On the eve of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's visit to meet United States President Donald Trump in Washington DC, golfer and businessman Greg Norman has described to 7.30 the key role he played in introducing the pair.

When Mr Trump won the 2016 US election, Australia's ambassador to the United States, Joe Hockey, contacted Norman to request then president-elect's mobile phone number so Mr Turnbull could call him.

Norman says the relationship between the PM and the President has improved since their initial phone call. ( Reuters/AAP/ABC )

"The ambassador Joe Hockey, who's a good friend of mine, reached out to me and said that the Prime Minister would like to reach out to President Trump and congratulate him, and do you have his cell phone number? It's as simple as that," Norman explained.

"I don't normally give out cell phone numbers of people in my database, but considering it was for the Prime Minister to call the President of the United States, I thought that would be the right thing to do.

"And fortunately it has turned out to be an incredible relationship."

The legendary sportsman has known Mr Trump through golf since before he entered the White House. Norman told 7.30 he had played with Mr Trump "quite a few times".

"He's very, very passionate about it. He loves his golf. You've seen what he has done prior to being the President of the United States — he was acquiring golf courses all around the world.

"And during that time frame he did acquire a couple of golf courses that I designed. So we have always stayed in touch in some way, shape, or form, but golf has been the connector for us," Norman said.

Donald Trump has been passionate about golf for a long time, Norman says. ( AP: Damian Dovarganes )

Norman said the relationship between Mr Trump and Mr Turnbull had come a long way since their initial phone conversation. He told 7.30 it "started off a little bit rocky".

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"Their relationship now, Prime Minister to President of the United States, is extremely strong," he said.

"And when you think about where we are today, or think about the past and where we are today with what Australia's doing with the military, and what with working with the United States, and the presence around the world, little brother and big brother relationship and bond is strong as it has ever been."

Norman said he believed Mr Trump was looking to Australian policies for inspiration.

"[Trump's] got the stars and stripes flowing through his blood big time," he said.

"He wants to make sure that America is going to be a better place, a safer place, a stronger place going forward," Norman said.

"What we've done in Australia has been phenomenal, and Donald Trump recognises that just on an infrastructure standpoint, engineering standpoint, bridges and electricity and railway — you can go through the list — he wants to replicate that to some degree and copy it to some degree here in the United States."

Norman is part of the business delegation meeting in Washington DC next week to coincide with Mr Turnbull's visit to the White House.

You can see the full Leigh Sales interview with Greg Norman on 7.30 tonight.