Golf experts rate whether Donald Trump's Scotland courses really are among 'world's greatest'
In true Donald Trump style, it was a bold prediction when, in the summer of 2010, the American announced he would build “the world’s greatest golf course” in Scotland. Eyebrows were raised and rightly so. But in fairness, he was the driving force behind a modern gem being created in the home of golf.
Against a backdrop of some of the worst-ever mud-slinging over plans for a golf course and under the golf fanatic owner’s watchful eye, Trump International Golf Links was created by Martin Hawtree on a 2.9-mile stretch of dunes at Menie Estate, north of Aberdeen, and it immediately became one of those bucket-list venues.
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Hide Ad“They’re an odd couple,” this correspondent wrote of Trump and Hawtree in November 2011 as the course was unveiled to the media ahead of an official opening the following year. “One is bold and brash, the other quiet and unassuming. Between then, however, they have created what looks sure to be a new jewel in Scotland’s golfing crown.”
Shortly after that piece was published, I received an email from “the office of Donald J. Trump”. My initial reaction was feeling slightly nervous before soon discovering that I had been wrong as I clicked on a PDF that had been attached. It was a photocopy of the page from The Scotsman with my article, which, written in a thick blue pen, had a message on it.
‘Martin. You are a great writer and a great guy,’ it read. ‘Thanks for the wonderful article. We are trying for #1 - good for Scotland. See you in June (at the official opening).’ It had been written and signed by Mr Trump himself.
I’ll get round to why I once used the email address to give Mr Trump a piece of my mind as it was related to the second Scottish venue that now bears his name, but let’s focus on the Aberdeen one for the moment and analyse whether or not it has been a worthwhile venture.
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Hide AdStrictly from a financial point of view, the answer would be ‘no’ because, according to a recent BBC report, losses for the business almost doubled in the past year by rising to £1.4 million. Against that, however, a second course, which will carry the name McLeod in memory of his mother Mary, who was born on the Isle of Lewis, is set to open next year.
The original course will host the Staysure PGA Seniors Championship for the third year running in 2025 and, according to one of Scotland’s best-known golfers, Mr Trump has indeed created something special on the North-East coast.
“Trump international is a place I spend quite a lot of time when I’m home,” said Aberdonian Paul Lawrie. “It’s a fantastic place with great staff and always in top condition. I haven’t seen the second course yet, but I am told it’s going to be amazing. It is great to see the huge investment being made in the North East to add to what already is a fantastic golfing destination.”
The aforementioned second Trump-owned venue in Scotland is, of course, Turnberry, which was in need of some investment when the billionaire bought it for an undisclosed sum in 2014. “Our aim is to make it the finest golf hotel in the world,” he immediately announced.
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Hide AdIn the eyes of a former European Open champion, Mr Trump has achieved that goal. “I understand that some are reticent about the owner,” said Andrew Murray, who played in both The Open and The Senior Open at the Ayrshire venue. “But I have hosted events all over the globe and the quality of the ‘new’ Turnberry sets it above all others.”
Having been renovated by Martin Ebert and with Mr Trump heavily involved, the Ailsa Course is now top of the list for lots of people who play the best courses around the world. “All the Americans in particular fall in love with it as it is a special place to both play and stay,” said Andrew Marshall, a former PGA Professional who now does some caddying at Turnberry.
Trump Turnberry, where a peak time for non-residents in 2025 will cost a mind-boggling £1,000 per person, made a profit for the first time under the American’s ownership in 2022 and looks as though it is going from strength to strength. It remains to be seen, though, if The Open, held at Turnberry four times and most recently in 2009, will ever return there as long as Mr Trump’s name is attached to it.
The frontrunner in the polls for the Republican presidential nomination at the time, Mr Trump’s presence at Turnberry turned the 2015 Women’s Open into a circus, prompting this correspondent, who was covering the inaugural Paul Lawrie Match Play in Aberdeen the same week, to dig out that email address to tell him he’d been out of order.
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Hide AdThough it may have taken a bit more time and done so in a more professional manner, The R&A was also clearly unimpressed by that week. In a statement issued in 2021 and one that has been steadfastly stuck to, chief executive Martin Slumbers said: “We have no plans to stage any of our championships at Turnberry and will not do so in the foreseeable future. We will not return until we are convinced that the focus will be on the championship, the players and the course itself and we do not believe that is achievable in the current circumstances.”
Time will tell if that position changes after a new man, Mark Darbon, takes over The R&A reins. But, strictly from a golf perspective, it has to be said that Donald J Trump has made his mark in a positive sense in Scotland.
“Scottie Scheffler played there before The Open at Troon this year and said it was the best links course he’d ever played and I think I would agree with him,” observed eight-time European No 1 Colin Montgomerie. “As for Trump Aberdeen, what a site and what he has done there is exceptional as it’s a great course as well.”
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