Trump International Golf Links sits on a stretch of Aberdeenshire coastline that most golfers would struggle to believe exists in Scotland. Massive sand dunes — some of the tallest in Britain — frame a course that runs along the North Sea between Balmedie and the River Don estuary. The golf is spectacular. The story of how it got there is considerably more complicated.
The Course
Designed by Martin Hawtree and opened in 2012, the Championship Course plays through, over, and between dunes that dwarf anything at most links courses. This isn’t the gentle undulation of a typical Scottish links. These dunes are enormous, and the routing uses them aggressively. Several holes are played from elevated tees with views across the North Sea. Others sit in valleys between dune ridges, completely enclosed.
The course was formally opened with Colin Montgomerie hitting the first shot, which added a bit of golfing credibility to what had been years of planning controversy. Monty called it one of the great links courses, and on pure golf merit, he’s not wrong.
The front nine runs northward along the coast. The back nine returns. It’s a simple out-and-back routing, but the dune landscape is so varied that it never feels repetitive. The par-3 14th, played from an elevated tee with the sea behind you, is probably the most photographed hole. But the stretch from 2 through 6, carved through the highest dunes, is where the course really asserts itself.
UK Golf Guy rated it 17 points — solid but not elite by their scoring system. That feels about right for a course that’s visually extraordinary but still maturing. Links courses improve with age. The turf tightens, the bunkers settle, the rough develops character. Give it another decade and the scoring conversation might be different.
The Controversy
You can’t write honestly about this course without addressing it. The dunes the course was built on were part of the Foveran Links Site of Special Scientific Interest — a protected area containing a dynamic dune system that scientists considered internationally important. Trump’s organisation purchased the land and pushed for planning permission to build the golf course (plus a hotel, residential properties, and a second course that hasn’t been built).
Local opposition was fierce. National opposition was fierce. The documentary “You’ve Been Trumped” (2011) by Anthony Baxter covered the planning battle and the impact on local residents, some of whom had their water supply disrupted during construction. A book, “Baxter’s,” followed. The whole saga became a case study in wealth versus environmental protection versus local democracy.
The Scottish Government ultimately approved the development after an inquiry. The protected dune system was, in significant part, reshaped to build the course. Whether that was worth it depends entirely on where you stand on golf courses versus conservation. There’s no neutral position.
It’s worth noting that after the Trump Links controversy, a similar proposal to build a course at Coul Links in Sutherland was rejected in 2020. The lesson, apparently, had been learned — at least for Coul Links.
The Experience
Putting the politics aside and focusing on what you get as a visiting golfer: it’s impressive. The clubhouse is opulent — Trump branding is everywhere, which either appeals to you or doesn’t. The locker rooms are lavish. The pro shop is well-stocked and expensive. The halfway house serves good food.
Green fees are steep. You’re looking at £275 or more during peak season (May through September), with shoulder season rates somewhat lower. That puts it in the upper bracket for Scottish golf, competing with the likes of Kingsbarns and Castle Stuart rather than the affordable municipal courses that make Scottish golf so accessible.
For that money, the course condition is excellent. Fairways are maintained to a high standard, greens are true, and the bunkers — all traditional revetted style — are consistent. The rough is genuine links rough: thick fescue that punishes wayward shots properly.
One thing that surprised me: the wind exposure. The course sits right on the coast with very little shelter. On a calm day, it’s challenging but fair. On a windy day — and windy days are common in Aberdeenshire — it becomes a genuine test of ball flight control. Club selection on some of the elevated tee shots can swing by three or four clubs depending on wind direction.
How It Compares
Royal Aberdeen, just a few miles south, is the obvious comparison. Royal Aberdeen (Balgownie) is a proper championship links with Open qualifying pedigree, a much longer history, and a different kind of character — less dramatic dunes, tighter routing, more subtlety. It’s also cheaper to play.
If you’re making a golf trip to Aberdeenshire, playing both gives you an interesting contrast. Royal Aberdeen is the refined, established course. Trump International is the bold, dramatic newcomer. Both are good golf. They just achieve it differently.
Cruden Bay, about 25 miles north, is the other course worth including if you’re in the area. Quirky, characterful, and set on similarly dramatic (though not quite as tall) dunes. Less polish than Trump, more personality. Many golfers prefer it.
Practical Details
The course is about 15 minutes north of Aberdeen city centre, off the A90. Aberdeen airport has direct flights from London, Amsterdam, and several other European cities. Regional airports like Newcastle sometimes offer cheaper routes into Scotland if you’re willing to drive.
Accommodation on site is limited — there’s a MacLeod House & Lodge that’s been converted into a boutique hotel. Aberdeen itself has plenty of options across all budgets. If you’re after something special and don’t mind heading south into Northumberland, places like Matfen Hall combine accommodation with golf, though it’s a different style entirely.
Booking tee times in advance is essential during summer. The course doesn’t get the same volume of visitors as St Andrews or Turnberry, but availability at premium times is still limited. Twilight rates offer some savings if you don’t mind a later start.
Is It Worth It?
As pure golf on pure land, yes. The setting is unlike almost anything else in Scotland, and Scotland has a lot of golf courses. The dune landscape is genuinely special. Playing a tee shot from 40 feet above the fairway with the North Sea stretched out behind you — that’s a memorable experience regardless of your score.
As a value proposition, it’s harder to justify. £275+ puts it in competition with courses that have deeper history, stronger tournament pedigrees, and — frankly — better routing. You’re paying partly for the Trump brand experience, and how you feel about that is personal.
As an ethical choice, that’s entirely yours. The environmental cost of building the course was real. The treatment of local residents during construction was documented and criticised. Some golfers refuse to play Trump courses on principle. Others separate the golf from the politics. There’s no right answer, but pretending the question doesn’t exist would be dishonest.
The golf is very good. Everything else about it is complicated.