Trump's Wind Farm Vista And International Golf Links To Get Its "Best In Europe" Hotel

/

Alistair Munro quotes The Donald as saying it'll be the best of its kind, etc...and that his previous vows to not build until the offshore windfarm situation is settled won't stop his lawyers from having a good year.

The celebrity businessman also warned he was planning a “massive lawsuit” in relation to the wind farm – which he claims would ruin the view for golfers at his course, which saw a lavish opening ceremony in July.

Mr Trump, who flew in by private jet to Aberdeen Airport, said: “I’m ready to build a hotel. It will be the best hotel in Scotland and one of the best hotels in Europe. Everybody wants to be near our course.”

By the way, for those of you wondering why Trump International didn't land the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open either of the next two years, heavily supported by the First Minister of Scotland, it's possible that The Donald's charm may have played a role with repeated quotes like this.

He said: “This will end up looking like a poor man’s Disney Land. We want to do something to help Scotland.

“We will fight it. We have good lawyers. There is a really terrible thing going on and it’s all because Alex Salmond has a death wish for Scotland.”

I have to say that considering the views, the sense of having landed in a remote location and the lack of smog, my sense was that the wind farm would be visible from the course. And not a pretty sight.

Scotland Upping Size Of Wind Turbines Off Donald's Coast!

/

Frank Urquhart reports that Swedish electricity giant Vattenfall, has submitted proposals to raise the maximum height of the turbines and the radius of the blades of the wind turbines off the coast from Trump International Golf Links.

Needless to say, The Donald is not pleased.

He said: “My project is a far greater development in terms of jobs, pounds spent and potential revenues to the area than the ugly, inefficient turbines contemplated in the Vattenfall proposal.

“Alex Salmond must have a death wish. Other countries throughout the world are abandoning wind turbine projects and not building previously approved structures because the economics just don’t work. Without subsidies from England, Scotland would not be able to sustain his folly.”

Scottish Tabloid Shocked Trump International Tee Sheet Is Not Booked Dawn To Dusk

/

The Daily Record's Jamie Milligan is shocked to learn that Trump International is not fully booked out in its opening week and is not as "exclusive" as billed because he was able to sneak on from the beach and play a hole.

They were also offered early-morning and late-afternoon slots for all of the opening week and next weekend.

A round on the 7400-yard, par 72 course costs £150on weekdays and £200 at weekends.
People living in Aberdeenshire can play at a discounted rate of £120during the week and £160 on Saturdays and Sundays.

One golfer who called to book said: “I was keen to play the course to see what all the fuss is about.

“I asked when the first available tee time was and I was stunned to be told I could play at the grand opening. They offered me a tee time for four people at 3.15pm on the opening day.

“I was also told I could get early-morning slots at 7.30 and 7.45 for any day this week.

“I was really taken aback. I was expecting to be told it would be some time after Christmas before I could get a round there.”

Video: I Have Seen Trump International Scotland...

/

...and the verdict is? Greatest course in the world?

Well, unfortunately that will have to wait until Golf World Monday, followed by a feature story for Golf World reviewing Martin Hawtree's design. In the meantime, enjoy this excellent Guardian compilation of Internet reaction to the course. 

One hint about my review you might pick up from the below and decidedly low quality iPhone video compilation is the repeated use of the word "extraordinary."

"Every attribute Scots hold dear has been offended by this man – and yet attention and hostility have served only to feed his overwrought sense of self-importance."

/

It's great fun to ask locals about Donald Trump and the reaction I'm getting is fairly similar to that of Lesley Riddoch in this Guardian piece.

Though it's fascinating how many prefaced their disdain for Trump International by saying they supported the project but simply think The Donald has gone too far in his wind-turbine campaign.

