Donald Trump is well known to many and, in the world of golf, he has never been too far away from the headlines in recent years.
Following the construction of what he professed would become “the greatest golf course in the world” at the Menie Estate in Aberdeen; “The Donald” expanded his ever-growing golf empire by acquiring the amazing Doonbeg Golf Resort on the famed South West coast of Ireland.
This was a move that some say has saved the County Clare resort after it had fallen on hard financial times and now it seems Trump has developed a taste for world class links golf having most recently bought the famed Turnberry Golf Resort on the stunning Ayrshire coastline.
The iconic Turnberry Resort is the latest addition to Donald Trump’s ever-expanding golf empire.
Along with the famous Ailsa Course – made famous by hosting the Open Championship on four occasions including the legendary 1977 Open dubbed “The Duel in the Sun” – Trump has acquired the resort in its totality from the Dubai-based Leisurecorp group, with the charming Kintyre Course and the five star hotel also being snapped up by the American tycoon.
As many golfers will know, Trump has ambitions to host golf’s oldest major at his Aberdeenshire course in the future and it will be interesting to see how the R&A react to the news of him adding Turnberry to his golfing portfolio.
Out of the nine courses currently on the Open Championship Rota, Turnberry is the only one which is owned by a private company with others such as Muirfield and Royal St George’s being owned by club members and the likes of St Andrews and Carnoustie being owned by local authorities.
Set on the rugged Aryshire coastline, Turnberry is one of the most beautiful golf courses in the world and a must for any serious golfer.
Along with issues with access and a comparable lack of infrastructure, this was seen as a possible reason for the Open’s conspicuous absence from Turnberry between 1994 and 2009 when Tom Watson captured the hearts of golf fans everywhere with a stirring performance which so narrowly saw him miss out on a 6th Claret Jug.
It is highly unlikely that Trump’s association with Turnberry will have any bearing on its future inclusion on the Open rota; such is the majesty of the Ailsa Course. Not only has the Ailsa played host to the Open Championship, it has also welcomed many other prestigious tournaments including the Women’s British Open, Walker Cup and the Amateur Championship, and it is easy to see why it has such an impressive reputation.
Situated on a ruggedly beautiful headland overlooking the Ailsa Craig in the Firth of Clyde, the Ailsa course is the most scenic course on the Open rota.
The 10th is one of the standout holes on the famous Ailsa Course…be sure to avoid the donut shaped bunker lurking just short of the green!
As golfers make their way around a procession of stunning holes that boast all of the classic links golf features, they are treated to amazing views out towards the Mull of Kintyre and the Isle of Arran and with the iconic Turnberry lighthouse standing watch over the links; this is a truly memorable place to play golf.
With Trump on board, it could soon be a truly memorable place to stay as well. That is not to say it isn’t already memorable as the five start hotel boasts everything one could ask for when it comes to stay & play golf breaks, but within the sport of golf, Trump’s influence on the resorts he has purchased is seen as a positive one thanks to substantial investment and improvements that are generally associated with his involvement.
Trump’s purchase of Doral in Miami was shortly followed by a significant overhaul of the entire resort, reportedly to the tune of £150 million and improvements are also in the pipeline at Doonbeg in Ireland.
While the Ailsa Course is without doubt the main attraction at Turnberry, the Kintyre Course is also a fine test of golf, boasting some remarkable holes including the stunning par 4 8th.
Having previously stated that he would not make any further investments in Scotland – Trump has long contested plans for an offshore wind farm within sight of Trump International Golf Links in Aberdeen and vowed not to continue development in the country until plans for the turbine project were shelved – Turnberry has seemingly proved to be irresistible to Trump, just as it is to golfers all over the world who are looking to enjoy their very own duel in the sun on this famous Scottish links.
