Trump Turnberry’s iconic Ailsa course, a permanent fixture at the top of global golf course rankings, will reopen on June 1 following an eagerly anticipated refurbishment.
One of the world’s great links courses has been closed since last October when acclaimed architect Martin Ebert – who famously took the course to new heights when he first reimagined it in 2015 – returned to the Ayrshire coast once again to lead a £1m renovation.
The Ailsa will reopen on June 1 for members, local residents and pre-booked rounds with new bookings from July 1 available online.
HOLE CHANGES
Headlining the latest changes are the seventh and eighth holes, which come in a key stretch on the front nine culminating in the spectacular par-3 ninth hole, one of the most photographed holes in golf in the shadow of the famous Turnberry Lighthouse.
The putting surface of the par-5 seventh has been relocated from its old position some 50 yards inland to a new site directly on the rugged coastline, creating one of the most dramatic greens in the British Isles.
Meanwhile, the eighth hole – a par 4 – has benefitted from new tee boxes that straighten the fairway and eliminate the former blind approach shot, elevating the hole’s visual appeal. A bunker on the right of the old fairway has been replaced with a new sand trap on the left to better suit the new alignment.
Ebert said: “On the new seventh hole, we wanted to make the most of Turnberry’s stunning location by moving the green right to the coastal edge. There aren’t many links courses where you have greens right on the cliff edge – so that is very special in its own right.
“For hole eight, it made a lot of sense to move the tees over to the right and produce a much better hole. The tee shot will be far improved with the new alignment, making the hole visually stunning from your first shot to your last.”
OTHER IMPROVEMENTS
To accompany the significant changes on these holes, other notable enhancements have been made including new banking behind the 12th and 15th greens, changes to the 13th hole and tee box updates at holes 14 and 17.
Nic Oldham, General Manager at Trump Turnberry, added: “We, together with the owner, are always looking for ways to elevate the entire offering at Trump Turnberry. This includes the Ailsa and there is nobody better than Martin Ebert when it comes to taking this course to a new level.
“We look forward to welcoming guests back to experience the best ever iteration of this historic course, including the seventh hole – which now boasts one of the most picturesque and thrilling greens in the UK – and a much-improved new alignment for the eighth.”
The Ailsa is a four-time host of The Open – in 1977, 1986, 1994 and 2009 – the first of which resulted in the famous ‘Duel in the Sun’ between Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus.
As well as masterminding the refurbishment that elevated the Ailsa to even greater acclaim a decade ago, Ebert is responsible for the design of the King Robert the Bruce, Turnberry’s other championship layout which joined its more famous partner in the Gold Digest World’s Greatest 100 Courses ranking for the first time this year. Both courses are complemented by the Arran, ‘Wee Links’ pitch-and-putt and a state-of-the-art Golf Academy.
The Golf Academy at Trump Turnberry has also undergone its own renovations with the opening this month of a state-of-the-art Trackman 11-bay range and cutting edge Trackman Simulator alongside a new Academy Café.
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