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    Donald Trump's Turnberry remains out in the cold as Open venue

    By Rob Hodgetts, CNN

    Updated 1528 GMT (2328 HKT) July 18, 2018

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    Donald Trump has set aside £200 million ($287 million) to restore and upgrade Turnberry's golf facilities, hotel and spa.
    Photos: Trump Turnberry redevelopment
    Donald Trump has set aside £200 million ($287 million) to restore and upgrade Turnberry's golf facilities, hotel and spa.
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    The US President-elect hopes his course -- purchased in 2014 -- will serve as a venue for The Open Championship.
    Photos: Trump Turnberry redevelopment
    The US President-elect hopes his course -- purchased in 2014 -- will serve as a venue for The Open Championship.
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    The iconic Ailsa course has hosted The Open four times since 1977 -- most recently in 2009 -- and Trump took time out of his White House bid to attend the official Turnberry reopening.
    Photos: Trump Turnberry redevelopment
    The iconic Ailsa course has hosted The Open four times since 1977 -- most recently in 2009 -- and Trump took time out of his White House bid to attend the official Turnberry reopening.
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    "I've seen quite a lot of comings and goings here over the years," veteran caddie master, Willie McDines, says. "But this is the best one yet."
    Photos: Trump Turnberry redevelopment
    "I've seen quite a lot of comings and goings here over the years," veteran caddie master, Willie McDines, says. "But this is the best one yet."
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    "When they started talking about redoing the course, I was saying to myself ... 'are they going to ruin this?'" he continued. "But when you see (the results), it's absolutely stunning. Mr Trump has done exactly what he said he would."
    Photos: Trump Turnberry redevelopment
    "When they started talking about redoing the course, I was saying to myself ... 'are they going to ruin this?'" he continued. "But when you see (the results), it's absolutely stunning. Mr Trump has done exactly what he said he would."
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    Trump has received widespread criticism in the United States for some of his views, most notably branding Mexicans as "rapists" and his plan to ban all Muslims from entering the US.
    Photos: Trump Turnberry redevelopment
    Trump has received widespread criticism in the United States for some of his views, most notably branding Mexicans as "rapists" and his plan to ban all Muslims from entering the US.
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    However, local residents are quick to praise Trump for his efforts in the area. "I think it all looks fabulous and it will bring a lot of revenue into the village and the surrounding areas," said Christina Auld who owns a nearby B&B -- adding that she thought Trump was "a lovely guy" having previously met him.
    Photos: Trump Turnberry redevelopment
    However, local residents are quick to praise Trump for his efforts in the area. "I think it all looks fabulous and it will bring a lot of revenue into the village and the surrounding areas," said Christina Auld who owns a nearby B&B -- adding that she thought Trump was "a lovely guy" having previously met him.
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    A Roman statue adorns a fountain outside the Turnberry clubhouse on what McDines describes as "one of the best golf courses in the world, if not the best."
    Photos: Trump Turnberry redevelopment
    A Roman statue adorns a fountain outside the Turnberry clubhouse on what McDines describes as "one of the best golf courses in the world, if not the best."
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    Story highlights

    • Turnberry still overlooked as Open venue
    • President Donald Trump owns Scottish resort

    Carnoustie, Scotland (CNN)The crown of Donald Trump's golf empire is set to remain out in the cold as a potential venue for the prestigious British Open.

    The Trump-owned historic Turnberry resort on the west coast of Scotland hosted the last of its four Opens in 2009, when Stewart Cink beat the 59-year-old Tom Watson in a playoff, but it has since been overlooked as a venue for golf's oldest major.
      The next available slot for an Open is in 2022, following the 150th anniversary of golf's oldest major back at St. Andrews --- dubbed the "Home of Golf" -- in 2021.
      But when asked if Turnberry would be considered as one of the 10 eligible Open venues, the chief executive of organizer the R&A, Martin Slumbers, told a news conference ahead of this week's Open at Carnoustie: "In 2022 we'll be going south of the [Scottish] border."
      READ: Turnberry -- the little bit of Britain that belongs to Donald Trump
      President Trump stayed at his Turnberry resort during his UK visit.
      President Trump stayed at his Turnberry resort during his UK visit.
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      Trump, whose mother is Scottish, bought the resort in 2014, renamed it Trump Turnberry and spent a reported £200 million ($287 million) redeveloping the famed Ailsa course, building a new "King Robert the Bruce" layout and improving the hotel.
      The US president stayed at Turnberry last weekend and played at the course after meeting Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and Prime Minister Theresa May in London, ahead of his visit with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