It takes quite a lot to unite the people of this notoriously fractious little country in a collective shudder. But Trump has effortlessly managed to strike the wrong note in just about everything he's done. He sneered at locals in modest homes who wouldn't move out of his way. He bragged about his power and wealth. He designed a hotel that made Disneyland look culturally authentic. He staged, posed toe-curlingly brazen photocalls. He struck a bullying manner with staff, reporters, supporters and opponents.

He made endless reference to Hebridean roots – among root-bound Scots unaccustomed to the endless and self-conscious display of national credentials. He used pictures of rusting Hawaiian wind-turbines in misleading Scottish newspaper ads to oppose a renewables test centre supported by every political party and business organisation in the north-east.

In his bizarre appearance before Holyrood's energy committee, Trump explained his opposition to the planned European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre – a test centre that should help reduce the need for onshore wind farms – by calling it a "tourism-crushing eyesore". Asked for proof, he responded with the unforgettable line, "I am the evidence." It grabbed headlines – it also sealed the man's fate.

The Donald Declares His Course The Greatest In The World...After Nine Holes

/

A wire story from The Scotsman was not nearly as fun as the printed version I got to read over breakfast, so I'll have to dig up a few of the quotes in there.

But for now, this was great fun from opening day of Trump International Golf Links where the developer declared it was the greatest in the world before he'd even finished his round!

After completing the first nine holes with George O'Grady and Sandy Jones, the chief executives of the European Tour and the UK PGA respectively, Mr Trump called it the "greatest golf course anywhere in the world".

"We're having a great time, the course is playing great and the weather has held up," he said. "Colin loves the course and he's playing really well, he's a great player and a great guy."

Though by the sounds of this Monty quote from another story by Martin Dempster, he was being paid to be there. Not that such a thing would influence his views.

“We are similar in that way and it’s why I will never give up as a competitor, no matter what I am doing. For instance, it’s not right to be trying to beat the boss [Donald Trump] today, but I will be trying.”

George O'Grady, head of the European Tour, loved it, as quoted in this Dempster story on the prospects of major events at Trump International.

“It’s a man’s golf course – it’s meant for the highest level of play,” acknowledged O’Grady as he gazed down the first fairway of the Martin Hawtree-designed layout.

“What he [Trump] and I have agreed is that, when we are both ready, we would try and persuade someone to come here – and I don’t think it will be too difficult a task. There’s the Scottish Open to think about and I’m sure that’s in the mind of our sponsors, but there are other events as well. It’s certainly capable of taking the biggest and best, I would say.
“It is a unique golf course and, once the photographs of it are seen, many people will want to come here.”

USGA's Davis On Trump: "For all that comes with Donald as a business icon and media personality, he couldn't have been a more gracious host."

/

Translation, even though he seems like a blowhard, he actually can host a championship well enough that we'll put up with a "partner" that would have made Joe Dey jump off the Brooklyn Bridge.

At least, that's how I took USGA Executive Director Mike Davis's remarks, though a transcript from the day can't be found at the usual spot USGA transcripts appear.

This was an interesting element in the decision to take the 2017 Women's Open to Trump National.

"We really get to showcase our museum and we get to showcase where we test balls and clubs," Davis said. "Far Hills is not the easiest place to find, so to get the golf world for a week here, it's very exciting and we will expose the campus."

Brad Klein got to spend some time driving around the course with The Donald and came away swooning about the man, even dropping the "h word. (Humble...really).

Enthusiasm and attention are why he got to Trump National 90 minutes before the news conference. That gave him time to inspect work in progress on the club’s new 10,000-square-foot locker room. And it’s why he insisted on accompanying me on a drive through the back nine of the Old Course. His discourse during such a trip is filled with superlatives, about this being the largest single green in the world and the whole course being the best in all of New Jersey and worthy of a top-10 national ranking. He’s an incessant follower of course ratings and thinks that Golfweek, in rating Trump National-Old at No. 72 Modern, we’ve not shown the course (or him) enough respect.

USGA.org featured a slideshow from the media day. This one had a caption, but somehow I know you can do better: