Sundridge Park - only seven miles from

centre of London - to get major revamp

Sundridge Park Golf Club, just seven miles from the centre of London, has two 18-hole courses which will begin a phased renovation this autumn under the auspices of Swan Golf Designs.
The practice has recently completed the blueprints for the management of the landscape and bunker strategy on both the East and West courses, following a detailed appraisal of both laouts, and is being retained by the club as golf course architects throughout the implementation of the improvements.
Bob Walden, Sundridge Park Golf Club’s general manager, said: “We wanted to look to the future and make sure we were keeping pace with the modern game and its equipment.
“Also, like most clubs, we have criticism of bunkers from our members and we wanted to address those from a completely independent point of view.”
Sundridge has a unique setting: the venue proudly claims to be the nearest 36-hole golf club to a major metropolitan city, just seven miles from the centre of London, and is set in the grounds of the Sundridge Park Estate, designed by Humphrey Repton, considered by many to be the last great English landscape designer of the 18th century and natural successor to Capability Brown.
The courses also boast an impressive design pedigree: the West Course was laid out by Willie Park under the supervision of James Braid while Sir Guy Campbell and Major CK Hutchinson – whose work as a team has been regularly recognised, including courses ranked in the UK ’s top 100 – created the East Course.
Swan Golf Designs was selected for the work bcause the club felt the company had the right qualities to follow in such prestigious footsteps.
For more information visit www.swangolfdesigns.com.

MacKenzie Club-Aberdeen

Council deal for new-look

Hazlehead collapses

FROM THE FRONT PAGE OF TODAY'S PRESS & JOURNAL
By CALUM ROSS
Aberdeen City Council announced last night that multi-million-pound plans to redevelop an historic local golf course have collapsed.
The local authority blamed the global recession for the failure to seal a deal which would have transformed the municipal Hazlehead golf course into a £24million leisure complex.
The project is the second major North-east golf development to be bunkered by the economic downturn.
The firm behind plans for a Jack Nicklaus-designed course at Ury Estate near Stonehaven went into administration in February.
The region's drive to become a global golf tourism hub now appear to rest with Donald Trump's £1billion development at Balmedie to the north of the city and the Paul Lawrie-led £115million scheme at Blairs College, near Aberdeen on the south side of the River Dee.
Opponents of moves to privatise Hazlehead golf course hailed news of the deal's collapse as a "victory for people power."
But Brian Hendry (pictured above), who had been heading the MacKenzie Club consortium, said he was "surprised" by the timing of the council's annoucement, which followed months of negotiations aimed at securing a 99-year lease on the three courses at Hazlehead.
Talks between council officials and the consortium broke down last week.
A proposal remained on the table which would have seen the consortium revamp the No 1 course over three years at its own expense.
But local authoriry officials ruled out such a move.
Councillors will instead consider a report on the future of the municipal Hazlehead golf courses, which recommends transferring them to the control of an arm's-length trust.
Council leader Kate Dean said: "It is regrettable that the MacKenzie Club has been forced to take this decision after so much hard work ont heir part and by our own officers, who had put enormous energy into trying to make this ambitious scheme work.
The council leader stressed: "We always said we would only go ahead with the redevelopment after the closest possible scrutiny by the council and by our external advisers to make sure it offered the best value for the council and a good deal for citizens and local golfers.
"We gave it every chance to succeed - so long as the MacKenzie Club was able to come up with the financial assurances we needed.
"Sadly, and through no fault of their own, that proved to be impossible."
The MacKenzie Club - the Hazlehead No 1 course was designed and contructed in 1926-27 at considerable cost to the then Aberdeen Town Council by Dr Alistair MacKenzie who went on to design Augusta National, the home of the US Masters - was supposed to include a luxury 50-bed hotel, a gold academy, a new clubhouse, lodges and an equestrian centre.
A source close to the consortium claimed last night that the collapse of the deal had been due to the local authority "moving the goalposts," rather than a failure to find financial backing."

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Jack Nicklaus course at Stonehaven


waiting for new investor to be found

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
The Jack Nicklaus course and the rest of the Ury Estate, Stonehaven development plan is dead as far as FM Developments are concerned - but the scheme is certainly not buried.
FM Developments, which went into administration near the end of last month, was owned by two of the wealthiest farming families in Scotland, the Milnes and the Forbes. Both farm in the Mearns and are substantial owners.
John Milne is the head of the Milne "clan" but it is his son Jonathon, who was the boss of FM Developments, which were handling the Ury Estate development. It is believed that Jonathon Milne is also involved with Jack Nicklaus in a course project in the Cape Verde Islands, south of the Canaries.
John Milne, the father, is a farmer in the Stonehaven area - a daffodil farmer, to boot, so he is coming up to a very busy time - and is a keen member of Edzell Golf Club.
When I asked John tonight for an update on the Ury Estate situation, he told me:
"The situation is that the land is there, the plans were approved and are there and we know that Jack Nicklaus is very keen to see it through. So everything is on hold until a major investor can be found."
It was in late February that the £40million scheme to have a Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course and a luxury hotel on the 1500 acre Ury Castle Estate near Stonehaven was struck a hammer blow when the company behind the ambitious plans - F M Developments - went into administration, yet another victim of the Credit Crunch Crisis.
Joint administrator Fraser Gray said at the time: "We're firmly committed to exploring the future options available for the group's developments and, in particular, the ambitious plans for the Ury Estate and its proposed Jack Nickluas signature golf course.
"This development has received strong support from local stakeholders and, with this in mind, we will be assessing the best way forward over the coming weeks."
Mr Gray has made no further announcement in the media since then.
The Ury Estate was bought by the FM Group in 2001.

Murray Carnie (left) and Paul Lawrie at a question-and-answer session with Stonehaven Golf Club junior members.

Paul Lawrie giving back to golf - far more

than even an Open champion gets out of it

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
He might never have met Albert Einstein, but it is fair to say that European Tour professional Paul Lawrie, nevertheless, is following one of the great man’s most famous quotations to the letter.
The noted physicist once memorably said: “It is every man’s obligation to put back into the world at least the equivalent of what he takes out of it.” In Lawrie’s case, in terms of encouraging children into golf, the 40-year-old Scot has more than met those obligations already….and then some.
In 2001, two years after his greatest triumph – winning The 1999 Open Championship at Carnoustie – Lawrie decided it was time to give something back to the game and The Paul Lawrie Junior Golf Programme was born.
Aided by a selection of partners, Lawrie’s initial aim was to offer children the opportunity to experience the game; improve their skills; ease the transition from participation to the club environment; and play to the best of their ability or interest.
Little did he know that from relatively humble beginnings, the concept would grow to such a size that somewhere in the region of 11,000 children have benefited over the past eight years. Indeed, such is its influence that The R&A in St Andrews has recently helped with a donation of £25,000.
The growth of the scheme has also initiated a change of name as it is now known as The Paul Lawrie Foundation to recognise the development into other sports aside from golf – as the Foundation now funds tennis tournaments and football events as well as having taken the first tentative steps into hockey and rugby too.
Such growth sees the Foundation now employ full-time staff. Murray Carnie is Lawrie’s right hand man in terms of the day-to-day affairs but the Scot’s golf coaches, Adam Hunter and Neil Marr, also give their time freely as does former Aberdeen footballer Jockie Lawrence who runs the football affairs. Of course, Lawrie’s wife Marian remains a constant source of support in all matters as she has done since day one.
Primarily, the Foundation’s activities centre around Lawrie’s home city of Aberdeen and the north-east of Scotland but its tentacles are growing. Evidence of that has come this year with the setting up of a Junior Jug competition which will feature eight qualifying events all over Scotland with the winners meeting in the Finals at Dundonald Golf Club in September where the eventual champions will receive replicas of Lawrie’s Open Championship Claret Jug.
Allied to that, the Foundation regularly helps primary school children have the opportunity to try an adapted form of the game called TRI-GOLF, while a series of Flag events in the Aberdeen area on most Sundays throughout the summer months regularly attract hundreds of competitors. Depending on his own schedule, Lawrie himself attends these Flag events and is a regular visitor to primary schools across the region too.
“I was very fortunate when I was young because I was helped by a guy called Stewart Spence who owns The Marcliffe Hotel in Aberdeen and who still continues to support the Foundation,” said Lawrie.

"Stewart Spence helped me gain sponsors, gave me money and he gave me a car and I just thought, in my opinion, there are not enough professionals helping young kids and passing on what they have learned.
“I wanted to give back but more importantly I wanted to give back when I was still a current player because it is easy to do it when you have retired and you have all the time in the world. I wanted to make sure that the kids could see me, and see me still playing out there, and be able to ask me questions when I was still competing at a good level.
“I have been doing a lot of school visits over the winter where I go for a couple of hours and take the Claret Jug with me and while I’m there the kids play golf in the gym hall and then we have a bit of a question-and-answer session with them at the end. I have been to around 13 schools over the past few months and we are trying to fit in a few more over the next few weeks.
“I absolutely love it. It still amazes me that I can go to a school even in the city where I live in and 10-year-old kids know who I am. That gives me a tremendous kick and hopefully I manage to put my enthusiasm for the whole thing back into the kids’ days too.
“You get some great questions – but that is the fun of it. We had one boy who stood up in the middle of the class, he had his foot turned out to the side and his hands deep in his pockets like he was obviously the ‘Johnnie Cool’ of the class.
“I had the Claret Jug next to me on the table and he said to me; “So, you are telling me you only have one of them?” I said, “Yes,” and he sat down and said, “That’s not very good is it!!” Stuff like that is priceless and you just have to laugh – what else can you do? I had no option to do that one other time too when one of the kids asked me which year it was that I had won Wimbledon!” As well as planting the seed of the game of golf in the hearts and minds of primary school children, Lawrie is also involved with the players at the other end of the spectrum, working with the Scottish Golf Union’s Elite Squad.
“I have been involved in a couple of training days with the SGU now which are good fun. I do swing stuff with them and the boys get to ask me anything they want too. They also go through mock interviews and I try to help them.
“I was a good player before The Open but all of a sudden I was thrown into the deep end in terms of media stuff and that is what can happen to these boys. They might be fairly decent amateurs but now they are in the Elite Squad they find themselves having to talk to the media. So I thought I would be the perfect guy to try and pass on a little bit of what that is like and how to deal with it.”
Every Scottish golf fan hopes, naturally, that one of the Elite Squad will follow in Lawrie’s footsteps and win The Open Championship and while the Aberdonian conceded that would be great to witness, he also admitted it was not the primary motivation for his Foundation.
“My goal was never to have a world beater come out of this,” he said. “The role of the Foundation is to introduce children to the game, to let them try it and if they don’t like it, I have no problem with that. But you need to have the chance to try it and I don’t think that is happening enough. Golf can be an expensive sport and so the idea was to let them experience it and see where they go from there.
“These young kids look up to players like us and it is great when they go along to meet us and get a kick out of it. When I started, a lot of people raised some question marks and said, ‘Why are you doing it now, you have just won The Open and you’re really busy etc etc,’ but that is the whole point of it for me.
“I need the kids to see that I can do this. When I am out on Tour, I am playing and focussed totally on playing but when I am at home, I have stuff to do for the Foundation. I try and use all my spare time on it – it takes up a lot of time but I enjoy it. That is the most important thing.”
Further proof of Lawrie’s commitment to junior golf came last week. While many professionals, after a week of warm weather practice in Spain, might come home and relax in front of the television, Lawrie got off the flight and drove straight home to Aberdeen to oversee a dinner for over 40 Junior Golf Conveners to outline his Foundation’s plans for 2009.
You do not have to be a genius – like Albert Einstein – to work out that the golfing kids of Aberdeen and the north east of Scotland are very fortunate indeed to have such an exceptional role model on their doorsteps

£55million Plans for golf course

at Kingennie Country Resort

FROM THE PRESS AND JOURNAL
By ALISON MIDDLETON
Plans for a £55million championship golf course and golf academy have been unveiled in Angus.
Mike Forbes, of Forbes of Kingennie Country Resort (situated inland between Arbroath and Carnoustie), is leading plans for the development which could create more than 100 jobs.
Ryder Cup player Darren Clarke is backing the project which would see an 18-hole golf course created on farmland between Kingennie and Wellbank.
A five-star hotel and spa are included in the development , while housing will be built on 80 half-acre plots around the perimeter of the golf course.
An application for planning permission is due to be submitted to Angus Council by the end of May.
Mr Forbes said the development will provide a mix of luxury houses along the course's edge and affordable housing mixed with homes on the village perimeter.
He added: "We are thrilled that Darren Clarke is putting his name to and support behind this golf deveopmetn that aims to rival the best in the world.
"We have put together a talented team of experts to design the developemnt, taking account of the existing community and landscape.
"We believe that in addition to the obvious benefits to Angus, this development will significantly enhance the area, which is currently largely agricultural, and provide Wellbank residents, as well as visitors, with outstanding facilities.
"Part of our plans could include road improvements, a network of foopatha to open up the currently inaccessible agricultural land and even investment in the local school.
"We are now at the stage where we can start to consult with the community over the plans and look forward to hearing their views."
The course will be designed by golf course architect Graeme Webster (pictured above by Cal Carson Golf Agency, who has designed several golf courses in the North-east, including Inchmarlo, Meldrum House and Glenisla as well as King's Acre near Edinburgh. He has also designed courses in Germany and, more recently, Norway).
A five-star junior golf academy will be fronted by Tiger Woods' first coach, Rudy Duran, and David Gosling who created the Young Masters Golf programme
Dundee and Angus Chamber of Comnmerce chief executive Alan Mitchell said: "This is a huge investment wich would be a tremendous boost for the area.

