Turnberry Update: Surpassing Expectations, Architect Says

Playing catch up and reading Martin Dempster's Scotsman update on Trump Turnberry's £200 million remodel (resort and golf course) that "involves the construction of five new holes and nine new greens."

Interesting is the timing, which aims to have the revamped course playable by June 1 so that everyone coming to The Open at Troon is able to see the Martin Ebert (with directions from the eminent retired chief inspector Peter Dawson) redesign.

Ebert is bullish on the work so far, either because it's as good as expected or he's just spent too much time with The Donald. But it's a good sign since architects rarely boast this early in the process.

The new ninth, a spectacular par-3 across a bay with the lighthouse as its backdrop, is one of the holes that has already been laid out along with the fourth and 11th.

“I think the work at Turnberry so far has surpassed expectations,” said Ebert as he delivered an update on the project as another of the courses he is working on, Royal Portrush on the Antrim coast in Northern Ireland, was confirmed as the venue for the 2019 Open Championship. “They were high expectations anyway, but when you see it, it’s remarkable.

“The aim is to get all the greens finished by the end of the year and, though there is still a fair bit of other work to be done, with an Open at Troon next summer, they are despera

Dempster says the earliest Open date available for Turnberry is 2020, about the time President Trump's first term in office is wrapping up.