Donald Trump unveils ‘mother’s’ golf course plans

Donald Trump's rchitect Martin Hawtree unveils plans for the new Macleod golf course. Picture: Hemedia

The proposals for the tycoon’s second course at his £750 million resort at Menie were unveiled at a special public consultation exhibition at Trump’s Aberdeenshire estate. The plans were displayed in a marquee adjacent to the estate’s Golf House.

Only six of the 18 holes on the new course will be laid out would be within the coastal dune system where most of the main championship course has been built and will mainly be laid out on agricultural land to the south of the main links course.

None of the area has been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) - the zoning which sparked the need for a public inquiry into the development of the main course.

The second course is to be named the MacLeod course in tribute to Trump’s late mother, Mary MacLeod, who was born and raised on the Hebridean island of Lewis.

Members of the new course’s design and development team were on hand to answer questions from members of the public at the special exhibition at the Menie resort, part of the statutory consultation process.

They included golf course architect, Dr Martin Hawtree, who also designed the main championship links, and environmental consultant, James Miller of Ironsider Farrar.

Dr Hawtree said: “This will be a golf course for all, ranging in difficulty and challenge depending on which of the four or five tee positions is selected, spanning a range of lengths up to 7400 yards. Fairways will be generous in width but tighter where the longer player will be challenged with bunkers, dunes and rough.

“The rough will be a particular feature of the course, changing in character through the course from wild meadows in the arable parts of the site, through wetlands in the central areas, to marram roughs in the southern dunes, and heathland vegetation in the areas immediately to the back of the sand dunes.”

He continued: “The layout of the course is based on classical principles of design – out with nine holes and back with nine holes. Classical theory of layout is about the interplay of risk – reward. And like the first course, great care has been taken over the sequencing of holes. The holes move subtly through the site revealing every aspect of the site’s topography and landscape, moving from sheltered green sites upwards to dramatic tees with spectacular views of the dunes and coastline.”

Mr Miller stressed: “This is not a site of special scientific interest and there are no significant environmental constraints relating to the second golf course. The course layout has been finessed to maximise local biodiversity which will improve local flora and breeding birds.”

Sarah Malone, Executive Vice President of Trump International Golf Links, Scotland, said: “Yet again Hawtree has devised an ingenious layout for another extraordinary 18-hole course. The MacLeod Course has been designed to complement the championship course and offers an equally challenging test of golf and will be enjoyable for all levels of golfer.”

The detailed application for the MacLeod Course will be submitted to Aberdeenshire Council next month.