Trump International Golf Links

The Menie Estate dunes are among the most striking pieces of linksland on the Scottish coast, a rolling wilderness of sand and marram grass that extends along the Aberdeenshire shore north of Aberdeen. Martin Hawtree's routing through this landscape produces holes of genuine drama: elevated tee shots over dune crests, fairways that thread through natural valleys and approach shots played towards greens set at angles that demand precise positioning from the fairway. The scale of the dunes is larger than anything found on the more celebrated links of Fife or East Lothian, and this gives the course a physical presence that is immediately apparent on arrival and that stays with a golfer for some time after the round is complete.

Scotland has a concentration of world-class links courses that is unmatched anywhere in the world, and the area around Aberdeen contributes a cluster of outstanding coastal layouts to that total. Trump International sits alongside Cruden Bay, one of the most atmospheric links courses in the country, and within a manageable drive of Royal Aberdeen, giving golfers based in the city or on the estate a set of options that would occupy several days of serious golf. The North Sea coastline of Aberdeenshire is not as widely visited as Fife or the Ayrshire coast, but it rewards those who make the journey with courses of the highest quality in a landscape of raw coastal beauty.

The resort context of a visit to Menie means that the practical arrangements are straightforward: the course is well-resourced, the booking process is clear and accommodation is available on the estate. For golfers from outside Scotland who are assembling a northern itinerary, Trump International offers a combination of a newly built course on ancient linksland, a dramatic natural setting and easy access from a regional airport that makes it a practical as well as compelling destination.