Turnberry lighthouse, on the rocky coastline, is home to the Ailsa’s spectacular halfway house.
The Turnberry hotel and clubhouse (right) viewed from the Ailsa course.
NO PLANS FOR AN OPEN RETURN Trump is a divisive name in Scotland, and the R&A haven’t taken the Open Championship to Turnberry since 2009. They have no future plans to do so. Outgoing R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers recently said, “We will not return until we are convinced that the focus will be on the championship, the players and the course itself, and we do not believe that is possible in the current circumstances.” Disappointing to hear such a statement because Trump has been Turnberry’s saviour. His vision and love for the property – the venerable
Hundreds of windows were replaced. The swings and faces of famous golfers and celebrities line the walls, and there is enough memorabilia in every corridor of the downstairs area to keep you enthralled for hours. And, not surprisingly, numerous photos of the Trump family at the re-opening of the hotel and golf courses in 2016. Even the scissors they used to jointly cut the ribbon have been framed in a glass case, as part of a Trump “Hall of Fame” on the walkway through an underground tunnel to the extensive spa facilities and indoor pool in an adjoining building.
from the early years of the 20th century. The hotel entrance is at the rear of the building, fronted by a baroque fountain, a Rolls Royce Phantom parked conspicuously close by, and you walk into rooms which would still be recognisable to those who stayed in the hotel a century ago. Smart, yet not ostentatious. The décor and furnishings, though, were given a presidential makeover by Donald Trump when he purchased the resort in 2014. His first act was to strip the building and start afresh. His daughter Ivanka chose all the chandeliers, polished gold and ivory interiors.
GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA 89
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2024
Made with FlippingBook interactive PDF creator