Deeside Golf Club providing cover for their driving bays

Work is progressing nicely at the Deeside Golf Club driving range where cover is being erected over the bays. The roof is tiled to match the clubhouse, writes Colin Farquharson.
The Bieldside club is also revamping its short-game practice area which is halfway down what used to be the first hole, to the left as you drive down the road to the clubhouse and car park. A practice green, which, according to director of golf Frank Coutts, will be four or five times bigger than the present 18th green, is under construction. There will also be bunker practice facility.

Plans for Jack Nicklaus course

at Stonehaven hit by collapse

of F M Developments

The £40million scheme to have a Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course and a luxury hotel on the 1500 acre Ury Castle Estate near Stonehaven has been struck a hammer blow.
The company behind the ambitious plans - F M Developments - has gone into administration, yet another victim of the Credit Crunch Crisis that is having an increasing effect on the world of golf.
Joint administrator Fraser Gray said: "We're firmly committed to exploring the future options available for the group's developments and, in particular, the ambitious plans for the Ury Estate the its proposed Jack Nickluas signature golf course.
"This development has received strong support from local stakeholders and, with this in mind, we will be assessing the best way forward over the coming weeks.
The directors of FM Developments come from the Forbes and Milne families, two of the wealthiest farming families in Scotland.
The Ury Estate was bought by the FM Group in 2001.
+Jack Nicklaus, pictured above, had made a visit to the Ury site and expressed enthusiasm for the plan.

Triump Links Project

Director Neil Hobday

to speak at KPMG

Forum at Celtic Manor

Neil Hobday, pictured right by Cal Carson Golf Agency, Project Director of the Trump International Golf Links at the Menie Estate, Balmedie, north of Aberdeen, is among a world-class line-up of speakers arranged for the KPMG Golf Business Forum at the Celtic Manor Resort, Newport from May 4 to 6.
Arnold Palmer will also attend in person to receive the Forum’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
More than 300 delegates, including investors, developers, operators, designers and other golf industry professionals from 40 countries are expected to attend the event at the venue for The Ryder Cup in 2010.

Good career news for qualified

and ambitious greenkeepers

PRESS RELEASE
The Club Managers Association of Europe (CMAE) has signed an agreement with the British and International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA) that could enable course managers to develop their careers and become club managers.
The agreement, signed during BIGGA’s annual exhibition and education event, Harrogate Week 2009, opens the door to BIGGA’s 6,000 members developing their management skills through education with a view to taking the internationally-recognised Certified Club Manager (CCM) qualification.
CMAE Chief Executive Officer, Jerry Kilby, said: “This is good news for qualified greenkeepers and Master Greenkeepers who have reached a point in their careers where they say, ‘What next?’
“The opportunity to take CCM, which is a globally recognised qualification, means that the step up to general manager level is now a realistic possibility and career ambition for greenkeepers and course managers.”
A small number of senior greenkeepers have blazed a trail and risen to prominent club manager positions, including David Roy, at Crail Golfing Society, Fife while others have already expressed their desire to move into club management, viewing CCM as an opportunity to prove their professionalism and qualify for top jobs.
To sit the CCM exam, greenkeepers must first attain a minimum number of CCM credits, for which membership of BIGGA plus previous professional education courses automatically counts.
John Pemberton, Chief Executive of BIGGA, said: “This is a significant new opportunity for management development and another building block for greenkeepers aspiring to senior management and club manager positions.
“In today’s job market, just being a good course manager isn’t enough. CCM is an opportunity for greenkeepers to demonstrate their skills and professionalism in management and we welcome the signing of this agreement with the CMAE.”
The Certified Club Manager qualification is open to suitably experienced managers and involves a two-day review and examination focusing on key club management disciplines. There are approximately 10,000 clubs with professional managers in Europe, half of which are golf clubs, the remainder being sports, leisure, health and fitness clubs, plus city and dining clubs.
For more information about CCM, entry requirements and to download the registration form, visit: http://www.cmaeurope.org

Two views from Stonehaven golf course. On right the 18th green, Stonehaven Bay and the field where a new clubhouse could be built. Below the 17th green.

Stonehaven GC land-swap

deal with Stewart Milne

Homes on the cards

Stonehaven Golf Club, one of the oldest in Scotland, is considering selling part of its course in a land-swap deal with a major house developer.
Talks have been going on for some months between the 120-year-old golf club and Stewart Milne Homes.
SMH hold a development option on a 20-acre field to the south of the present golf clubhouse and the company wants to exchange that land for part of the existing golf course.
The talks have been going on in strict confidence but came into the public domain only recently when SMH lodged a document with Aberdeenshire Council’s planning department, indicating the company’s desire to build houses not only on the golf course land but also on the Mains of Cowie Farm.
This would be the first significant housing development to the north of Stonehaven and SMH wants it included in the council’s Local Plan which is being compiled at present and will run from 2011.
Harry Roulston, pictured above by Cal Carson Golf Agency, captain of Stonehaven Golf Club, confirmed that the club knew of the SMH submission to the council.
“For many years, the club has been interested in acquiring the field to the south of our course,” he said. “But the Cowie Estates, who own the field, were never able to reach agreement with their tenant farmer.
“Now, however, Stewart Milne Homes hold a development option on the entire farm, including the field we are interested in, which is why we started talking with them some months ago. It is very unlikely that they would ever get permission to build houses there as it is zoned for recreational use but they feel they could get permission to build on our land on the west side of the railway line.
“We have four holes there – 9, 10, 11 and 12 – and our plan would be to swap that area for the Mains of Cowie field, with a substantial cash balance to the club.
“That would enable us to build a new clubhouse, with the best of facilities for our members and visitors. It would be much nearer town than our present clubhouse, which would give us the ability to attract more local people, including other clubs and organisations, to our clubhouse to enjoy its facilities.
“It would also make our course a true clifftop course because holes nine to 12 at present are somewhat out of character with the rest of the course.
“We are taking advice on a re-design of the course from one of the leading designers in Scotland and he is currently in the process of drafting possibilities for a new-look course.”
Mr Roulston added: “I would stress that nothing at all has been decided or finalised. Our members have been informed in general terms about what is going on and, under our constitution, nothing can be done until our members are fully informed and until they actually approve it with a vote.
“All the club council is doing at present is looking at sensible plans for the future. Our club is having a tough time at present financially, like all golf clubs, and it is vital for our future that we improve what we have to offer members and visitors.
“We’ve been playing golf on the Braes of Cowie since 1888 and we want to continue doing that for several more generations ahead.
“Our current clubhouse sits on a magnificent site but it is old-fashioned in many ways and needs a total revamp, which is very difficult to do on that site. We believe our best option is to build a new clubhouse nearer the town, which would still have the superb views and would also have the most modern facilities for our members and visitors and be more accessible from town.”

Heard the one about the golfer whose
driver makes a deafening noise?

FROM THE DAILY TELEGRAPH GOLF WEBSITE
By Simon Johnson
A report in the latest edition of the British Medical Journal claims that some players are at risk if they use a new generation of thin-faced titanium drivers that help propel the ball further.
The booming noise the metal club head makes when it strikes the ball was found by ear specialists to have reduced the hearing of a 55-year-old golfer.
Subsequent tests of six titanium clubs against six thicker-faced stainless steel models found that the former all produced greater sound levels.
Dr Malcolm Buchanan, an ear, nose and throat specialist and one of the report's authors, said: "Our results show that thin-faced titanium drivers may produce sufficient sound to induce temporary or even permanent cochlear damage in susceptible individuals.
"Wearing earplugs is a possibility, although it may prove too radical for some."
The doctors, based at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, conducted the tests after the 55-year-old attended their clinic with tinnitus and reduced hearing in his right ear.
He told them his titanium club sounded "like a gun going off" when it hit the ball and they could find no other explanation for his hearing loss.
The new breed of clubs was designed with a thinner metal face to produce a "trampoline" effect, thereby allowing the player to hit the ball longer distances.
"Caution should be exercised by golfers who play regularly with thin-faced titanium drivers to avoid damage to their hearing," the doctors' report concluded.
Golfing experts agreed the new clubs were louder, but doubted they could cause hearing loss.
Andrew Coltart, a European Tour player, said: "There is definitely a difference in sound levels between the two types of clubs but I would be amazed if they put your hearing in jeopardy."

£100million redevelopment for Hazlehead gets
green light from
city councillors

FROM TODAY'S FRONT PAGE OF THE PRESS AND JOURNAL

By CALLUM ROSS

With additional words by Colin Farquharson

Councillors in Aberdeen are poised to give the go-ahead to plans for a £100million redevelopment of a historic city municipal golf course, it emerged last night.

Proposals to transform Hazlehead golf course into a world-class facility have been recommended for approval by city councillors.

The plans from the MacKenzie Club, a consortum of business people headed by local man Brian Hendry (pictured above by Cal Carson Golf Agency) and established for the project, would see it lease the course from the council and redevelop the Nos 1 and 2 and nine-hole courses.

A new clubhouse would also be built, alongwith a five-star hotel, timeshare accommodation and a Professional Golf Associaton academy to promote the game.

Yesterday's decision by the council's Hazlehead advisory and monitoring board to recommend councillors give the plans their final approval in February marks another step forward in the North-east's drive to become a global golf tourism hub.

The move follows the recent approval of Donald Trump's £1billion two-course complex at Balmedie, the £115 development at Blairs College led by Paul Lawrie, and comes amid proposals for another multi-million-ound golf course development, designed by Jack Nicklaus, at Ury Estate, near Stonehaven.

Advisory board chairman Kevin Stewart said: "The board believes there is a good deal on the table that is right for the course, right for local golfers, right for the city council and right for Aberdeen.

"The MacKenize Club made a very positive presentation to us today and we are now making a firm recommendation that the city council enters a partnership with them and concludes negotiations on the lease arrangements.

"Hazlehead is one of the jewels in Aberdeen's crown but it has suffered from under-investment for many years.

"We believe the MacKenzie Club is the vehicle through which we can make a vast improvement and turn the course into one in which the city can take great pride," the deputy city council leader added.

The course, next to Hazlehead Park, was created by renowned golf course architect Alister MacKenzie who also designed the home of the US Masters at Augusta National as well, a bit closer to home, Duff House Royal at Banff.

MacKenzie's feat in transforming a heavily-wooded, badly-drained marshland into the finest Scottish municipal course of its day - it opened in 1927 - was the work of a master craftsman but there was much controversy at the time over the cost involved. It was reckoned that each hole cost £1,000 to build, which probably relates to £100,000 per hole, if not more, in modern financial terms.

The columns of the Press and Journal were full at the times of the doom-mongers' predictions that "The construction of Hazlehead golf course will ruin the city's finances."

Councillor Martin Greig, Liberal Democrat member for Hazlehead, Ashley and Queen's Cross, moved at yesterday's meeting that members should not recommend the MacKenzie Club tender and that the course should be transferred to the council's new sports trust instead. He did not receive a seconder.

Mr Greig said: "The local community council and other residents are very much opposed to building work in Hazlehead Park, including roads construction. There is a real public concern about this much-loved and treasured open space in the city."

So why is Brian Hendry and his consortium prepared to plough so much money into what is, after all, a rundown municipal golf course, the condition of which has been in steady decline over the past 20 to 30 years?

The answer is that it is an Alister MacKenzie creation. That may not mean much on this side of the Atlantic but over in the States, there are a lot of well-heeled golf lovers who will pay a lot of money to visit, play over and invest in a MacKenzie course.

Count Brian Hendry among the lovers of Mackenzie courses. America is where his backers are.

Brian's master plan has been a long time getting to this stage. He held a Press Conference at least two, maybe three years ago to reveal his plans.

Morayshire golfing estate well above par, courses designed by Euan McIntosh

A design for one of the 40 houses to be built on the Maverston Highland Estate, Morayshire.

A golf course on which only Maverston Highland Estate residents can play.

