Donald Trump's Scottish golf course seeks to get closer to Robert the Bruce castle

It is the golf course that would be king - and now Trump Turnberry is seeking permission from heritage chiefs to align itself closer to the castle where Robert the Bruce spent his childhood.

Trump Turnberry has applied to Historic Environment Scotland (HES) for permission to move the tenth tee of its Ailsa Course to open up views of Turnberry Castle, where Robert I is said to have been raised.

Trump Turnberry with the remains of Turnberry Castle on the promontory in the foreground, to the left of the lighthouse. | Trump Turnberry

The small 10m move across the grassland at the foot of the castle will give golfers, who play some 31,500 rounds on the course, better sight of the 13th-century ruins - and in particular the moat.

Shifting the back tenth tee comes as Trump Turnberry seeks to bring back The Open Championship to the resort, which is run by Eric and Donald Jnr Trump, the sons of the US President-elect.

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Meanwhile, plans to move the seventh and eighth tee are well in development after earlier being approved by South Ayrshire Council.

Nic Oldham, general manager of Trump Turnberry, said: “We have been in discussions with HES for several years. We have now agreed on a way forward with the tenth tee and enhance the view of Turnberry Castle and therefore have applied for consent as required.

“This goes along with all the renovations to the seventh and eighth we are carrying out to continue to enhance the Ailsa Course as one of the best courses in the world, which brings tens of thousands of golfers to us every year supporting other courses and accommodation providers locally. “

Turnberry Castle was the home of Marjorie, Countess of Carrick in the late 1200s. It is said she kidnapped Robert the Bruce, 6th Lord of Annandale, and held him captive at her home until he agreed to marry her.

The pair wed and their son, Robert the Bruce, was born in 1274.

A record from HES said: “The monument is intimately associated with one of the great figures in Scottish history, King Robert I (the Bruce), who was very probably born in the castle and who certainly spent his childhood there.”

The Ailsa Course is the primary course of the three golf courses within the Trump Turnberry estate, alongside the Arran nine-hole course and the 18-hole King Robert the Bruce.

Robert the Bruce was just 12 years old when several Scottish barons who supported the Bruce title as successor of the crown met secretly at Turnberry. It was burned by William ‘le hardy’ Douglas, an on-off ally of King Edward, in 1297.

Turnberry was seized by the English in 1301, with Robert the Bruce later arriving at Turnberry to take back the castle. He later ordered the destruction of his former family home to prevent it falling back in the hands of King Edward’s men.

Renowned golf course design company Mackenzie and Ebert said an archaeologist would supervise works to move the tenth tee.

The statement, which was submitted to HES, said: “All works will be undertaken under the supervision of the archaeologist on site to ensure this method statement is followed, no further excavation will be undertaken and if anything ofvalue is found, work can be stopped for further investigation.

“If any significant archaeological features are uncovered, then the construction plan and finish levels can be adjusted to ensure they remain undisturbed.”

HES will aim to give a decision on the scheduled monument consent by February 10.