Trump International: A truly special – but challenging – golf links

As you might expect at any Trump golf facility, everything here is top spec for a links course.

Known by the man himself as “the greatest course in the world”, Trump International Golf Club & Links quite a lot to live up to, especially when teeing off a matter of hours after Trump, Colin Montgomerie, Sandy Jones and James Finnegan have been bagpiped on to the 1st tee and declared one after the other that this is a golfing experience unlike any other.

He described the course as five per cent his work and 95 that of Mother Nature. Now try following a build up like that by playing and evaluating the course as you would any other you are experiencing for the first time.

History

Also present on the 1st tee on Trump International’s opening day in 2012 was the designer, Martin Hawtree, a much-respected figure with an academic, donnish presence. He could hardly present a greater contrast with his employer on this project, yet here he was in a eulogy every bit as epic as that of Trump’s.

On what the Scots would describe as a ‘dreich’ July afternoon, conditions were grey, moist yet mercifully calm – at least by the standards of this exposed coastline. The course did not play much like a links – but then we had played down the road at Murcar the evening before and neither did that. Normally as traditional a seaside test as you would find, after recent weather Murcar was soft, green and lush.

What makes it special

Ownership of the course lies on the US side of the Atlantic and its proprietor took seven long years to get golfers onto the first tee as he had to overcome a series of objections that were made to sitting the fairways with a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

The second you pull into the driveway it makes you sit up in your seat and know you’re about to visit somewhere special. Don’t be surprised if this will be one of the best golf courses that you will ever play.