Morayshire golfing estate well above par,
courses designed by Euan McIntosh

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY FIFTH RING
INTEGRATED CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS
Highland estate living – complete with exclusive, private golf courses - in one of the most picturesque regions of Scotland is within reach following the announcement of a unique development in Moray.
Forty luxury properties, built with state-of-the-art environmentally friendly features, are to be built at Maverston Highland Estate, which lies between the beautiful Moray Firth coast and the world-renowned Cairngorms National Park – one of the last great natural wilderness areas in Western Europe.
With two private golf courses and an incredible feeling of space, Maverston is unlike any other housing vision in the country.
The concept
Maverston Highland Estate is an ambitious project. Set in 126 hectares of Scottish countryside, the stunning homes can be built to the buyer’s individual specifications – providing prospective home owners with the opportunity to build their very own “grand design” and working with award-winning architect Ian Duncan to produce their dream home (subject to planning permission).
The unique feature that sets Maverston Highland Estate above many top-class housing developments is the establishment of its own, exclusive 18-hole golf course. Euan McIntosh, one of the most exciting young course designers in Scotland, has designed the course. There is also a nine-hole ‘wee course’, which offers superb practice facilities.
The location offers a wonderful natural environment, lending itself perfectly to outdoor pursuits such as rambling, shooting, fishing, horse riding, sailing, and of course, golf. Yet it is only five miles away from the charming Royal Burgh of Elgin, with its traditional country shops and modern-day supermarkets and conveniences. The development is under an hour of Inverness airport for national and international links. The Moray Firth coast enjoys some of the lowest average rainfall in the British Isles.
Maverston Highland Estate not only offers beautiful homes and a great golf course, it also offers a great opportunity to meet new people. The clubhouse will act as the social hub for residents and their guests.
Maverston Highland Estate is the fruition of a partnership between architects firm Ian Duncan Developments Ltd and the ANM Group Ltd, which owns and runs a portfolio of diversified businesses.
ANM Group chief executive Brian Pack added: “It is a unique concept to the UK, we are sure the houses will be greatly sought after, particularly among those who love golf.
Mr Pack added: “The golf courses will be private and only available for Maverston property owners and their guests with the annual upkeep shared between the householders.
He continued: “We are creating a high amenity community in a superb location, with plenty of freedom for residents to roam, play golf all year round on a quality course, or practice on a par-three course and enjoy their own clubhouse.”
The golf course will be supported by a maintenance fee from each household on the estate, however, Maverston will not only be for those who love the game of golf. Many people will be attracted by the beauty a golf course and landscaped grounds has to offer (each house will have its own grounds up to a maximum of two acres, ensuring privacy and tranquillity).
Maverston Highland Estate is likely to appeal to a wide range of homebuyers. Many younger families will be attracted by tranquil surroundings and a beautiful home to enjoy while not at the office. Older couples will like the idea of a private estate that is ideal for retirement.
The courses
With a total yardage of 6,330 yards and a par of 72, the 18-hole course is intended to be challenging yet enjoyable for the enthusiast. Utilising the natural terrain, abundant blackthorn and hawthorn bushes and existing woodland comprising ancient Scots Pine, Silver Birch and Downy Birch trees, the course is set in a stunning landscape with the Moray Firth to the north and east and offers spectacular views to the south where the imposing Cairngorm mountain range rises from the coastal plain.
The nine-hole par-3 course has a total yardage of 1,237 yards and is an ideal way to practise a short game and enjoy a relaxing couple of hours.
Euan McIntosh is the director of Golf Services Scotland. Euan, 25, studied in the United States on a golf scholarship and graduated from Texas Wesleyan University in Fort Worth with an honours degree in Business Management. Euan has represented Scotland as a player and is now making a name for himself as a golf course designer.
Out with the privacy of your own golf course, the Highland’s boast some of the world’s finest courses with two championship courses at nearby Nairn, the old and new course at Moray, Elgin’s parkland or the scenic holes of Cawdor Castle. For those who like to venture further, Royal Aberdeen, which hosted the British Senior Open in 2007, the Old Course and New Castle Course at St. Andrews are within two hours South of the Estate.
Work is well under way on the golf course and clubhouse. The golf course was seeded in October 2007 ready for play in Spring 2009 and the clubhouse is expected to be built by early 2009. A show home is scheduled to be completed by the end of March 2009.
The houses
The houses will be constructed of timber, and/or traditional Scottish harl and glass to walls and natural slate to roofs to allow the homes to complement the natural surroundings and allow an abundance of light into each home. Architect Ian Duncan has delivered 16 unique designs – offering an unparalleled level of choice.
These fabulous houses will vary in price according to individual’s demands. Each spacious four or five bedroom home can be designed to meet the client’s specifications – promising flexibility on a whole new level.
The houses boast an array of environmental features including geo-thermal heating – reducing energy consumption by up to 75% - solar panels, under floor heating, high levels of thermal insulation, triple glazing combined with high tech glass, whole house heat recovery and ventilation system and thermally broken window frames.
Award-winning architect Ian said: “With only 40 houses and access to a private golf course this exciting new development is, we believe, unique to the UK. Using mainly eco-friendly materials, buyers will have the opportunity to create their own grand design (subject to planning approval). I look forward to working alongside homebuyers to create their ideal property and creating an exquisite home to live in.”
To find out more about Maverston Highland Estate, to request a brochure or register your interest log on at http://www.maverston.com/ or call 01467 623850.

North Africa the next area for golf boom

PRESS RELEASE
As part of the third annual Golf Benchmark Survey, KPMG today publishes its first regional report for North Africa.
While the region currently has only 43 courses in operation – predominantly in the tourist areas of Morocco, Egypt and Tunisia – there are currently 40-45 golf projects in different phases of planning or construction, many of which are parts of large master planned resort communities.
The study, which focuses on the business performance of golf courses, also reveals that the average Gross Operating Profit margin for 18-hole courses is 25% in North Africa, compared to 17% in South Africa.
However, with green fees making up more than 50% of earnings, average revenues at 18-hole courses in North Africa are €945,000, lagging behind other countries including Portugal (€1.8 million), Spain (€1.5 million) and South Africa (€1 million).
The average weekend green fee for 18 holes in North Africa is Euros 59, compared to €78 in Portugal, €66 in Spain and just €30 in South Africa.
Golf has developed and grown in North Africa in the past 10 years, largely in relation to travel and tourism. Egypt now has 14 courses, compared to three just over a decade ago. Morocco leads with the way with 18 courses and more than half of the region’s 9,000 golfers, with Tunisia (10 courses) and Algeria (1 course) making up the remainder.
However, there are now between 40 and 45 new golf course projects, in different stages of development, underway in North African countries, including Algeria, Libya and Sudan.
“This is an important report as this is the first time the North African golf market has been studied in such detail,” said Andrea Sartori, head of KPMG’s Golf Advisory Practice in EMA.
“It is a region that, in golf business terms, has grown over the past decade and continues to develop with a significant number of projects underway. Our survey found that golf managers were optimistic about the future business prospects for their courses, although our analysis was conducted prior to the full scale unfolding of this autumn’s global financial crisis. However, we believe the outlook for the North Africa region remains positive.”
Other key findings in KPMG’s study reveal that:
* The average number of rounds played on 18-hole golf courses in North Africa is 20,400
* 89% of all rounds are green-free rounds – only 11% are member rounds
* Egypt has the most expensive 18-hole weekend green fees (€66), followed by Tunisia (€46) and Morocco (€40)
* Golf participation rates among the local people are very low, with approximately one golfer for every 10,000 inhabitants
* The average number of members at clubs in North Africa is relatively low (236 members), but is highest in Morocco where the average is 425 members
* The proportion of female (30%) and junior members (11%) at golf clubs in North Africa is higher than most European regions, although this can be partially explained by a significant number of male expatriate members being joined by their partners and family
* North African courses operate relatively large cart fleets, with 40-50 golf carts on average, with fees of around €25 per round.

New look for St Andrews Links
clubhouse restaurant in 2009

FROM THE NEWSLETTER OF ST ANDREWS LINKS
A new lounge and dining area is to be created in the St Andrews Links clubhouse.
The bar which separates the two existing restaurants is to be removed, opening up the entire room and allowing the addition of 30 extra tables.
"For 13 years this space has served us well, proving popular with golfers, locals and the general public," said clubhouse operations manager Ewen Bowman, who is overseeing the development.
"However, queuing has increased and feedback suggests modernisation of this area wold be a welcome move."
Sofas will be placed by the windows with low level tables to take advantage of the uninterrupted panoramic view that will be available once the conversion is complete. A new bar will be located to the right hand side of the lounge entrance.
A welcome station will sit to the left of the entrance where a member of staff will be able to greet guests on arrival.
The toilets will be completely refurbished. They will remain where they are but the men's and the ladies' rooms will change places.
Work is due to start on January 5 and will last for around seven weeks.
The rest of the clubhouse will be unaffected and disruptions will be kept to a minimum.
The first series of alterations took place a year ago and resulted in a more efficient use of the entrance space with the retail and reception area upgraded and modernised.

Menie House being refurbished

to become Trump Family Home

in Scotland

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED ON BEHALF OF DONALD J TRUMP
The Trump Organization has announced the commencement of the complete refurbishment of the 14th Century Menie House and Menie Park Lodge.

Both properties, which are in need of renovation and redecoration, are now being brought back to their original grandeur and beauty by several local Aberdeenshire firms.

McLaren and Company Ltd are the appointed painting and decorating firm, with Fraser’s of Ellon supplying all carpets and flooring.

Interiors Unlimited of Inverurie has been appointed as the Interior Decorators for the restoration process which has already begun.
Menie House, pictured above, which will become the Trump family residence in Scotland, is being decorated and refurbished to the highest possible standard, whilst retaining a strong traditional Scottish style, reflective of the age of the property.

Mr Trump is working closely with the design team, ensuring that the property reflects the level of excellence demonstrated throughout his real estate portfolio.
Menie Park Lodge, which currently houses the site offices for Trump International Golf Links Scotland, is also being upgraded and will eventually be used to house executive suites for the Development.
Other firms involved in the refurbishment include Bon Accord Granite, CB Joinery Services and Ecosse Contract Services.
Both buildings are due for completion in the early stages of 2009.

A design for one of the 40 houses to be built on the Maverston Highland Estate, Morayshire.

A golf course on which only Maverston Highland Estate residents can play.

Morayshire golfing estate well above par,
courses designed by Euan McIntosh

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY FIFTH RING
INTEGRATED CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS
Highland estate living – complete with exclusive, private golf courses - in one of the most picturesque regions of Scotland is within reach following the announcement of a unique development in Moray.
Forty luxury properties, built with state-of-the-art environmentally friendly features, are to be built at Maverston Highland Estate, which lies between the beautiful Moray Firth coast and the world-renowned Cairngorms National Park – one of the last great natural wilderness areas in Western Europe.
With two private golf courses and an incredible feeling of space, Maverston is unlike any other housing vision in the country.
The concept
Maverston Highland Estate is an ambitious project. Set in 126 hectares of Scottish countryside, the stunning homes can be built to the buyer’s individual specifications – providing prospective home owners with the opportunity to build their very own “grand design” and working with award-winning architect Ian Duncan to produce their dream home (subject to planning permission).
The unique feature that sets Maverston Highland Estate above many top-class housing developments is the establishment of its own, exclusive 18-hole golf course. Euan McIntosh, one of the most exciting young course designers in Scotland, has designed the course. There is also a nine-hole ‘wee course’, which offers superb practice facilities.
The location offers a wonderful natural environment, lending itself perfectly to outdoor pursuits such as rambling, shooting, fishing, horse riding, sailing, and of course, golf. Yet it is only five miles away from the charming Royal Burgh of Elgin, with its traditional country shops and modern-day supermarkets and conveniences. The development is under an hour of Inverness airport for national and international links. The Moray Firth coast enjoys some of the lowest average rainfall in the British Isles.
Maverston Highland Estate not only offers beautiful homes and a great golf course, it also offers a great opportunity to meet new people. The clubhouse will act as the social hub for residents and their guests.
Maverston Highland Estate is the fruition of a partnership between architects firm Ian Duncan Developments Ltd and the ANM Group Ltd, which owns and runs a portfolio of diversified businesses.
ANM Group chief executive Brian Pack added: “It is a unique concept to the UK, we are sure the houses will be greatly sought after, particularly among those who love golf.
Mr Pack added: “The golf courses will be private and only available for Maverston property owners and their guests with the annual upkeep shared between the householders.
He continued: “We are creating a high amenity community in a superb location, with plenty of freedom for residents to roam, play golf all year round on a quality course, or practice on a par-three course and enjoy their own clubhouse.”
The golf course will be supported by a maintenance fee from each household on the estate, however, Maverston will not only be for those who love the game of golf. Many people will be attracted by the beauty a golf course and landscaped grounds has to offer (each house will have its own grounds up to a maximum of two acres, ensuring privacy and tranquillity).
Maverston Highland Estate is likely to appeal to a wide range of homebuyers. Many younger families will be attracted by tranquil surroundings and a beautiful home to enjoy while not at the office. Older couples will like the idea of a private estate that is ideal for retirement.
The courses
With a total yardage of 6,330 yards and a par of 72, the 18-hole course is intended to be challenging yet enjoyable for the enthusiast. Utilising the natural terrain, abundant blackthorn and hawthorn bushes and existing woodland comprising ancient Scots Pine, Silver Birch and Downy Birch trees, the course is set in a stunning landscape with the Moray Firth to the north and east and offers spectacular views to the south where the imposing Cairngorm mountain range rises from the coastal plain.
The nine-hole par-3 course has a total yardage of 1,237 yards and is an ideal way to practise a short game and enjoy a relaxing couple of hours.
Euan McIntosh is the director of Golf Services Scotland. Euan, 25, studied in the United States on a golf scholarship and graduated from Texas Wesleyan University in Fort Worth with an honours degree in Business Management. Euan has represented Scotland as a player and is now making a name for himself as a golf course designer.
Out with the privacy of your own golf course, the Highland’s boast some of the world’s finest courses with two championship courses at nearby Nairn, the old and new course at Moray, Elgin’s parkland or the scenic holes of Cawdor Castle. For those who like to venture further, Royal Aberdeen, which hosted the British Senior Open in 2007, the Old Course and New Castle Course at St. Andrews are within two hours South of the Estate.
Work is well under way on the golf course and clubhouse. The golf course was seeded in October 2007 ready for play in Spring 2009 and the clubhouse is expected to be built by early 2009. A show home is scheduled to be completed by the end of March 2009.
The houses
The houses will be constructed of timber, and/or traditional Scottish harl and glass to walls and natural slate to roofs to allow the homes to complement the natural surroundings and allow an abundance of light into each home. Architect Ian Duncan has delivered 16 unique designs – offering an unparalleled level of choice.
These fabulous houses will vary in price according to individual’s demands. Each spacious four or five bedroom home can be designed to meet the client’s specifications – promising flexibility on a whole new level.
The houses boast an array of environmental features including geo-thermal heating – reducing energy consumption by up to 75% - solar panels, under floor heating, high levels of thermal insulation, triple glazing combined with high tech glass, whole house heat recovery and ventilation system and thermally broken window frames.
Award-winning architect Ian said: “With only 40 houses and access to a private golf course this exciting new development is, we believe, unique to the UK. Using mainly eco-friendly materials, buyers will have the opportunity to create their own grand design (subject to planning approval). I look forward to working alongside homebuyers to create their ideal property and creating an exquisite home to live in.”
To find out more about Maverston Highland Estate, to request a brochure or register your interest log on at http://www.maverston.com/ or call 01467 623850.

