US Presidential candidate Donald Trump lands at Trump Turnberry to view the changes to the Ailsa Course
Donald Trump has landed at Trump Turnberry in Ayrshire, Scotland this morning to view the changes to the famous updated Ailsa course.
The US Presidential candidate landed in his helicopter this morning to a warm visit of bagpipers.
He bought Turnberry in 2014 for £35.7m.
The course has undergone an eight month refurbishment at an estimated cost of £200m and has been lengthened by 150 yards, giving it a total yardage of just over 7,350 yards.
It will remain as a par-70 for The Open but is now a par-71 for general play.
The holes around the famous lighthouse and Turnberry's rocky coastline have all been significantly changed, with the 9th now a treacherous par-3 some 250-yards over the sea with little-to-no bail out area.
There is also a new halfway hut and the clubhouse has undergone a £10m refurbishment.
Other changes include:
- A hugely strengthened and lengthened 1st hole.
- A much more visually arresting par-3 4th with a long sandy waste area just beyond the tee.
- A severely shortened but more dramatic par-3 6th.
- A re-aligned and lengthened 14th which now plays as a par 5 with the lighthouse much more of a feature.
- A straightened 18th, which now plays from the top of dunes close to the shore straight towards the iconic hotel.
Golf Monthly's Jeremy Ellwood was at Trump Turnberry to see the changes for himself:
The Open Championship was last at Turnberry in 2009, when Stewart Cink defeated Tom Watson in a play-off, and the tournament will not return to the Ayrshire venue until atleast 2022.
Donald Trump owns the Trump National Doral resort in Miami, Florida where the WGC-Cadillac has made its home.
However, this year's playing, won by Adam Scott, was its last and it will now be known as the WGC-Mexico Championship hosted in Mexico City.
He also owns Trump International Golf Links near Aberdeen, which ranks 14th in the Golf Monthly 15/16 Top 100 courses list.
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