Trump to buy a new golf club........Turnberry!

[c1973]

Indeed if you visit out of season then the staff must out number the guests by a high margin. The profit margins must be really tight and probably why the price was so low.

If anyone knows how to market the place and fill it with US visitors then Donald Trump is your man

This.

The Ayrshire coast should be teeming with golf tourists when you consider the quality of courses available and I don't believe it is. We are missing a trick if we don't welcome this guy and his investments with open arms. Sure, he may tweak Turnberry (it may need it) but most courses are being tweaked all the time (particularly for opens).

Donald Trump may be all/some of the things levelled at him, but, he's a helluva businessman and knows what he's doing where golf is concerned. Courses all over Ayrshire could benefit from green fees generated by more tourists visiting and wanting to play a few rounds either side of their Turnberry tee times. The fact he still wants to invest in Scotland after the way he was tucked up with that horrendous wind farm should be applauded imo.

Hopefully he gets himself involved in the proposed building of a new golf resort in the Irvine bay area too (not sure if this is still 'on').

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Let him have it and judge him on what he does. If the R&A don't like it they'll simply take it off the roster. That in itself may be a good thing as it may finally give a chance to other courses in the UK a chance.

 

[Andy]

Let him have it and judge him on what he does. If the R&A don't like it they'll simply take it off the roster. That in itself may be a good thing as it may finally give a chance to other courses in the UK a chance.

Why is it a good thing? If other courses are good enough surely they will be on the rota already?

 

[CMAC]

Looks like it will be signed over tomorrow.
I'd better give my barber the nod and wink!

why? is he part of it

 

[Slab]

Let him have it and judge him on what he does. If the R&A don't like it they'll simply take it off the roster. That in itself may be a good thing as it may finally give a chance to other courses in the UK a chance.

What makes you think he'll do anything? The only quotes I've seen him make is that he won't change a thing about the course unless the R&A approve it in advance or ask for it to be done... the hotel on the other hand will be gutted

 

[RichardSanderson]

Why is it a good thing? If other courses are good enough surely they will be on the rota already?

There is more to it than having a nice course. Local and course infrastructure have to be taken into consideration. Could be the nicest course in the world, but without the ability to safely host thousands of people per day it is useless for a competition of that size.

 

[gdunc79]

This.

The Ayrshire coast should be teeming with golf tourists when you consider the quality of courses available and I don't believe it is. We are missing a trick if we don't welcome this guy and his investments with open arms. Sure, he may tweak Turnberry (it may need it) but most courses are being tweaked all the time (particularly for opens).

Donald Trump may be all/some of the things levelled at him, but, he's a helluva businessman and knows what he's doing where golf is concerned. Courses all over Ayrshire could benefit from green fees generated by more tourists visiting and wanting to play a few rounds either side of their Turnberry tee times. The fact he still wants to invest in Scotland after the way he was tucked up with that horrendous wind farm should be applauded imo.

Hopefully he gets himself involved in the proposed building of a new golf resort in the Irvine bay area too (not sure if this is still 'on').

Agree with most of the above - well said.

As long as Trump doesn't take a notion for making dramtic changes to the Ailsa course I think Turnberry will benefit. However, I will be interested to see if green fees change much and doubt we will see any deals going forward (such as the £25 ItIsOn voucher to play the Kintyre course).

 

[Hacker Khan]

my opinion is its a good thing, no actually probably a great thing.

Turnberry lives on its reputation but in reality its hard to access and there is an air of snobbery and snootyness (is that a word) apparent.

When we paid full price for taking on 8 Americans they were given a 'Montys warm up bucket' of practice balls in the huge price, it was 20 balls don't nickel and dime an American, they don't mind paying just don't treat them poorly.

Trump might make some changes but I'll wager they will improve both courses and the overall customer experience, as that's what brings people back

From my experience at one of his courses in the US the customer experience was superb and something a lot of golf courses could learn from. It was interesting that it was very similar at The Grove yesterday on the GM day, and I bet they have been taking notes on how Trump does it.