PGA signs Russian deal

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE PGA
Russia is gearing up for a golfing first after exciting plans were unveiled for a PGA-branded golf course and academy near Moscow.
The multi-million pound project situated just outside the capital follows an agreement between the Belfry-based PGA and OPIN, a Russian real estate investment company, and will help boost the sport’s profile in the country.
The Bolshoye Zavidovo resort will feature a 7,300-yard course called PGA National Russia and a PGA National Golf Academy with a nine-hole course and extensive practice facilities including an integrated short game range, practice bays and swing studios.
Set near a picturesque reservoir created by the River Volga, the course will be designed by European Golf Design and will complement plans for a five-star hotel and marina hotel.
Constantin Zabrodin, deputy general director of OPIN, who is leading the project, is hoping that on completion in 2011, the resort will go on to become a training centre for all young Russian PGA professionals as well as the centre of the country’s national golf industry.And as golf’s popularity begins to increase in Russia particular efforts will be invested in promoting and growing the game with special attention to families and junior players.
The announcement attracted widespread media coverage in Moscow.
PGA property and commercial director Robert Maxfield was in the Russian capital to officially launch the project.“This is an exciting and world class golf facility and the PGA is delighted to be working with OPIN and playing a part in the promotion and growth of golf in Russia,” said Maxfield.
For the PGA, the deal is another landmark step in its flourishing international reputation which has seen the recent announcement of a number of branded opportunities across the world including in Egypt, Tunisia and India.

Things we bet you did not know about Mission
Hills, the Chinese venue for golf's World Cup

FROM THE US PGA TOUR WEBSITE
By Laury Livsey, PGA TOUR Staff
DONGGUAN, China -- Turn to the Guinness Book of World Records, skip past the picture of the fat twins sitting on the motorcycles, ignore the entry about the oldest guy in history to tandem-parachute and forget about finding out how tall Robert Pershing Wadlow was and eventually you'll find a listing in the seminal tome for "The Largest Golf Club in the World."
Mission Hills
While Bjarne Maeland may have parachuted from a plane at the tender age of 100 and Wadlow checked in just an inch under 9 feet, Mission Hills Golf Club, it of the 12 golf courses spread over two Chinese cities -- Shenzhen and Dongguan -- holds the Guinness distinction, surpassing the Pinehurst resort in North Carolina.
Yes, Mission Hills is the largest in the world, thanks to Dr. David Chu, the brains and money behind the complex, and Chu's coterie of course designers: Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman, Annika Sorenstam, Ernie Els, Vijay Singh, Nick Faldo, Jose Maria Olazabal, David Duval, Jumbo Ozaki, Zhang Lian-wei, David Leadbetter and Pete Dye.
Besides the star-studded lineup of architects, the folks at the complex located in Guangdong Province are also happy to point out that while it took Pinehurst 100 years to add its eighth course, No. 12 came on board at Mission Hills in the tenth year of the club's existence.
So, in honour of the Golden Bear, the Big Easy, Jumbo, Ms. 59, the Great White Shark, Ollie and everybody else who put their touches on designs here, we give you 12 fun facts, one for every course at Mission Hills (what, you thought we were going to come up with 216 items, one for each hole at the place?).
• The 12 Mission Hills courses employ 2,500 caddies -- all female and all in their late teens or early 20s -- who live in club-provided dormitories, six per room. With attrition factored in, the club recruits approximately 150 to 200 new caddies every year. Coco Hu from Hunan Province, has been a caddie for six years, starting when she was 18. She caddies an average of 23 rounds a month and has started to play golf herself. "I get to play once a month, and I'm still learning," she said. "The Annika Course is my favorite because it's the course done by a woman."
• Every caddie attends Mission Hills' Caddie Training Academy before ever toting a bag for real. The CTA is a three-and-a-half month school that introduces the fledgling caddies to a sport almost all of them knew nothing about before they began their employment. They first learn golf terminology in Chinese (Can you say "rescue club" in Mandarin?) and then learn the English equivalent. It's safe to say that most of the caddies who enter the program don't know a sand wedge from a sand castle. But a little more than 90 days later, and they're good to go. "I had not even heard about Tiger Woods before I began," says Katie Xia from Chongqing in the Sichuan Province, who has been caddying since 2006.
• The caddies all wear red trousers and red jackets because red in China is considered a lucky color. The club also offers, at additional cost to golfers, "golden" caddies, who happen to be the best and most-experienced among the 2,500. They wear gold uniforms because it is the color of royalty in China.
• Because of the distances between many of the greens and tees at all the courses, a caddie and cart are mandatory. Also in the distance department, so big is the course that 15 kilometers (a little more than nine miles) separate the Olazabal Course, site of this week's OMEGA Mission Hills World Cup, from the Nicklaus Course, the host of the 1995 World Cup, the first time professional golf came to Mission Hills.
• The first five courses built at Mission Hills had a distinct purpose behind them. They were designed by five men from different parts of the world: Nicklaus (North America), Els (Africa), Singh (Oceania), Ozaki (Asia) and Faldo (Europe).
• At the facility's Shenzhen clubhouse, a cement-and-marble staircase was torn apart, moved to a different location and rebuilt after a feng shui expert came in and decided it wasn't in keeping with the Chinese art or practice of positioning objects to promote positive or negative effects. We'll guess that particular set of stairs fell into the "negative" category.
Paul Lakatos
The main entry doors to the Dongguan clubhouse never close during operating hours.
• Feng shui (the Chinese words for "wind" and "water") also is the reason why the main entry doors to the Dongguan clubhouse never close during operating hours -- regardless of the weather. It also explains why Mission Hills' workers carry battery-operated, tennis racquet-looking devices to zap flies that dare enter the premises.
• What are the chances "Caddyshack" would have been as funny had Carl Spackler had to worry about large, undomesticated game animals instead of gophers? While the rodents of the big screen caused all sorts of trouble at fictional Bushwood Country Club, the biggest mischief-makers at Mission Hills are wild boars living in the nearby jungles. The tusked, omnivores come out at night and occasionally dig up the course. In case you were wondering, yes, ham, pork and bacon dishes are available in various Mission Hills restaurants.
• During the building of the Faldo course, a local farmer told construction workers to stop what they were doing so he could sort out an issue that was causing him some concern. While the farmer allowed that the property where a lake near his farm was located did belong to the club, he insisted the fish inside the lake were his. After some negotiations, Mission Hills administration capitulated, allowed the man to get out his nets, catch the fish and transplant them in a lake on his property.
• Five of Mission Hills' courses -- Norman, Leadbetter, Annika, Duval and Olazabal -- were built simultaneously. From start to finish, construction of the 90 holes took 14 months. "We had 30,000 labourers on site during that time," said Glenn Stokes, a native of Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Canada, and Mission Hills' golf operations manager. "It was something to see."
• In 2007, the courses saw more than 504,000 rounds played over 365 days. In 2008, the 12 Mission Hills courses are tracking just ahead of that figure with five weeks left in the year.
• Japan, Korea and Australia have more golfers traveling to Mission Hills to play than any other countries. Coco Hu acknowledges, though, that the best score she ever witnessed while caddying was a 63 on the Annika Course by a man from just down the road in Hong Kong. No word on what Coco's tip was that day

Donald Trump gets green light
for Balmedie links development
although private housing
restricted to 500

FROM THE AOL GOLF NEWS SERVICE
US tycoon Donald Trump has vowed to create the "greatest golf course in the world" after his plans for a £1 billion resort were given the go-ahead.
Scottish finance secretary John Swinney approved the proposals, saying there was "a significant economic and social benefit" in the project.
The proposals had been rejected in controversial circumstances by Aberdeenshire Council last year, before being called in by ministers.
Mr Trump welcomed the news and said the resort, proposed for the Menie Estate, near Balmedie, a few miles north of Aberdeen, would be a "tremendous asset" for the area.
He said: "As I have often said, because of the quality of the land we are given to work with, we will build the greatest golf course in the world."
The plans include proposals for two golf courses, a 450-bedroom hotel and housing as well as holiday apartments and golf villas.
The scheme faced strong local opposition, including from environmental groups, but won widespread support in the business community.
First Minister Alex Salmond said: "The economic and social benefits for the North East of Scotland substantially outweigh any environmental impact."
Mr Salmond, also the local MSP for Gordon, said he had been "cup-tied" from commenting publicly on the issue because of his government position. He said: "It is great to be able to finally speak my mind. In tough economic times, substantial investment of this kind is at a premium."
The scheme received outline planning permission, but a string of conditions rule that the environmentally sensitive sand dunes on the site must remain protected. The conditions also stipulate that no more than 500 houses for private sale should be built.

Plan for new Royal Aberdeen

practice facilities would cut

Silverburn course to 9 holes

A plan to make ground available for an upgrade of Royal Aberdeen Golf Club’s practice facilities by reducing the club’s secondary Silverburn course from 18 to nine holes will be voted on at an extraordinary general meeting of the members in the New Year.
In a letter to the Royal Aberdeen members, club captain David Davidson states “It is not envisaged that this development, if approved, will be in place until the Walker Cup in 2011 is over.”
Mr Davidson writes:
“It has long been acknowledged that our practice ground is well below the standards of the remainder of the club’s facilities. Council believes that for a practice facility to be viable, it should be situated close to the clubhouse for security purposes and to enable it to be used easily for warming-up and tuition.
“A new practice ground should also possess sufficient width to allow several players to use it simultaneously and sufficient length to allow full shots to be played with all the clubs in the page. The reality is that we do not have sufficient ground available to create such a facility without losing some of the holes on the Silverburn.”
Improving the Balgownie practice facilities been on the agenda of successeive Royal Aberdeen councils for the best part of two decades. Reports on the subject were commissioned from golf course design company Donald Steel & Co in 1993 and again in 2003.
This year, another company, Martin Hawtree & Son, were asked by the club to report on whether it would be possible to construct an appropriate practice facility while retaining 18 holes on the Silverburn. The conclusion of the report was that it was not possible and that if the club wanted to create a modern and useful practice ground, the most logical location would be on the site of the second, third and fourth holes on the Silverburn.
Martin Hawtree’s proposals include:
1 A practice ground 300 metres in length, running from approximately the location of the fifth tee of the Silverburn course towards the present third green on the No 2 course.
2 A four-hole practice course on the ground currently occupied by the first, fifth and sixth holes over the Silverburn.
3 The retention of the short-game practice area.
4 A longer and much improved nine-hole Silverburn course.
5 A practice green and chipping area next to the Aberdeen Ladies clubhouse.
“These proposals,” writes Mr Davidson, “would also free up land capable of increasing the available car parking spaces, which is now becoming a problem at weekends when cars are now resorting to parking on the Silverburn.
“Council recognises that this is an emotive issue which will arouse strong feelings but they consider that, standing the terms of the Hawtree report against the background of the two Steel reports, it is appropriate to bring the proposal to the membership for consideration and ultimately a decision.”
+Royal Aberdeen Golf Club, founded in 1780 as the Society of Aberdeen Golfers, is the sixth oldest golf club in the world. It has no female members but the Aberdeen Ladies Golf Club clubhouse is close to the first tee of the Silverburn course. Aberdeen Ladies’ Silver Division players pay higher subscription fees than the Bronze Division because they are permitted to play over the Balgownie links while the female players with higher handicaps are restricted to the shorter, 4021yd par-64 Silverburn course.