      'Strongly advising Trump not to visit'

      The strategy of R&A -- the game's governing body outside the US and Mexico -- for the Open, which is its biggest international championship, is to use it as a beacon for inclusion and a vehicle to grow the game.
      READ: "He's gone gaga" -- was this sport's greatest disaster?
      Golf began in Scotland some 600 years ago and the country represents a bucket list destination for many dedicated addicts. St. Andrews (pictured) is known as the "Home of Golf" and its Old Course is arguably the game's most hallowed turf.
      Photos: Scotland's best golf courses
      Golf began in Scotland some 600 years ago and the country represents a bucket list destination for many dedicated addicts. St. Andrews (pictured) is known as the "Home of Golf" and its Old Course is arguably the game's most hallowed turf.
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      <strong>St. Andrews:</strong> Golf has been played over the dunes and linksland of St. Andrews since the 15th century. The clubhouse of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club stands sentinel over the unique layout which starts and finishes in town.
      Photos: Scotland's best golf courses
      St. Andrews: Golf has been played over the dunes and linksland of St. Andrews since the 15th century. The clubhouse of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club stands sentinel over the unique layout which starts and finishes in town.
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      <strong>St. Andrews: </strong>There are six courses squeezed onto St. Andrews' links, with the Old Course at their heart. The Road Hole 17th and 18th form an iconic finishing stretch.
      Photos: Scotland's best golf courses
      St. Andrews: There are six courses squeezed onto St. Andrews' links, with the Old Course at their heart. The Road Hole 17th and 18th form an iconic finishing stretch.
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      <strong>St. Andrews:</strong> The Old Course is known for its blind drives over seas of gorse, vast greens, and swales, humps and hollows which require imagination and the ability to use the ground to your advantage.
      Photos: Scotland's best golf courses
      St. Andrews: The Old Course is known for its blind drives over seas of gorse, vast greens, and swales, humps and hollows which require imagination and the ability to use the ground to your advantage.
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      <strong>Turnberry: </strong>Now<strong> </strong>best known for being owned by US President Donald Trump, Turnberry on Scotland's west coast is a spectacular setting with a famous Edwardian hotel, all of which underwent a multimillion dollar revamp when Trump took over.
      Photos: Scotland's best golf courses
      Turnberry: Now best known for being owned by US President Donald Trump, Turnberry on Scotland's west coast is a spectacular setting with a famous Edwardian hotel, all of which underwent a multimillion dollar revamp when Trump took over.
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      <strong>Turnberry: </strong>The Ailsa course occupies a sublime location overlooking the Firth of Clyde with sweeping views to the Ailsa Craig rock and the Isle of Arran.
      Photos: Scotland's best golf courses
      Turnberry: The Ailsa course occupies a sublime location overlooking the Firth of Clyde with sweeping views to the Ailsa Craig rock and the Isle of Arran.
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      <strong>Trump International: </strong>Controversy has dogged Donald Trump's new course north of Aberdeen since day one -- with environmental concerns chief among the criticism -- but when it opened in 2012 it was clear that from a golfing point of view it was a new gem. Winding through towering dunes and sunken valleys with tantalizing snapshots of the sea, the course offers the full Scottish links experience, with American hospitality thrown in.
      Photos: Scotland's best golf courses
      Trump International: Controversy has dogged Donald Trump's new course north of Aberdeen since day one -- with environmental concerns chief among the criticism -- but when it opened in 2012 it was clear that from a golfing point of view it was a new gem. Winding through towering dunes and sunken valleys with tantalizing snapshots of the sea, the course offers the full Scottish links experience, with American hospitality thrown in.
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      <strong>Trump International: </strong>Trump's Aberdeen venture features two out-and-back loops of nine holes in an authentic natural setting. The modest clubhouse at its heart offers several dining options, including the award-winning MacLeod House Restaurant, and a whiskey bar.
