Trump International Golf Club, along the North Sea in Aberdeen, Scotland
Our pal Lorne Smith, hosts an ongoing discussion of the better golf courses in the British Isles over at Fine Golf . He recently had the pleasure of playing the newest, and possibly the most celebrated golf course opening in years, the Trump International Golf Club in Aberdeen, Scotland.
Aberdeen is 2 hours north of St. Andrews, and while it has never been known as a favored Scottish golf course destination, it does have Royal Aberdeen Golf Club, the 6th oldest golf club in the world, as well as the nearby Cruden Bay Golf Club. Both clubs would receive visitor play as golfers made the trek from St. Andrews to Inverness for Royal Dornoch and Nairn, or a day trip from St. Andrews, but it has never been a destination of sorts. When Donald Trump won the protracted battle to construct the golf course on the rugged linksland along the northeast coast of Scotland on the North Sea, many believed it would assist in establishing Aberdeen as a new destination for golfers traveling to Scotland. That outcome remains to be seen, but one thing is for certain, Martin Hawtree, the architect was successful in establishing a routing among the dunes which many believe will actually become one of the best golf courses in the world as it matures. Check out Lorne’s unbiased review of the Trump International Golf Club here.
The course may be passable, it may even be good, but the damage done to the environment is incalculable and the bullying and intimidation suffered by the residents during the course of the construction of this green desert is unacceptable. To threaten home owners with Compulsory Purchase Orders simply for a golf course that is not even going to built where the course is; is not good practice, to then use security guards to close the site to all and sundry in contravention of the current legislative regime in Scotland beggars belief. I, as resident at Menie, would ask all golfers to show integrity and honesty like so many that have said they will not play this course due to the facts mentioned above, and boycott this destructive and damaging site. This site has brought shame on Scotland and its governing bodies with their lack of respect of the human rights of those who live there. Please have a spine and do not be fooled into believing this is a ‘green course’.
That should have read “where the houses are” sorry.
David, thanks very much for your passionate comments, we are pleased to hear the local resident’s views, which as we suspected would show another prospective. Cheers!
what an atrocity it is to bully these local residents over their land boundaries, block their views, uproot their wells, knock down their electricity poles all so that you can build a golf course so that the wealthy of the world might seek enjoyment playing golf! there are ways to work with people and not against them. especially given your wealth and resources.
shame on you Donald! you are an arrogant bully who will one day have to face your maker and your own self-delusion will be front and center
good luck with that…