Stonehaven Golf Club link up
with Aspire Golf Centre

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY STONEHAVEN GOLF CLUB
Stonehaven Golf Club this week joined forces with the Aspire Golf Centre in Aberdeen in a unique partnership.
The club and the privately-owned Aspire, which has a 26-bay target range and five PGA professionals, have signed a trading agreement which involves reciprocal membership arrangements and profit sharing.
The 500-plus members of Stonehaven GC, which is 120-years-old this year, will all be offered a free range-membership at Aspire for a year and also full memberships at discounted rates.
Aspire’s 400 members will be offered discounted memberships at Stonehaven, which will allow them access to its 18-hole course and qualify them to obtain Scottish Golf Union handicaps.
The deal also involves Stonehaven’s juniors, some of whom will receive regular coaching from Aspire’s professionals.
Aspire, opened to the public on the South Deeside Road four years ago, will also take over the stocking and running of the shop in Stonehaven GC and profits will be shared.
The agreement was signed this week following a well-attended special general meeting of Stonehaven GC, which approved the move unanimously.
Mr Sandy Walker, vice-captain of Stonehaven GC, who handled the negotiations on the club’s behalf, said: “I don’t know of any other agreement quite like this in Scottish golf and it gives us a chance on a number of levels to increase the revenue coming into the club.
“It also gives an added-value to being a member at Stonehaven in that our members now will have an opportunity to sample the excellent facilities on offer at Aspire at very favourable rates.
“As well, of course, we look forward to welcoming new members from Aspire to play in our medal competitions and obtain handicaps.”
Mr Liam Manderson, general manager of Aspire, said: "Firstly we would like to thank Stonehaven Golf Club for a great opportunity, not only for our members but for our business. This agreement will allow Aspire to grow and continue in its success at developing golf in the North-east.
"It will also allow members of Aspire and Stonehaven to sample first-class facilities in all aspects of the game.
"We look forward to enhancing our relationship with Stonehaven in the future."
Aspire opened to the public in 2004. It has a 26-bay target range with PowerTees, a nine-hole, par-three course, five PGA instructors and a fully-licensed coffee shop. It is open 9am-9pm weekdays and from 9am-6pm at weekends.

New Zealand golf clubs to go casual

in bid to attract new members

By PHIL HAMILTON
New Zealand's most exclusive golf clubs will relax their dress codes as part of a drive to attract new members.
The new dress standards will not exactly be heading into the rough, but among the proposals are allowing players to wear shirts without collars. After all, even Tiger Woods does that.
The lower dress standards for beginners and juniors are part of a New Zealand Golf initiative, called Golf Nation, to stop falling membership putting financial pressure on clubs.
A Golf Nation roadshow will be presented to Christchurch clubs next month at Russley.
Despite having one of the healthier rolls in the city with 1050 members, Russley has budgeted for a shortfall of $78,000 this year, with its golfing income outweighed by expenses.
General manager Rod Gordon said the number of male members, who pay $985 annually at Russley, had gradually declined.
"We're not in dire straits; it's just representative of the difficulties clubs are experiencing," he said.
"In fact, we're better off than most. But because of different lifestyles now, people are playing more casual golf, where they pay green fees."
As part of the Golf Nation initiative, clubs must commit to requirements that include relaxing dress codes for juniors and beginners, having nine-hole membership and allocating tee times for golfers from other clubs. The initiative will also allow golfers to play free at clubs similar to their own.
Gordon said Russley would probably remove the sign at the entrance that spelt out dress requirements such as a collared shirt, no jeans, no beach shorts and no track pants .
"It's all about trying to remove the image of being stuffy," he said.
New Zealand Golf has also recommended that clubs increase their green fees.
"When you do the sums, members are paying not much less than what a green-fee players pays, so there's less incentive to join," Gordon said.
Waitikiri manager Ron McPhail said members, who pay $890 for a full men's membership, would be keen on being able to play free at other courses in the same band.
"I would bet my bottom dollar every tee time at certain clubs would be snapped up pretty quickly," he said.
Christchurch Golf Club manager Struan Cain said membership at the Shirley course, which costs $1500, was down on previous years and the club was keen to embrace Golf Nation.
He said the club would be happy to relax its dress code, although he thought members would probably draw the line at the wearing of jeans being permissible.

DAVID SCOTT MOVES FROM KINGSBARNS
TO BE GOLF MANAGER FOR THE DUKE’S

PRESS RELEASE
One of the most influential figures in Scottish golf returns to his native St Andrews this summer to take on a key role at the Home of Golf.
David Scott, who has established an outstanding nationwide reputation as both player and administrator, has been appointed course manager at The Duke’s, attached to the Old Course Hotel Golf Resort & Spa.
As a player he represented Great Britain and Ireland in the 1990 PGA Cup Match against the American club professionals at Kiawah Island in South Carolina and was previously runner-up to Brian Barnes in the British Club Professional Championship. He also served as Captain of the Scottish PGA and is currently Vice Chairman of the Scottish Region.
He played a major part as a member of the management team in the establishment of the renowned Kingsbarns Golf Links, widely acclaimed as one of Scotland’s finest courses and much in demand by golf pilgrims from all over the world.
David served as Director of Golf at Kingsbarns until his present appointment and explains his guiding philosophy thus: “In any challenge I undertake, I am determined to give it my all and succeed”.
He served initially as assistant professional at Blairgowrie, then took over five years later as head professional at the 4-star Letham Grange Resort in Abroath.
It was a rewarding partnership and during his nine year tenure, a growing public awareness of the resort led to an increase in corporate golf activity with much business from the oil market of Aberdeen.
David subsequently took on a new challenge as Head Professional at Balbirnie Park on the outskirts of Glenrothes, looking after the golfing needs of 950 members and during his time here attended Glenrothes College and qualified in Business Studies.
During a distinguished career he has been awarded Advanced Fellow membership of the PGA and has been invited to apply for Master Professional status in 2008.To complete his comprehensive range of golf abilities David has also passed the Royal and Ancient School for Referees examination.
He sees an efficient and helpful front-of-house staff as vital to the success of a golf resort and says: “Getting staff engaged in their jobs to look after customers is high on my list of priorities. Much of my attention has been on delivering a quality experience for golfers, through hard work and enthusiasm, to make each day a memorable one for all who visit.”

Course architect Pete Dye heads World
Golf Hall of Fame Class of 2008

Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. (May 6, 2008) – Renowned golf course architect Pete Dye will be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame on Monday, Nov. 10, as part of the Class of 2008. Dye, selected in the Lifetime Achievement Category, was on hand at the Players' Championship today for the announcement.
“I am surprised and extremely honored to be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame and to be included with those who have contributed to the game I love,” Dye said.
Dye is one of the most influential golf course architects of the modern era with more than 120 courses to his credit, many of which have hosted numerous US PGA Tour and LPGA events, major championships, a Ryder Cup and a Solheim Cup.
His work includes such famed courses as the Players' Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass, site of this week’s Players' Championship; Harbour Town Golf Links; a design with Jack Nicklaus; Crooked Stick in Carmel, Indiana ; PGA West at LaQuinta in Palm Springs, California; Whistling Straits and Blackwolf Run in Kohler , Wisconsin and the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island, South Carolina.
The courses Dye designed consistently rank among the top courses in the country—many in the top 10—according to major golf publications like Golf Digest, Golf Magazine and Golfweek.
A past president of the American Society of Golf Course Architects (GCSAA), Dye has an Honorary Doctorate in landscape architecture from Purdue University and has received several awards throughout his career, including the 1995 Donald Ross Award from the American Society of Golf Course Architects (ASGCA), 2003 Old Tom Morris Award from the GCSAA, 2004 PGA Distinguished Service Award and the 2005 PGA TOUR Lifetime Achievement Award.
“Pete’s impact as a modern golf course designer is indisputable,” said Timothy W. Finchem, PGA TOUR Commissioner. “His designs are fixtures on the PGA TOUR schedule as they present the world’s best players a challenging, yet fair test of golf and often help provide drama to our tournaments.”
Born on December 29, 1925 in Urbana, Ohio, Dye was a respected amateur who won the 1958 Indiana State Amateur Championship and the Indianapolis District Championship. He played in The Western Amateur and five USGA Amateur Championships, as well as the 1957 U.S. Open and 1963 Amateur Championship.
Following time in the United States Army's 82nd Airborne during World War II, Dye attended Rollins College , which is where he met his wife of 58 years, Alice.
Dye lives in Delray Beach , Florida and Carmel , Indiana and continues to add to his resume of golf courses. Projects currently underway include the Tournament Players Club in San Antonio , Texas , and French Lick Resort, French Lick, Ind. —where there is an additional course by Donald Ross, which hosted the 1923 PGA Championship won by Walter Hagen.
“Pete Dye’s impact and influence as an architect is among the most far-reaching the sport has known,” said Jack Peter, the Hall of Fame’s COO and Senior Vice President. “Pete will join the likes of Donald Ross, Robert Trent Jones, Sr. and Alister MacKenzie on a very short list of golf course architects in the Hall of Fame who have left an indelible mark on the landscape of the game.”
Dye was selected by the World Golf Foundation Board of Directors Selection Committee. Additional members of the 2008 Class of Inductees will be announced at the United States Open at Torrey Pines and The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale.
The 2008 World Golf Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will take place on Monday, November 10, at 6 p.m. on the Hall of Fame Lawn at World Golf Village in St. Augustine , Florida.
For more information about the ceremony, visit www.wgv.com .

The Scottish Golf Union's new custom-built administration headquarters at The Duke's Course, St Andrews (image by Cal Carson Golf Agency, all rights reserved).

America names April 16
as National Golf Day

By DAVID SHEFTER
United States Golf Association
Golf is bigger than the motion-picture and video industry, bigger than newspaper publishing and exceeds revenues from professional and semi-professional spectator sports combined.
Fay
Such were the staggering numbers released this week at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., when April 16 was declared National Golf Day by a bipartisan Congressional resolution sponsored by U.S. Representatives John Mica (R-Florida) and Ron Klein (D-Florida).
National Golf Day was supported by all the chief leaders of golf organizations in this country, including USGA Executive Director David Fay; PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem; PGA of America Chief Executive Officer Joe Steranka; CEO of the World Golf Foundation Steve Mona; CEO of The First Tee Joe Louis Barrow Jr.; and Deputy Commissioner of the LPGA Tour Libba Galloway.
It was also supported by the representatives from the National Golf Course Owners Association; Club Managers Association of America; National Golf Course Owners Association; Society of Golf Course Architects; and Golf Course Superintendents Association of America.
According to a comprehensive study, the 2005 Golf Economy Report, commissioned by the World Golf Foundation’s GOLF 20/20 and recently completed by SRI International, the U.S. golf industry generated $76 billion in direct economic impact, up significantly from the $62 billion from 2000.
The five-year growth of approximately $14 billion represents an annual growth of 4.1 percent, which is well ahead of the annual inflation rate of 2.5 percent from 2000-2005.
“We all know that golf is a great game,” said Fay, who also is the Chairman of the World Golf Foundation. “It’s a great game to play, [and] it’s a great game to watch. But one of the messages that we have come to Washington to deliver is not only is it a great game, but it is a meaningful industry, it’s a meaningful business. And you can feel that in terms of the economic impact, you can feel it in terms of the environmental impact and lastly you can feel it in terms of the human impact.”
Initiatives such as Play Golf America, which is supported by all the major golf organizations including the USGA, have played a role in introducing game to more people, and more important, keep them in a sport they can enjoy for the rest of their lives.
Last year, PGA of America member Dan Rooney created Patriot Golf Day to help raise money for families who lost a loved one during the recent military conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Through the support of the USGA and PGA of America, Rooney’s project took place at some 3,000 golf facilities, raising $1.1 million to help pay for college for the sons, daughters and spouses of these fallen soldiers.
Joe Estes, another PGA professional, has led the Wounded Warriors program that helps injured soldiers, many of whom are amputees, enjoy the game of golf despite their disability. Steranka described one amputee having the ability to drive a golf ball 260 yards.
On the environmental side, the golf industry has taken a leadership role as a sound steward to ensure less water and pesticides are used to irrigate courses. Mona, who was the CEO of the Golf Course Superintendents Association for 14 years, pointed out that only 0.5 percent of the 408 billion gallons of water consumed each day actually is used on golf courses.
In fact, more than 12 percent of all courses use recycled water and less than 15 percent of courses use municipal water.
“A lot of people perceive that golf is new to this ‘green’ movement,” said Mona. “But the fact is0that golf has been involved in what we term the ‘green’ movement for 2½ decades.”
And on the human side, golf generated $3.5 billion in 2005 for charitable organizations. The USGA alone has given more than $59 million since announcing its For the Good of the Game Grants Initiative in 1997 and is the largest single contributor to The First Tee.
Golf’s professional tours contribute $130 million annually to charities such as St. Jude’s Hospital and Homes for Dysfunctional Families, which receive monies from the PGA Tour’s Stanford St. Jude Championship in Memphis, Tenn., and the EDS Byron Nelson Championship in Irving, Texas, respectively.
“Golf is truly the unique platform for charitable giving and it has done so over the years,” said Finchem. “The values that golf represents that we teach to our kids through the game, create this feeling of giving back. And secondly, golf in and of itself lends itself to giving and charitable activities."
But the monies generated don’t really tell the story of what the dollars do to impact people. Broadening the game to juniors, women and minorities have long been key targets for these organizations.
Throughout the month of June, golf courses around the country will offer women free golf lessons and golf-related networking and social activities through the LPGA’s Women’s Golf Month initiative.
In terms of making the game more affordable, Steranka pointed out that a family of four can still enjoy a round of golf for less money than attending a professional sporting event.
“The average price of a round of golf is $12,” said Steranka. “I know there are places in Florida where I live that offer free golf to juniors during the off-season (summer months).”
Globally, the USGA and PGA Tour are working hard in an attempt to get golf back on the Olympic program for 2016, a place it hasn’t been since the 1904 Games in St. Louis. The International Olympic Committee will discuss adding or deleting any new sports in the fall of 2009. The feeling is if golf does back into the Games, it could go a long way in developing the game in many countries where the sport still is in its infancy stage.
Certain logistics, of course, would need to be worked out, especially in terms of possible scheduling conflicts with major championships and other big tournaments. But Finchem believes these obstacles can be overcome.
“The decision will be made next year and the IOC has indicated several time that they are very interested,” said Finchem, who blogged this week on pgatour.com about his strong feelings for adding golf to the Olympics.
“But the IOC has their own bureaucracy and their own process to work through. They have a constitution that says if you are going to accept a new sport, you have to drop a sport. But I think we are prepared to work together in interfacing with the IOC to deal with our issues and give it our best chance.”
The International Golf Federation, which conducts the biennial World Amateur Team Championships, has been pushing to have golf back in the Games, and with the professional tours offering support, that process can move forward.
“The good news is that each of those seven cities [bidding for the 2016 Games] could handle golf,” said Fay, a joint secretary for the IGF along with the Royal and Ancient’s Peter Dawson. “The good news is that golf would not require the building of a new stadium. The good news is that golf is a sport that lends itself to Paralympics competition.”
A study conducted by the USGA and R&A of its IGF member countries came back overwhelmingly in support of having golf in the Olympics.
“If golf does become an Olympic sport,” said Fay, “that would be the greatest act in terms of jump-starting the growth of the sport in our countries, in terms of possible revenue it could get from the IOC, in terms of possible revenue it could get from its national Olympic bodies and even in some cases, the government themselves.
"There’s a lot of work to be done, but I think we are all eager to put our shoulder to the stone.”
**David Shefter is a USGA staff writer. E-mail him with questions or comments at dshefter@usga.org.

