Donald Trump’s golf course ruptured by weather

PART of Donald Trump’s £750m Aberdeenshire golf course has been washed into the sea following a spell of severe weather.

• Course could be hit by recurring landslips say Menie residents

• Damage will not prevent reopening of course in April

An area around the fourth tee at the Menie Estate course, near Balmedie, has seen four feet of earth slide into the North Sea due to high rainfall in December.

The course, which opened last year, closes during the winter season.

David Milne, who lives on the Menie Estate and has constantly opposed the development of the golf course, said it had always been inevitable that the course would eventually start being destroyed by the rough Aberdeenshire conditions.

He said: “A number of folk have spoken to me about the recent storms and the dramatic effect it’s had on the course - which, to be fair, is exactly what we expected to happen.

“These landslides are directly on the dune line, which are always shifting due to the weather.

“Just because there’s a golf course built on them, doesn’t mean that this would change.

“To expect the greens and the tees not to go with the sand dunes is just ridiculous.”

“You’ve got the spring storms which we’re still expecting to hit in March and April, which will just come ripping in.

Restoration

A spokeswoman for Trump International Golf Links confirmed the section of ground near the fourth hole is being repaired, and foresaw no issues with the course reopening in April.

She said: “The enormous storm that hit the North East of Scotland over three weeks ago caused damage and disruption to communities along the coastline, and swept across our property which remained largely unaffected.

“As a sand based course, our drainage is exceptional and the height of the dunes shielded the playing surfaces.

“However, one of the burns burst its banks in two isolated sections but restoration plans are well underway and the work will be completed within weeks, well in advance of the golf course opening in April.

“We’re delighted with how the course stood up to these extreme weather conditions and look forward to opening our second season of play in a few months as planned.”