 

[Andy]

There is more to it than having a nice course. Local and course infrastructure have to be taken into consideration. Could be the nicest course in the world, but without the ability to safely host thousands of people per day it is useless for a competition of that size.

Thats why they have hosted it before! No issues with the open being at Turnberry. Next?

 

[Andy]

What makes you think he'll do anything? The only quotes I've seen him make is that he won't change a thing about the course unless the R&A approve it in advance or ask for it to be done... the hotel on the other hand will be gutted

The hotel was taken back to the brick and millions spent on it prior to the 2009 Open.

 

[Doon frae Troon]

He used Martin Hawtree for the Aberdeen course and he is the architect used by the R&A so I don't see any problems re the course.

The members I know have been seriously bumping their gums as they will be the ones to suffer most.
I would imagine a doubling of the subs will greatly reduce numbers and influence.
He will need to keep the club going as they cannot hold The Open without them.
There may be trouble ahead.

 

[RichardSanderson]

Why is it a good thing? If other courses are good enough surely they will be on the rota already?

Thats why they have hosted it before! No issues with the open being at Turnberry. Next?

Sorry if I got the wrong end of the stick. Whilst trying to decipher your post I presumed you meant other courses in general.

Turnberry is on the rota but they typically only announce 5 years in advance which courses they are going to use of those available (9nr, with the old course being used every 5 years) - rarely in the same order.

P.s. Not sure I understand the intention of the 'next?' remark.

 

[shivas irons]

This is the worse possible news for Turnberry, lets hope he doesent get he's grubby hands on any of the other Open courses and destroy their history.I can just see it a roller coaster on the first tee at St Andrews :angry:

 

[CliveW]

30 minute drive from Prestwick airport makes it an ideal location for trans Atlantic visitors.

 

[CMAC]

This is the worse possible news for Turnberry, lets hope he doesent get he's grubby hands on any of the other Open courses and destroy their history.I can just see it a roller coaster on the first tee at St Andrews :angry:

it's his

he has also said he will not change the course so at ease soldier

 

[RichardSanderson]

I'm struggling to find any evidence of Trump destroying courses? Haters gonna hate as the Americans would say.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

This is the worse possible news for Turnberry, lets hope he doesent get he's grubby hands on any of the other Open courses and destroy their history.I can just see it a roller coaster on the first tee at St Andrews :angry:

Firstly, their histories are safely behind them, all he could do is change the possible future of any clubs. Secondly, I believe the players were mostly supportive of what was done at Doral, and the Trump International seems to be well liked in the North East, so I don't see any likely hood of any stupid stuff like you suggest. He is a business man after all, and a successful one at that, so I doubt he'd do anything to drive away custom.

 

[c1973]

This is the worse possible news for Turnberry, lets hope he doesent get he's grubby hands on any of the other Open courses and destroy their history.I can just see it a roller coaster on the first tee at St Andrews :angry:

As already mentioned on here, Trump has stated he wouldn't change anything about the course without R&A approval. Indicating that any changes would be requested by the R&A to keep its Open status whoever was in charge. So it's kind of difficult to see how he will 'destroy their history'.

'Roller coaster on the first tee at St Andrews' really?

Hasn't St Andrews been altered quite a bit over the years anyway? Has it destroyed their history?

I think most folks just don't like Donald Trump for whatever reason, and that is their right. However I do believe it blinkers them to what he actually achieves with his investments. Maybe just my opinion though.

 

[RichardSanderson]

I think most folks just don't like Donald Trump for whatever reason.

I'd put money on it being one of 2 things;

1. Jealousy of his success.

2. Cant be bothered forming an opinion of their own so jump on the ill-informed haters bandwagon.

 

[andrew_mac]

Let him have it and judge him on what he does. If the R&A don't like it they'll simply take it off the roster. That in itself may be a good thing as it may finally give a chance to other courses in the UK a chance.

AKA Royal Portrush which would be a superb Open venue.