Get a grip ... but which one?

FROM THE GOLF.COM WEBSITE
By CURT SAMPSON
Vardon, interlocking or 10-finger. Strong, weak or neutral. For every Tour pro, the seemingly simple act of holding a golf club contains a story.
The grip is golf's most profound fundamental. All of the game's contradictions — simultaneous demands for control and release, delicacy and power — are contained in the hands. Nothing is as vital, as subtle or as kingdom-unlocking. There is Zen in the grip.
There's also a good chance that there's something wrong with the way you hold the club. Harvey Penick was a gold mine on the subject. "If you don't have a good grip, you don't want to play good golf," he said. And, "I can go on talking about the grip until it's too deep for even me to understand."
Plainly, the simple act of holding a club is an art, and hands that do it well resemble Da Vinci drawings. But there's bad art too, even among the best players.
LPGA Hall of Famer Judy Rankin guaranteed herself a hook with a left hand so strong (that is, with the thumb to the right of centre) that it was almost upside down.
David Duval and Paul Azinger close the club face with similar strangleholds, while Fred Couples flips it open.
Former Open champion Todd Hamilton tries to engineer a fade by having the grips on his clubs turned a bit to the right.
J.L. Lewis insists on having his compressed exactly a quarter of an inch, so that they're 10 1/4" in length instead of 10 1/2".
Some players like the thicker rubber of the .580-inch diameter grip; others prefer the .600s. (We're talking about the diameter of the hole at the end of the grip, of course, not the width on the outside, which is the same for either grip.)
They play around with the tape underneath — build-ups under the right hand, for example, or more wraps to remove the taper. They're sensitive as surgeons, some of them, so we asked 10 heirs of Harry Vardon for their gripping tales.

MORE DELAY FOR TRUMP

PROJECT: PUBLIC INQUIRY

WON'T BE HELD

UNTIL OCTOBER

FROM TODAY'S PRESS & JOURNAL
By CAMERON BROOKS
Donald Trump will have to wait until October for a decision on his controversial £1b illiaon golf resort plans.
The Scottish Government announced yesterday that the issue will be decided by a public local inquiry.
Finance Secretary John Swinney claimed the move will give all parties for and against the proposals for the Menie Eastate (pictured right) near Balmedie in Aberdeenshire the opportunity to state their case.
But the US tycoon last night expressed surprised over the inquiry and warned: "Nobody is going to invest in Scotland."
Mr Trump also revealed he know of companies that had already been put off by the controversy.
Announcing his decision, Mr Swinning said: "This application raises issues of imiportance that required consideration at a national level. Given the nature of this major and controversial application and the considerable public interest, it is important that the process to examine the issues is as efficient, transparent and inclusive as possible."
The Scottish Government will now appoint a Reporter to lead the inquiry. It will look at issues highlighted by Aberdeenshire Council which rejected the plans on November 29. They include the scheme's scale and the impact on sand dunes in a site of special scientific interest.
Mr Swinning has asked the Directorate for Planning and Environmental Appeals to convene an early meeting of all parties involved to discuss a time frame.
"I am determined that there should be no unnecessary delay in considering this application and will make my decision within 28 days of receiving the DPEA report," he said.
Mr Trump said: "I love the idea of a public hearing but what is the prupose? They already had hearings. I have one of the most popular developments in Scotland and yet we can't seem to get it approved. It's an amazing phenomenon.
"The sad part is it is telling people not to invest in Scotland. Nobody is going to invest in Scotland . If you have such a popular project and it still goes through years of stuff, it is ridiculous."
He criticised the planning process, saying: "It is too long a process. The process is too long and too unwieldy. "
Aberdeen Labour MSP Lewis Macdonald said he was "astonished" by the inquiry decision. "If ministers knew there had to be an inquiry, they should have announced it in December," he added.
"The whole point of calling it in was to save time and to make sure that the developer did not just walk away.
Mr Trump's right-hand man, George Sorial, said he hoped the meeting would be held very soon as for every day there was inactiviy at the Menie Estate, the organisation was losing money.
"Time and delay are real issues for us but there has been an overwhelming number of phone calls, letters and E-mails and personal visits from Aberdonians and Scots in general," he added.
"That has had a trmendous impact on our decision to really stick it out and fight for what Mr Trump is really passionate about and believes in."

Press Release

Monty Impressed with Progress in Bahrain

Growing up on the links in Scotland, Colin Montgomerie has played golf’s finest courses, and he is now set on designing a few of his own. In a recent visit to Riffa Views in the Kingdom of Bahrain Montgomerie carried out an inspection of the progress of his desert course.

Montgomerie’s role is integral to the overall project, and he expressed his delight with Braemar-Nass and how well its construction team is progressing: “Being the first of its kind in Bahrain, Riffa Views Golf Course will add a new dimension to golf in the Middle East. I am positive it will become a popular destination for the residents of Riffa Views, local players and golf tourists. The course is shaping up well and I am impressed by the attention to detail and expert input from the team on the ground.”

The ground team is managed by Braemar-Nass’s Golf Courses Director Jonathan Pendry. Pendry was gratified with Colin’s statement of confidence citing, “Riffa Views is Braemar-Nass’s first project in the Middle East, and we have demonstrated our understanding of Colin’s vision and our ability to execute in this part of the world.” During his visit, Montgomerie, along with his chief architect Robin Hiseman conducted a thorough inspection of the four newly grassed holes that completes the front nine. Montgomerie and Hiseman overwhelmingly awarded their stamps of approval to Braemar-Nass and to Project Manager Martin Champion.

Champion and his team of construction specialists don’t plan to rest on their laurels. “It was a real highlight for the team to receive Colin’s praise, but our focus now is to finish the holes on the back nine with the same degree of precision.”

Riffa View’s CEO Richard Browning feels that, “Having Colin involved in the development lends integrity to the golf course and an international appeal to the signature lifestyle we offer. Riffa Views Signature Estates is a spectacular community in the Kingdom of Bahrain offering luxury homes amidst amenities that include an international school, restaurants, and shopping. At the centre of the development are 27 holes of Montgomerie-inspired golf featuring an 18-hole championship course and a nine-hole executive course.

TRUMP MANAGING DIRECTOR GIVES A
TIME LIMIT WARNING FOR APPROVAL

FROM THE HERALD SPORTS WEBSITE
By KEVIN SCHOFIELD
A senior adviser to Donald Trump yesterday rejected accusations of "sleaze" over their £1bn golf resort plans - and threatened to scrap the project if it is not given the green light within the next 12 months.
George Sorial, the Trump Organisation's managing director for international development, told MSPs they would "walk away" and build the leisure and housing complex, planned for the Menie Estate in Aberdeenshire, in another country.
Mr Sorial's warning came as he gave evidence to Holyrood's Local Government and Communities Committee, which is holding an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the Scottish Government's decision to "call in" the plans, thereby giving ministers the final say on whether it goes ahead.
During angry exchanges, the American lawyer also claimed the committee inquiry was contributing to delays.
Mr Sorial insisted that the Trump Organisation had abided by the planning rules at every stage.

ABERDEENSHIRE COUNCILLORS SUPPORT
BLAIRS GOLF DESIGN BY PAUL LAWRIE

FROM THE SCOTSMAN GOLF WEBSITE
A controversial golf resort designed by Paul Lawrie, the 1999 Open champion, was yesterday backed by councillors in Aberdeenshire.
In the local authority's first major planning decision since the Trump fiasco, members of its Kincardine and Mearns area committee voted in favour of the £115 million proposal.
The Muir Group wants to turn the estate of the historic Blairs Seminary, sited on designated green-belt land in the Dee Valley, into a luxury hotel, golf course and residential development of 280 homes.

Press Release

R&A PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR CAPE
VERDE DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE

The R&A are to provide funding and support for the first golf development initiative in Cape Verde. The archipelago of islands off the west coast of Africa is set to become the next golf and tourism hotspot with several golf resorts planned as part of the country’s development initiative.
In a joint initiative with Cape Verde Development, PGA Golf Management and the PGA, The R&A have committed to provide financial support for an initial two-year period for the training of the first Cape Verdian to attain a PGA coaching qualification.
Chosen to head the delivery of the golf development programme in Cape Verde is 23-year-old Litson Amador dos Reis. Litson is from the island of Sao Vicente and plays off a handicap of one. He will undergo training at the St Andrews Links Golf Academy, where PGA Golf Management deliver instruction services on behalf of St Andrews Links Trust, before taking his PGA Level 1 coaching qualification in Scotland later this month.
Litson plays his golf on the sand course at Club Golfe de Sao Vicente, currently the only golf course in Cape Verde, founded in 1893 and now the oldest sports association in Cape Verde. He started playing golf at the age of nine and today plays regularly with his father, three brothers and four sisters, who still live on Sao Vicente.
Sao Vicente is to be the location for the Baia das Gatas resort, one of two golf resort projects being developed by Cape Verde Development. The resort features a Nikki Beach Hotel, an 18- hole golf course designed by Ernie Els, a PGA National Golf Academy, marina and residential developments.
The initiative is being driven by PGA Golf Management, the golf services and management company. PGAGM have been appointed to provide technical services and manage the golf facilities at Baia das Gatas as well as Calheta Bay, the second Cape Verde Development resort on the island of Sal, featuring a PGA National golf course designed by Ernie Els.
Neil Coulson, Operations Manager for PGA Golf Management, commented: “Through a combination of funding and support from both The R&A and Cape Verde Development, the aim is for Litson to achieve PGA coaching qualifications and work with us, in delivering golf development programmes, thus introducing many more residents of Cape Verde to the game.
Duncan Weir, Director of Golf Development for The R&A, stated: “PGA Golf Management made us aware of the type of work they undertake, often in emerging golf markets, and we felt that by providing some funding we could actually support a long-term golf development process. We look forward to meeting Litson when he is in St Andrews and to hearing about the various activities, including working with local schools, to help grow the game amongst Cape Verdians”.
Tom Sheehy, Managing Director of Cape Verde Development, added: “There is actually over 100 years of golfing history on Cape Verde and we want to provide opportunities for this to continue. We are thrilled with the support from The R&A which gives recognition to the programme that Litson will deliver”.
More information available on the following websites:
www.randa.com
http://www.capeverdedevelopment.com/index.asp
www.pgagm.com

THE RENAISSANCE CLUB AT ARCHERFIELD
- ANOTHER WAY OF FINANCING A
NEW, TOP-CLASS LINKS COURSE

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Those of us who live in the North-east of Scotland have become so saturated with Donald Trump's big-business concept that the construction of a new, first-class links golf course needs to be financed by the building of a village - or even a small town - next to it, that we tend to forget that wasn't always the way of things.
Nor does it have to be in the present day.
The Renaissance Club at Archerfield is a private members' club and course which is scheduled to open in April this year. There are some great courses on the Firth of Forth's East Lothian coastline and, by all accounts, American golf architect Tom Doak and his Renaissance Golf Design team have produced a worthy addition, with Muirfield on its left and Archerfield Links and the North Berwick course to its right.
Not that you or I are ever liable to play Scotland's newest course unless we are on good terms with one of the members who has paid £50,000 for the privilege!
It's a different kind of membership set-up from your usual golf club annual entrance fee and annual subscription.
If you want to read all about it, log on to The Renaissance Club at Archerfield website at http://www.trcaa.com/

FROM THE WEBSITE:

OVERVIEW
The Renaissance Club will consist of one eighteen-hole championship golf course designed by the renowned American architect Tom Doak, a state-of-the-art clubhouse built in a style traditional to Scotland, and 100 luxury lodge rooms available for renting by the day, week or longer periods by the membership and their guests. The Renaissance Club mission also includes the restoration of the historic designed landscape of the estate.
Archerfield Estate
The property is made up of approximately 300 acres situated along the coastline of the Firth of Forth, east of Edinburgh. At one time it made up a considerable portion of the 1000 acres of Archerfield Estate, a famous and historic property that includes an old manor home from the 17th century. This property is literally the only portion of the estate that still remains the natural windswept dunes common to the links terrain along this coastline. This is because a dense pine forest protected it from the plough whereas the rest of the estate was heavily tilled and leveled over the decades.
The property is bordered to the west by the lands and golf course of The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, known around the world as Muirfield. To the east is the development by Caledonian Heritable -Archerfield Links Golf Club - a private members club with two golf courses of its own.
Close to the eastern edge of the estate is the famous links of North Berwick. In fact, when The Renaissance Club golf course is completed, there will be virtually an unending chain of links courses, including Gullane, Luffness to the west of Muirfield that stretches for miles and miles along the East Lothian coastline.
The entire property is of great historic interest to Scotland, and this is why its restoration was a prerequisite in the planning approvals for both Caledonian and The Renaissance Club. The area is also considered a “green belt” zone along the coast, normally prohibited from development. Renaissance received its development approvals and exceptions for golf and lodging to help it fund the improvements and restoration to the original designed landscape of the estate.
The Renaissance Club property is controlled via trust by Hamilton & Kinneil (1987) Ltd (“H & K 1987”), a company representing the interests of the members of Duke of Hamilton’s family and H & K (Archerfield) Ltd, both companies controlled by Family Trusts.
The Duke and Duchess will retain their residence of the Home Farm on the southern boundary of the property. The land for the golf and lodging development by The Renaissance Club at Archerfield has been leased to The Renaissance Club for 99 years by H & K (1987).

