The 36-hole Trump International Golf Links resort in Aberdeenshire will open to the public next month.
09:58, 30 Jul 2025Updated 09:59, 30 Jul 2025
Donald Trump opened his new Aberdeenshire golf course this week(Image: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
Donald Trump officially opened his new golf course in Aberdeenshire yesterday, Tuesday, July 2. The controversial US President paid tribute to the late Scottish actor Sean Connery and recalled the long-running planning disputes that once delayed the development.
Speaking to guests on the first tee at Trump International Golf Links, the former US President praised Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney, calling him a “terrific guy” following a dinner the night before.
Reflecting on the history of the site, Trump said: “We started with a beautiful piece of land, but we made it much more beautiful. The area has really welcomed us.
“But you’ll remember at the beginning it wasn’t quite a welcome… but it wasn’t bad. But with time they’ve liked us more and more.”
Trump also credited Connery with helping push the controversial project forward. He said: “The land, they said, couldn’t get zoned, it was an impossibility.
“And Sean Connery said ‘let the bloody bloke build his golf course’. Once he said that, everything came into line.”
Now open for visitors, the luxury golf destination outside Aberdeen is accepting bookings for both accommodation and tee times.
Now open for visitors, the brand new luxury golf destination outside Aberdeen is open for bookings for both accommodation and tee times.(Image: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)Where to stay
Guests can stay at Trump MacLeod House & Lodge Hotel, located on the former Menie Estate near Balmedie. The five-star property is described as a traditional Scottish baronial mansion, set across 1,400 acres of coastal land.
It features 19 luxury guest rooms, Italian marble staircases, traditional fireplaces, intimate dining and bar areas, a whisky bar, outdoor hot tub, spa facilities and hidden staircases. Personal butler service is available.
The hotel is open for exclusive hire, weddings, corporate events or individual bookings. Prices for a house or lodge room in the week beginning Sunday, August 18, start from £628, depending on length of stay and availability.
How to book tee times
Golfers can book tee times on the property’s two courses starting August 13. Prices are set at £495 per person per round. A ‘Greatest 36’ option, combining both courses, is available until October 31.
Tee times are being allocated on a first-come, first-served basis during the opening months, and multiple levels of club membership are offered, though prices have not been disclosed.
Tee times open from August 13 at £495 per round, with a two-course package available until October 31(Image: Photo by ANDY BUCHANAN/AFP via Getty Images)Golf packages and pricing
For those looking to combine luxury stays with golf, a number of packages are now on offer.
A two-night package, which includes two rounds of golf (one on each course), a welcome dinner, breakfast, and a dram of whisky, is priced at £2,500 per person or £4,000 for two people sharing. This offer is valid between August 25 and October 31, 2025.
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A shorter one-night version, including one round of golf on the original course, an overnight stay and a three-course dinner at The Dunes Restaurant & Bar, costs £1,070 for a single occupancy room or £782.50 per person for a double occupancy room.
There is also a golf-and-stay-only option, which includes a one-night stay and a round of golf for £985 (single occupancy) or £697.50 per person (double occupancy). In the off-season months of November and December, the price drops to £460 per person, per night.
For a more relaxing experience, a ‘Winter Getaway for Two’ is also available at £495, including dinner at Trump’s Restaurant & Cellar, overnight accommodation, breakfast, and wellness treatments at the on-site spa.