      Photos: Scotland's best golf courses
      Trump International: Trump's Aberdeen venture features two out-and-back loops of nine holes in an authentic natural setting. The modest clubhouse at its heart offers several dining options, including the award-winning MacLeod House Restaurant, and a whiskey bar.
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      <strong>Royal Troon: </strong>This is a classic old links on Scotland's Ayrshire coast north of Turnberry.
      Photos: Scotland's best golf courses
      Royal Troon: This is a classic old links on Scotland's Ayrshire coast north of Turnberry.
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      <strong>Royal Troon:</strong> The course is famed for its devilish par-three eighth hole, dubbed the "Postage Stamp." It's only 123 yards long but provides a stiff test in the wind, with deep bunkers and a thin green.
      Photos: Scotland's best golf courses
      Royal Troon: The course is famed for its devilish par-three eighth hole, dubbed the "Postage Stamp." It's only 123 yards long but provides a stiff test in the wind, with deep bunkers and a thin green.
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      <strong>Carnoustie: </strong>Northeast of Dundee on Scotland's east coast lies the fearsome links of Carnoustie, known as one of the toughest courses in the British Isles.
      Photos: Scotland's best golf courses
      Carnoustie: Northeast of Dundee on Scotland's east coast lies the fearsome links of Carnoustie, known as one of the toughest courses in the British Isles.
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      <strong>Carnoustie: </strong>The Championship course is the main pull and is famed as the venue where Jean Van de Velde paddled in the burn during a final-hole collapse during the British Open in 1999.
      Photos: Scotland's best golf courses
      Carnoustie: The Championship course is the main pull and is famed as the venue where Jean Van de Velde paddled in the burn during a final-hole collapse during the British Open in 1999.
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      <strong>Muirfield: </strong>The jewel in the crown of Scotland's "Golf Coast" of East Lothian, Muirfield is a celebrated if controversial venue.
      Photos: Scotland's best golf courses
      Muirfield: The jewel in the crown of Scotland's "Golf Coast" of East Lothian, Muirfield is a celebrated if controversial venue.
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      <strong>Muirfield: </strong>The testing track near Gullane was mired in controversy before the club finally voted -- at the second attempt -- to admit female members.
      Photos: Scotland's best golf courses
      Muirfield: The testing track near Gullane was mired in controversy before the club finally voted -- at the second attempt -- to admit female members.
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      <strong>Gullane: </strong>Close to Muirfield is another revered club with three courses. Gullane No.1 is the pick but all offer a satisfying slice of Scottish golf at its finest.
      Photos: Scotland's best golf courses
      Gullane: Close to Muirfield is another revered club with three courses. Gullane No.1 is the pick but all offer a satisfying slice of Scottish golf at its finest.
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      <strong>North Berwick: </strong>Along the coast from Muirfield lies a quirky, historic masterpiece with views over Bass Rock and an upturned "reddan" style green that has been copied the world over.
      Photos: Scotland's best golf courses
      North Berwick: Along the coast from Muirfield lies a quirky, historic masterpiece with views over Bass Rock and an upturned "reddan" style green that has been copied the world over.
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      <strong>The Renaissance Club: </strong>Another East Lothian gem with stellar views.
      Photos: Scotland's best golf courses
      The Renaissance Club: Another East Lothian gem with stellar views.
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      <strong>Royal Dornoch:</strong> On the north shore of the Dornoch Firth on Scotland's northeast coast lies one of its most revered courses. Golf has been played in the seaside town, north of Inverness, since 1616 but the current club has "only" been in existence since 1877.
      Photos: Scotland's best golf courses
      Royal Dornoch: On the north shore of the Dornoch Firth on Scotland's northeast coast lies one of its most revered courses. Golf has been played in the seaside town, north of Inverness, since 1616 but the current club has "only" been in existence since 1877.
