Trump Turnberry Resort Ailsa Course Review

Green Fee Range: £200-£350

Medal Tee: Par 71 – 6,511 Yards

Visitor Times: Every day, depending on season

Website: www.turnberry.co.uk

Significant Changes

A selection of inspiring changes have been implemented by renowned architect, Martin Ebert, including the creation of five dramatic and stunning new holes plus a range of alterations covering virtually every corner of the course.

TRUMP TURNBERRY TOPS OUR TOP 100 UK & IRELAND COURSE RANKINGS

Five new holes have been created at the 6th, 9th, 10th, 11th and 14th, together with alterations to all other holes including the reshaping and positioning of bunkers, new tees and green positions and the softening of green contours to provide for more options for flag positions. Turnberry’s iconic lighthouse, which has acted as a timeless beacon for golfers from across the world, has also re-emerged as the world’s most impressive halfway house.

Trump Turnberry Resort Ailsa Course Review

When word filtered through that Donald Trump was undertaking a wholesale revamp of the world-famous Ailsa course after last August’s Ricoh Women’s British Open, and would have it open again just nine months later, sharp intakes of breath could be heard across the golfing world.

They were prompted not only by the sheer scale of the project at an already top-ranked course, but also by news that the holes around the lighthouse that were already the jewels in The Open rota’s crown were to undergo some of the most radical transformations.

An aerial view of the re-designed par 5, 10th hole of the Ailsa Course at the Trump Turnberry Resort. (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)

The golfing world is breathing more easily now, for when the course re-opened this summer it was to widespread acclaim, and indeed, wonder. Martin Ebert’s design mind and handiwork have finally allowed the Ailsa to take full advantage of the wonderful Ayrshire canvas on which it is painted. It is quite simply a masterpiece.

Golf Monthly Top 100 Courses UK & Ireland Rankings

It is also ingenious, for slotting certain pieces of the jigsaw in place ‘here’ have unlocked the way to previously unimaginable changes ‘there’. For example, the fearsomely long par-3 6th has given way to a mere 171-yarder, which in turn has allowed the 18th tee to be moved up on to the dunes to create a new finale playing straight back towards the imposing hotel.

The changes to the 9th are most striking of all, with the former par 4 morphing into a world-class ultra-long par 3 played to a new green in front of the lighthouse. Again, this has allowed the 14th to be extended into a par 5 playing up to a new green, with the lighthouse now a far more prominent backdrop.

The new 248 yards par 3, 9th hole of the Ailsa Course at the Trump Turnberry Resort  (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)

The 10th and 11th are now blessed with added drama, too, with a new 10th tee presenting another daunting carry across the shore, and the green pushed back close to the old 11th tee. The stirring new par-3 11th then makes full use of the shoreline’s potential, playing across rocks and waves to a precarious green.

Other Golf Courses Donald Trump Owns

Trump Turnberry Resort Ailsa Course Review – Golf Monthly Verdict
The changes have turned something special into a truly magical place