ABERDEENSHIRE COUNCIL GIVES
TRUMP GREEN LIGHT AND
PASSES VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE
IN MARTIN FORD



FROM THE Guardian Unlimited WEBSITE:
The Scottish council which had previously thrown out the application for Donald Trump's controversial £2bn golf complex in Scotland has given it the green light after the Scottish Executive stepped in.
However, despite the council's U-turn, the final decision will still ultimately lie with the Scottish Cabinet Secretary, John Swinney, after the planning application was "called in", following an outcry over the initial rejection.
Aberdeenshire councillors gave the US property developer's proposals for a 566-hectare site in Balmedie, between Aberdeen and Ellon, their "full support" at a special meeting and sacked the chair of the council's infrastructure services committee who had used his casting vote to block the plans.
A motion of no confidence in Cllr Martin Ford was passed by 26 votes to 10, with 29 councillors abstaining, the council said in a statement.
The planning application from Trump International Golf Links Scotland includes two championship golf courses, a five-star hotel, a golf academy, almost 1,000 holiday homes and 500 private houses.
The Scottish Government said last week it was intervening because the project was too important to be dealt with by a local council.
The director of the project, Neil Hobday, pictured above, said he felt vindicated by the council's decision.
"For us, it is a validation or affirmation and it did not surprise us as we have support of the people of this region and I think the politicians who are representing them listened," he said.
Trump threatened last week to move the course to Northern Ireland if necessary, even though he had originally said the development would be "in honour of my mother" who grew up in Stornoway.
Local business leaders have said the project would be a huge investment for the area, but environmentalists raised concerns over its potential impact on sand dunes.

Sensational twist in the Menie Estate saga

SALMOND CALLS THE SHOTS:

SCOTLAND'S GOVERNMENT

WILL DECIDE WHETHER

TRUMP GETS GO-AHEAD

Scotland's SNP Government has taken the bull by the horns and intervened in the Donald Trump International Golf Links saga.
In an unprecedented move, Alex Salmond, pictured right, has intervened and called in the American billionaire's application to build two links courses, one four-story hotel and the best part of 1,000 holiday homes and apartments on the Menie Estate, Balmedie off the Aberdeen to Ellon road.
This means that the Scottish Government will decide if he is given the go-ahead or not.
Last week, on the casting vote of an avowed Green conservationist, Trump was denied planning permission.
A statement from the Scottish Government said: "Ministers recognise that the application raises issues of importance that require consideration at a national level. Calling the application in allows ministers the opportunity to give full scrutiny to all aspects of this proposal before reaching a final decision."
Alex Salmond and his Cabinet decided on their drastic intervention after Northern Ireland's First Minister, Ian Paisley, revealed that he was making contact personally with Trump to offer him virtually the freedom of Ulster to build what he liked, where he liked.
"Of course we welcome any one who wants to invest in Northern Ireland and who has an interest, in creating jobs, making money and developing our tourist industry."
Aberdeenshire Council leader Anne Robertson welcomed the decision by the Scottish Government.
She said: "What is important in all this is securing the economic future of the North-east of Scotland. The Scottish Government quite rightly feels this application raises issues of such importance that they require scrutiny at a national level.
"If the decision of ministers to call this application in keeps it alive, then we welcome this intervention."
Nanette Milne, Conservative MSP for North-east Scotland, said: "This issue is of enormous importance, to the economy not only of the North-east but of Scotland as a whole. Given this magnitude, it is right that it should be decided nationally by ministers, and not by a council committee comprising 14 members."

ST ANDREWS BAY EXAMPLE TO DONALD
TRUMP AND HIS COHORTS

What happens next in the Donald Trump International Links saga?
Will there be an appeal against the casting vote of the chairman of the Aberdeenshire committee that turned down the New York billionaire's plans to build two golf courses, a four-storey hotel and enough housing to create a small town on the Menie Estate?
If the example of St Andrews Bay is anything to go by, Trump and his cohorts should stick with it.
It is often forgotten, although it is only eight years ago that the plan to build a £50 million hotel and two golf courses on the clifftops to the south of St Andrews was, in the first place, rejected by the development committee of Fife Council.
A few months later in 1999, the position was reversed and developer Don Panoz was given the green light.
Opponents had claimed the development would turn the area into a theme park and that planning consent went against local structure and transport plans.
Where are those oppponents now?
Fairmont St Andrews - its new name - is now one of the most successful hotel/golf course developments to be opened certainly within Scotland but arguably within the British Isles in the last decade. It is a asset to the tourist industry in the Kingdom of Fife.
Of course, there is a lingering question. If a hotel and two golf courses can be a a viable concern at Fairmont St Andrews, why does Donald Trump need to build an even bigger hotel plus 1,000 holiday homes, apartments and villas to make his two-course plan a money-making venture?

Stewart Spence (pictured right), owner of
The Marcliffe at Pitfodels Hotel and a
former Royal Aberdeen Golf Club
champion, has sent out the following
E-mail:



"No doubt, as you can all imagine, I am flabbergasted, shocked and now very angry at yesterday's horrendous decision regarding the Trump Development.
"Please, could I encourage you to send a short E-mail to George Sorial for passing on to Donald Trump to encourage him to stay the course and go for the appeal.
"This is vitally important as I believe if it goes to appeal it can be successful but obviously we need to convince Mr Trump that this is the correct thing to do.
"I would really encourage you to send an e-mail to the following address: gsorial@trumporg.com
Thanks very much.
Stewart Spence

TRUMP'S PLAN GETS THUMBS DOWN FROM
ABERDEENSHIRE COUNCIL

Donald Trump's application to build two golf courses, a 450-bedroom hotel and umpteen villas and holiday homes on the Menie Estate at Balmedie was turned down by the Aberdeenshire Council's infrastructure committee earlier today - on the casting vote of the chairman after a 7-7 deadlock.
Trump aide George Sorial argued that the decision was bad news for the region's economy.
"It is our position that the council has failed to adequately represent the voice and opinion of the people of Aberdeen and the shire who are ultimately the losers here."
He added: "I think it sends out a devastating message that if you want to do big business, don't do it in the north-east of Scotland."
Mr Trump, speaking from his New York office, said he was very disappointed at the decision but refused to comment on whether he would now appeal to the Scottish Office.

TRUMP INTERNATIONAL ABERDEEN COULD BECOME MAGNET FOR THE RICH

AND THE FAMOUS

FROM THE DAILY TELEGRAPH WEBSITE

By ROBERT PHILIP
Donald Trump's arrival on Scottish soil has been frequently likened to that of Texan oil tycoon Felix Happer in the Hollywood movie Local Hero. But whereas Burt Lancaster's character was ultimately persuaded to allow the fictional village of Ferness to remain unspoiled by relocating his refinery offshore, Trump is determined to transform 2½ miles of 4,000-year-old coastal sand dunes into a championship links in his quest for golfing glory.
"We have the land to do it," he says of the Menie Estate (pictured above) in Aberdeenshire, "and I'm willing to spend the money to make it the finest course of its kind anywhere in the world."
As befitting the character of a man whose stated ambition is to eclipse St Andrews, Muirfield, Royal Troon, Carnoustie, and Turnberry (I could expand my net south) by staging an Open Championship, this new venture will not be called Balmedie to reflect its location on the North Sea coast, but the grandiose-sounding Trump International, Aberdeen (there is also a Trump International, Canouan Island, in the Grenadines) as opposed to the three Trump National courses in Westchester, New York, Bedminster, New Jersey, and Los Angeles, California.
As anyone who has seen the Trump Tower on Manhattan's Fifth Avenue, the Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort in Atlantic City or the Trump National Golf Course, Bedminster, where the 13th green sits in front of a 101-foot infinity waterfall, here is a man who does not 'do' understated; consequently, Trump International, Aberdeen, will cost £1 billion and comprise two championship courses, a golf academy, 950 holiday homes, 500 private houses and a 450-room five-star hotel.
The advantages to the area in terms of employment and tourism are obvious, but just as happened in 'Ferness' (the street scenes in Local Hero, incidentally, were actually shot in the village of Pennan, just a few miles away from the proposed Trump International, Aberdeen) some of the locals are restless. Conservation groups including the RSPB Scotland and the Scottish Wildlife Trust are concerned that the complex will have a detrimental effect on animals and their rare sand dune habitat.
Trump, of course, has a different perspective. "It's going to mean jobs for the north-east which brings economic benefit. And all this is going to be around long after the oil has gone."
Felix Happer experiences an epiphany that results in him opting for an observatory rather than a refinery after forging a friendship with beachcomber Ben Knox (Fulton Mackay) on the silver screen, but Trump has yet to find a kindred spirit in local salmon fisherman Malcolm Forbes, who stubbornly refuses to sell his 23 acres on the edge of the planned development. The Forbes' family home, say the Trump camp, is a scruffy plot of land with a ramshackle house - scruffy and ramshackle it may be, but, according to reports, Mr Forbes rejected an offer of £1 million for his land by telling Trump to "stick your money".
With a Saltire and a sign protesting 'No Golf Course!' just a few hundred yards from where members and visitors will drive into the complex down Trump Boulevard, the thwarted mogul finally lost patience when he fumed: "Take a look and see how badly maintained the property is. It's disgusting. There are rusty tractors, rusty oil cans. . ."
Beauty being in the eye of the beholder, across the lane the mobile home belonging to Mr Forbes' 83-year-old mother, Molly, is named 'Paradise'. Oh, how The Donald (as one of his former wives, Ivana, called him) must wish he can stare at the Forbes across his boardroom table and bark: "You're fired!"
Trump's own late mother, Mary Macleod, was born in the village of Tong outside Stornoway before leaving the island of Lewis in 1930 for a new life in New York, where she met property developer Fred Trump at a dance. Mary Trump died in 2000 at the age of 88 having bequeathed her "passionate Scottishness" upon her son who devotes an entire section to his family history on the Trump International, Aberdeen website.

"That's why, after looking at 211 rival sites around the world," he says, "I really wanted this to be built in Scotland. Mary Macleod was seriously Scots.
"When I first saw this piece of land I was overwhelmed by the imposing dunes and rugged Aberdeenshire coastline. I'd never seen such an unspoilt and dramatic seaside landscape. It's the perfect location."
Although Trump is a great fan of traditional links golf, it is safe to assume his new venture will be out of the ordinary one way or another. When golf.com sought the opinions of a number of panellists about his earlier designs, the results were, let's say, 'mixed':
"I've played Trump National in Florida and found it like its owner - extravagant, over the top and self-indulgent. . ."
"The design at Westchester is natural and classic. . ."
"I played Trump's Florida course and felt like I was in Disneyland. Too many gimmicks. . ."
"Given my preferences in golf - natural, traditional, low-key - and my distaste for The Donald's self-promoting ways, I was hell bent on hating the Florida course even before I saw it. But the course was excellent, it reminded me a great deal of Shadow Creek. . ."
"The gaudy front gate at Florida set the tone for the experience, exhibiting the taste of a Colombian drug lord. . ."
Trump can afford to shut his ears to any criticism. "My Florida course is the best in the state and the Trump National LA is better than Pebble Beach [which will stage its fifth US Open in 2010 and is the No 1 course in America, in the opinion of many experts]. I love Pebble Beach but even other people who love it tell me that Trump LA is superior. I have 3,000 acres and 2.5 miles of ocean - ocean, not bay. Every single hole has ocean views. What Pebble Beach has is history and some day Trump LA will have history - though I might not be around to see that day."
A close friend of fellow golf 'nuts' Prince Andrew and Sir Sean Connery (who has been offered membership number 007), it is safe to presume that the helicopter pad at Trump International, Aberdeen will become a magnet to the rich and famous, such as Bill Clinton and Michael Jordan, two of his regular golfing cronies.
Being one of the most powerful men in America allows Trump, who plays off a handicap of four, to pick and choose his partners. "I like to play with someone who can share a joke on the course. You can never forget that playing golf might be a passion but it's a hobby, it's not what I do to make a living.
"That's why Bill Clinton is such great company on the golf course. He's a pretty amazing player for someone who doesn't get to play that often. We talk a bit of golf, a bit of politics. He's a very interesting guy to be with. A lot of people are great players but not such great company. You learn a lot about people when you play golf with them."
As Donald Trump is fond of saying: "I like thinking big. If you're going to be thinking anything, you might as well think big."
Love it or loathe it, Trump International, Aberdeen is going to be the next big thing in golf.
http://sport.telegraph.co.uk/philip

