. The club makes contact with the ball, a clean sound. But on this course, in this moment, he's getting real, grounding himself if any sport can test a person's will to succeed, it's golf.įinally, after one more deep breath, he takes a swing, his broad shoulders arching to the right. I've heard from dozens of people in his entourage that he rarely showcases negative emotions the Grammy-winning producer has built a social media empire on his over-the-top positivity. Just for a second, Khaled's unbridled optimism pauses. "Relax," he says to himself, taking a deep breath. He's been golfing with pro Michael Block for two hours on a July afternoon under an extreme heat wave in Miami, and he's just duffed a couple of shots on the eighth hole. He grips his driver, switching his weight from one leg to the other. "Let's go golfing!": 72 hours in Miami with DJ KhaledĭJ KHALED PURSES HIS LIPS and furrows his eyebrows as sweat drips from his forehead. You have reached a degraded version of because you're using an unsupported version of Internet Explorer.įor a complete experience, please upgrade or use a supported browser
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