The making of Donald Trump’s new Scottish golf course

What do you get when you combine some of the most innovative and creative minds in golf? The answer lies just seven miles to the north of Aberdeen in the form of the spectacular and soon-to-open New Course at Trump International Golf Links Scotland.

The multi-award-winning golf destination, owned by US president Donald Trump and situated along the dramatic north-east coast of Scotland, has already garnered widespread international recognition thanks to the existing championship links that opened there in 2012.

However, that acclaim looks set to hit considerable new heights when the New Course opens this summer.

Spanning hundreds of acres of beautiful, rugged coastal terrain, it has been designed to complement the current course, forming what Eric Trump claims will be ‘The Greatest 36 Holes in Golf’.

“It is a truly mesmerising and very special place,” added the Executive Vice President of The Trump Organisation. “No other location can offer what is here. We have the greatest sand dunes anywhere in the world, the vast North Sea, and the most incredible land.”

If the initial batch of pictures is anything to go by, the New Course will surely compete with its older sister the Old Course – host venue for the Staysure PGA Seniors Championship – for the right to stage big events. And soon.

Set out on land adjacent to its sibling, the New Course features the world’s largest natural bunker, cavernous sandy hollows, mountainous sand dunes and infinity greens that hug the dune ridge.

From heather-clad wetlands and meandering ancient burns to the jaw-dropping ‘Southern Dome’ sand dune, the topography of the land is both varied and stunning – the perfect natural canvas, one might say, upon which to sculpt a golf course.

In order to do that, Trump International Golf Links Scotland commissioned a team of distinguished international golf course architects – including Dr Martin Hawtree, Christian Lundin and Christine Fraser – as well as specialist contractor Golflink Evolve and its team of world-class shapers.

Together, this all-star cast worked to balance modern design principles with the timeless traditions of links golf, whilst also paying total respect to the unique environmental features of the site.

Utilising wetlands, ponds and water harvested from across the site, for example, an innovative, environmentally friendly drainage system has been engineered to provide long-term sustainable irrigation for all 36 holes on-site.

Additionally, more than one million sprigs of native marram grass have been planted, with over ten hectares of natural vegetation successfully translocated, allowing indigenous plant habitats to thrive and expand.

Sarah Malone, Executive Vice President of Trump International Golf Links Scotland, says her team is eagerly counting down the days until the course officially opens for play.

“We know we are building something sensational,” she added. “This could very well be one of the last great modern championship links to be built in the home of golf.

“A remarkable, world-class team of architects, engineers, environmental scientists and industry specialists have etched out every square-inch of this phenomenal piece of land to create one of the great wonders in the world of golf.”

During last year’s Staysure PGA Seniors Championship, two-time major champion John Daly had the opportunity to get a sneak peek of the new layout and called it “one of the most spectacular links courses you are ever going to find.”

Ryder Cup-winning captain Paul McGinley echoed those sentiments. “I have no doubt that the addition of this new golf course will provide not just a great golfing exam but also an aesthetic one with views of the North Sea from most holes,” said the Irishman.

Find out more!

For further information and tee time info on either course, visit the Trump International Golf Links Scotland website.

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