ROBIN GALLOWAY CONS DONALD
TRUMP INTO OFFERING MICHAEL
FORBES A TWO-WEEK TIMESHARE

A radio presenter has told how he tricked property tycoon Donald Trump into offering a farmer opposed to his Scottish golf resort project a timeshare at his American headquarters.
Real Radio's Robin Galloway struck a deal with Mr Trump, pictured right, to offer Aberdeenshire farmer Michael Forbes a two-week annual timeshare at Trump Tower in return for the sale of his land.
Mr Forbes, whose land sits next to the site of Mr Trump's proposed £1 billion golf resort on the Menie Estate a few miles north of Aberdeen, has refused to sell his property to the Trump Organisation, which received outline planning permission for the complex earlier this week.
Mr Galloway, famed for his on-air wind-ups, posed as estate agent Hector Brocklebank of HB Real Estate when he called Mr Trump in New York. He explained he had been speaking to Mr Trump's right-hand man, George Sorial and that Mr Forbes had invited him to mediate on his behalf. Mr Galloway told the businessman that Mr Forbes was willing to "stand aside" in return for a yearly, two-week trip to the Big Apple for him and his wife.
When the disc jockey asked if there was any chance of doing a timeshare, Mr Trump replied: "I could do something like that...Yes, I'd be interested in that...I would take care of him for two weeks, I could do that."
After the Glasgow-based presenter came clean, Mr Trump took the prank in good spirit. "It was actually very funny," he said.
Mr Galloway said: "There is no doubt Donald is my greatest scalp, how ironic he wears a wig. I take that back - he was a great sport, though I did nearly fall off the seat when his PA said 'he's just finishing a call, can you hold'."
Mr Galloway, a presenter with the Glasgow-based radio station, is well-known for his wind-ups. Earlier this year he persuaded Paris Hilton to call the Hilton hotel in Glasgow and ask for a discounted rate.
Former First Minister Jack McConnell scuppered an attempt by Mr Galloway to wind him up when he intercepted a text message the presenter had sent to his wife Bridget.
The telephone call with Mr Trump will be aired on the Real Radio breakfast show on Monday.

DONALD TRUMP EXPLAINS WHY HE NEEDS
THE MONEY FROM BUILDING HOUSES
TO FINANCE THE GOLF COURSES

Nobody would complain about the building of not one but two "world-class" links courses on the Menie Estate, just north of Aberdeen.
It's the amount of accommodation that is going to surround the links that most North-east folkd find hard to understand.
What happened to the old idea of just building a golf course .... without houses round it. How were Royal Aberdeen and Murcar Links, to name but two, ever built?
Donald Trump has explained why his first Scottish golf development needs to include a housing element.
"It's very important that I do something that's environmentally sensitive and that really is very expensive," he said.
"And for us to do the job the way everybody wants it, that seemed to be the minimal programme that we needed in order to pay for all of this.
"When you take care of the land the way we are going to take care of the land you need some income coming in on the other side."
So now you know.

LOCAL AREA COUNCIL VOTE 7-4 IN FAVOUR
OF DONALD TRUMP LINKS PROJECT

The Donald Trump International Links project on the Menie Estate, a few miles north of Aberdeen, took a significant step forward this event when the local area council voted, by seven to four, in favour of granting outline planning permission.
Scroll down for a revealing look at the character of Donald Trump.

D-Day for Donald Trump International Links Project

Today is D-Day for the Donald Trump International Golf Links project on the Menie Estate, a few miles north of Aberdeen. The day that the Aberdeenshire Council will decide whether or not to grant planning permission not only for the building of two first-class links courses but also a multi-storey hotel and 900 houses/villas/apartments.

The following article about Donald Trump (pictured right) appeared in Sunday's issue of "The Observer" and is on "The Guardian Unlimited" website. It makes very interesting reading, especially for those who live in the immediate area.

YOU CAN'T HAVE A GOLF COURSE
WITHOUT THE HOUSES TO PAY
FOR IT, SAYS MEGA-RICH
DONALD TRUMP

By WILL BUCKLEY
First published in "The Observer"

It is a quirk of mega-business that ridiculously successful businessmen never realise the absurdity of their predicament. On and on and on they go, earning more and more and more money without ever pausing to consider whether they might have sufficient unto their needs. This ceaseless accumulation of unnecessary riches would, in a saner society, be seen as neurosis rather than apotheosis, but we live in strange times.
There is something unintentionally comic in all this fruitless striving and the King of Comedy is undoubtedly Donald Trump. Who but The Donald, as first wife Ivana referred to him, would give over an entire floor of the most expensive apartment in New York to housing his one-year-old son Barron, his fifth child but the first by his third wife Melania, and cover it in yellow damask?
Who but The Donald would count among his friends 'Sean C [Connery] and P Diddy'?
Who but The Donald would dedicate a chapter of Trump - The Art of The Comeback to the importance of pre-nuptial agreements, writing: 'I have learned that there is high maintenance and low maintenance. I want no maintenance'?
Who but The Donald would say about Princess Diana: 'I wish I'd had a chance to date her. Her skin was incredible'?
COMIC GENIUS
The man is, unconsciously, a comic genius and to be cherished, except, perhaps, when he starts taking things seriously. Two things are very important to the Trump - golf and his roots (both heir and hair).
'Having access to a golf course and being a good golfer is a huge asset in business and in life,' he says when we talk. 'It allows you to escape the turmoil of life, that's what makes golf so successful and beautiful.'
It also helps one to perfect the art that is the deal. 'I have done many deals on the golf course,' he says. 'You learn a lot about people on the golf course. For me, if I see someone moving the ball then the probability is that they will move the ball in business. If they drop the ball out of their pants... And then there are guys that would never ever think of moving a ball and they are that way in life, too.'
He plays off a handicap of four. 'I had it down to one but it is only going to go up as the clock ticks.'
Desperately keen to avoid The Donald becoming morbid, I ask him how many golf clubs he owns (as in whole shebang, not one iron, two iron, three iron.). 'I have five,' he replies. 'One in LA, which has two-and-a-half miles of ocean front. One in Palm Beach, which is the number-one-rated course in the state of Florida. Then Bedminster, which is built on the estate of John De Lorean and designed by Tom Fazio. Another one in Westchester, NY, and then one on Canouan Island in The Grenadines, which has been voted the best international course anywhere.'
The Los Angeles course ran into difficulties when, due to a combination of faulty plumbing and clunky bulldozers, the 18th hole fell into the Pacific Ocean. 'It cost $264 million, just for the golf course,' says Trump. Not his money, he hastens to add. 'What happened was that it was owned by a family for 70 years and the heirs, as is so often the case, blew it. Fairly big time. They went bankrupt and I was able to buy it from the banks who are friends of mine. Now it's rated higher than Pebble Beach.'
MOST AMBITIOUS
His sixth golf course - the Trump International Golf Links at Balmedie, near Aberdeen - is his most ambitious and is being built in honour of his mother, Mary Trump, who was born in a crofting settlement on the Isle of Lewis.
'I think golf is Scotland's gift to the world,' Trump says. 'You can build golf courses anywhere, but everyone knows that Scotland is the birthplace, not only of my mother, but golf.
'And the two-and-a-half miles of ocean frontage in Scotland. I think it allows me to build what will be the greatest golf course anywhere in the world. That piece of land is absolutely meant for what we are doing.'
Well, yes and no. It is true that golf has probably been played in the dunes for more than five centuries but it is also a site of Special Scientific Interest and one of the top five dune habitats in Britain.
It is not so much the golf course, although as Mickey Foote from Sustainable Aberdeenshire points out: 'He is building an artificial links course on a natural links course.' It is more the 500 private homes, 450-bedroom, 12-storey hotel and almost 1,000 holiday homes.
'What had successfully been popularised as a "golf course" by an extremely slick and media-savvy developer - with the unstinting assistance of a weak and fawning local press - is merely a hook on which to hang the largest residential settlement ever built on protected land,' says Foote. 'Will the last person to sell what remains of unspoiled Aberdeenshire order more cement?'
The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds have expressed concern that at least two species might be threatened by the development. A worry that Trump brushes aside with an attempt to make the moral high ground. 'Right now they shoot about 25,000 birds a year [it is currently a country estate],' says Trump. 'Twenty-five thousand birds, that's a lot of birds. The Royal Society of Birds (sic) are against this course, but there won't be any shooting of birds, only birdies and eagles. I walked over the land and there were all these carcasses. I couldn't believe it. Being a non-hunter - I hunt other things, not birds - I can't believe it.'
GATED COMMUNITY
Others, like Foote, can't believe that he seems set on establishing a gated community on such a windswept spot and spoil ing something that was unspoilt.
'We will stabilise the land so the dunes will always be there,' says Trump. 'And environmentally it will be far safer because we are planting Marin grass, which is the native grass.'
Foote is sceptical about 'dune stabilisation', pointing out that they seem to have stayed stable for many millennia without it and looks forward to watching Trump's attempts to grow Marin grass. 'I suppose the birds can always sit on the roof of his hotel to keep warm,' he says. 'That's right, Trump will be doing them a favour.'
His scepticism about Trump as a born-again environmentalist is well-founded.
At present, Trump is offering up portions of his cracker-barrel wisdom on the internet. 'It's not often that I reveal any of my hard-won success secrets for free,' he writes. 'However, today is different.'
And listed at number two on the hard-won secrets is: 'How to understand, respond to and make money from the "Greening of America"! (This ecologically conscious trend is something to seriously consider now... if... you want to profit from it in the coming years.)' Hoisted by his own bracket.
Foote's despondency stems from the fact that it is long odds-on that the planning committee will grant Trump permission to build a course which he claims 'because of the topography of the land will be the best in the world'. A decision that will be welcomed by the majority of locals interested in a quick buck and dismay others who think the last thing Scotland needs is a Ballardian exclusive community, generating profits for a bouffant buffoon.
'I think Trump's job is done,' says Foote. 'He's a celebrity and if he thinks we live in a great place and that makes us feel better. Aberdeenshire is for sale - no reasonable offer refused.'
Foote's anger is not directed at the golf course but the penthouse and pavements that will allow executives to be never more than a buggy ride away from the 1st tee. 'He says it begins and ends with golf,' says Foote, 'but it begins with golf and ends with a housing estate.'
REAL-LIFE MONOPOLY
'It's costing over a billion-and-a-half dollars and you can't pay for that with just a golf club,' says Trump. 'The golf course is the amenity that makes it all work. Frankly, it's the thing I'm most interested in but if we don't have houses or the hotel it doesn't work.'
Trump has endlessly said that money doesn't motivate him, that it merely provides a way of keeping score in his own real-life Monopoly game. 'I don't make deals for the money,' he says regularly. 'I've got enough, much more than I'll ever need. I do it to do it.'
It is apt then that he is pitched against someone with an equal disdain for money, farmer Michael Forbes, who refuses to sell his land to Trump.
'What's the point?' he says of the money offered by The Donald. 'Where could we find to live that is more beautiful than this place?' Forbes does not need money to keep score because he is not interested in playing the game.
In the film Local Hero, the developer succumbs; in Trump's world, the developer rides roughshod over those with the temerity to stand in the way of his vision. 'Scotland will become even more involved in the world of golf as the world of golf becomes more powerful and more influential,' says Trump. 'Sean Connery is my first member, he's a great man, a great guy and a great Scot. I met him at a Dressed to Kilt charity do in New York.'
What can possibly stop someone so well connected. A diversion, perhaps.
'Have you thought about running for President?' I ask.
'People keep asking me to run,' replies The Donald, selfless to a fault.
'You're a registered Democrat [strange but true]. Would you run against Hillary Clinton?'
'She's a very good friend of mine,' says New York's Most Popular. 'I can't run against a friend [small pause]. So is Rudy Giuliani. So I'm pretty well covered.'
Typical property developer, fully insured should anything go wrong.

Press Release from the Trump Organization

DONALD TRUMP MAKES 'WORKING TRIP'

TO MENIE ESTATE ON MONDAY

Mr Donald J Trump will be visiting the Menie Estate, near Balmedie, Aberdeenshire on Monday, October 8th.

The purpose of the visit is a working trip where he will be going over all aspects of the development with his team at Trump International.

Mr Trump takes a close personal interest in every aspect of the progress of the £1billion golf resort which, if approved, would see the development of two 18-hole championship golf courses, a 450-bedroom hotel, 950 holiday homes, 36 luxury golf villas, a conference centre, a spa, a golf academy, 500 luxury private residences and associated facilities.

Mr Trump will arrive in advance of a 4.30pm Press Conference which will be held at The Pavilion at Menie House on Monday, 8th October, when he will accept questions from press and broadcast media.

Aberdeenshire Council's Formartine Area Committee is scheduled to consider the Golf Development plan on Tuesday, October 30.

Aberdeenshire Council planners have recommended the committee members approve the application.