A ground breaking ceremony was held yesterday for a second course at Trump International Golf Links on the Menie Estate near Balmedie, Scotland. The layout is a design from Martin Hawtree, the architect responsible for the development’s first course, which opened in 2012.

The MacLeod course will be built to the south and west of the original course and is named after Donald Trump’s mother, Mary Anne MacLeod.

Aberdeenshire Council approved the new course in late 2020 after judging that it would “contribute towards significant social and economic benefits” to the Menie Estate.

“We are going to build a great golf course that aims to replicate the outstanding championship links we already have here, and many believe to be the greatest golf course in the world,” said Trump.

“We will build a course that will be fit to host many great championships in the future along with our championship links. We’ve had a lot of pleasure in working on this land and there is no other land like it. We have incredible views by the sea and there are no other dunes like these in the world. It will be a great success.

“This project is very close to my heart, and I am delighted to say that this is our first day of work on the new course.”

The former US President was accompanied by his son Eric Trump, executive vice president of The Trump Organization, who said: “We’re extremely excited to be breaking ground on another world-class links course in Aberdeenshire. We own and operate the best courses on earth and this new course at Trump International, Scotland has the potential to top them all and reaffirm its place as a top world ranking golf destination.”