Presidential Address

Mike Wilson looks at Trump’s ‘Holy Trinity’ of links courses in Scotland and Ireland and discovers they offer an unrivalled combination of sporting challenge for golfers of all levels of ability, with a fusion of style, comfort and excellence in the hospitality offer that backs-up the golf

The 6th Hole, Trump International Golf Links Scotland at Aberdeen

Most golf course designers are coy on the subject of signature holes, and, as Dr. Hawtree rightly says, “There is no weak hole on the course,” but when pressed, he says, “The Par-3 sixth, It gots everything: a burn, dunes, the sea view, a demanding shot, it’s got it all.”

The testimonials come thick and fast, Sandy Jones, chief executive of the British PGA, gushed, “There is no doubt in my mind it will certainly be in the top three in the world, but I don’t know what’s going to be number two and number three,” the whiff of vested interest

And Colin Montgomerie, once Scotland’s finest, no doubt paid a King’s Ransom to accompany, ‘The Donald,’ on a round over what is without doubt the best new golf course in Europe said, in his usual non-committal, say something but say nothing style, “All I can say is - it’s so far one of the best-if not the best - links courses I’ve ever played.”

But, whilst Trump International Golf Links should, with maturity, edge its way into the top 10 links layouts in the world, there is a problem and its one that’s unlikely to be resolved any time soon, regardless of whether the new President spends four or eight years distracted in the White House.

Ever since he learned that an 11-turbine windfarm was to be built off the coast from his fine links, Trump has railed against it, eventually losing-out in the Scottish courts in December 2015.

Since then, little has been done to progress, let alone complete a development which was to see investment worth US$500m, two championship-standard golf courses built along with a five-star hotel and 1,500 homes, creating a reported 6,000 jobs.

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