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      <strong>Royal Dornoch:</strong> The venerable spot hosts two courses -- the Championship and the Struie -- but it is the former track that draws in visitors from around the world. Winding along sinuous sandy shores and among the dunes behind, the fast-running course features humps, hollows, pot bunkers and gorse of a true links test, sandwiched between the sea and purple heather-clad mountains.
      Photos: Scotland's best golf courses
      Royal Dornoch: The venerable spot hosts two courses -- the Championship and the Struie -- but it is the former track that draws in visitors from around the world. Winding along sinuous sandy shores and among the dunes behind, the fast-running course features humps, hollows, pot bunkers and gorse of a true links test, sandwiched between the sea and purple heather-clad mountains.
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      <strong>Kingsbarns: </strong>Just along the coast from St Andrews is <a href="http://www.kingsbarns.com" target="_blank">Kingsbarns</a>, a blockbuster of a modern links in a spectacular cliff-top setting, opened in 2000. Crafted on land that first witnessed golf in 1793, Kingsbarns quickly went to the top of many wish lists for its rugged scenery, testing championship course and lavish hospitality.
      Photos: Scotland's best golf courses
      Kingsbarns: Just along the coast from St Andrews is Kingsbarns, a blockbuster of a modern links in a spectacular cliff-top setting, opened in 2000. Crafted on land that first witnessed golf in 1793, Kingsbarns quickly went to the top of many wish lists for its rugged scenery, testing championship course and lavish hospitality.
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      <strong>Kingsbarns: </strong>It features as one of three top-notch courses used in the European Tour's annual Dunhill Links Championship along with St Andrews' Old Course and Carnoustie. Nearby are other Scottish links gems such as Crail, Elie, Leven and Lundin Links.
      Photos: Scotland's best golf courses
      Kingsbarns: It features as one of three top-notch courses used in the European Tour's annual Dunhill Links Championship along with St Andrews' Old Course and Carnoustie. Nearby are other Scottish links gems such as Crail, Elie, Leven and Lundin Links.
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      <strong>Castle Stuart:</strong> Although it only opened in 2009, Castle Stuart on the banks of the Moray Firth has become a highlight of golf in the Highlands. The course, overlooked by a towering white art-deco clubhouse, hugs the shore and shelving cliffs on a thin stretch of links land with views to Ben Wyvis mountain, Kessock Bridge, Fort George and Chanonry lighthouse.
      Photos: Scotland's best golf courses
      Castle Stuart: Although it only opened in 2009, Castle Stuart on the banks of the Moray Firth has become a highlight of golf in the Highlands. The course, overlooked by a towering white art-deco clubhouse, hugs the shore and shelving cliffs on a thin stretch of links land with views to Ben Wyvis mountain, Kessock Bridge, Fort George and Chanonry lighthouse.
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      <strong>Castle Stuart: </strong>The course is 10 minutes from Inverness airport and within a short drive of Speyside's Malt Whiskey Trail, taking in eight distilleries, including <a href="https://www.glenfiddich.com/" target="_blank">Glenfiddich</a> and <a href="https://www.theglenlivet.com/en-UK" target="_blank">The Glenlivet</a>. Other local courses such as Brora, Nairn and Gulspie are worth a trip.
      Photos: Scotland's best golf courses
      Castle Stuart: The course is 10 minutes from Inverness airport and within a short drive of Speyside's Malt Whiskey Trail, taking in eight distilleries, including Glenfiddich and The Glenlivet. Other local courses such as Brora, Nairn and Gulspie are worth a trip.
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      <strong>Loch Lomond:</strong> Everything about Loch Lomond oozes luxury. From 18th Century Rossdhu House at its center to a spectacular parkland-style course on the banks of the eponymous loch -- Britain's largest expanse of fresh water -- it's a study in elegance. The rub is, it's a private club so access is like a golden ticket from Willy Wonka.
      Photos: Scotland's best golf courses
      Loch Lomond: Everything about Loch Lomond oozes luxury. From 18th Century Rossdhu House at its center to a spectacular parkland-style course on the banks of the eponymous loch -- Britain's largest expanse of fresh water -- it's a study in elegance. The rub is, it's a private club so access is like a golden ticket from Willy Wonka.
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