Trump Turnberry is unmistakably a Trump property, from the robes to the merchandise in the Trump store. It is also a genuinely exceptional golf resort. For women happy to spend properly on a treat rather than a typical golf trip, it more than delivers.
Turnberry sits on the Ayrshire coast about an hour from Glasgow Airport, and it has been welcoming golfers since 1989 as the UK’s only Forbes Five-Star golf resort. There is no mistaking who owns it now. The branding is everywhere — slippers, robes, a pro shop stocked with MAGA caps, Trump’s books, and assorted memorabilia alongside the usual golf gear. Whatever your politics, the man understands the value of a brand, and that confidence runs through the entire resort, from the grounds to the front desk.
Rooms are traditional in style with a modern twist — comfortable, well-appointed, exactly what you would expect from a five-star resort with this level of investment behind it. This is not a budget stay and it does not pretend to be. Dinner and drinks can add up fast; a few rounds at the bar and the bill becomes eye-watering. For a genuine treat rather than a regular trip, it is money well spent, and the quality of the rooms backs that up.
Dining in the main restaurant in the evening was a highlight of the stay, with the kind of service and presentation that justifies the five-star tag.
The Golf
Turnberry’s green fees are eye-watering, upwards of £800 on the Ailsa and you go in expecting that. We played the King Robert the Bruce rather than the Ailsa, partly because both the clubhouse and the Ailsa were busy on the day, and partly because it was worth revisiting since the 2017 Martin Ebert redesign changed the course significantly.
The Bruce gives you the same stunning scenery as its more famous sibling — Ailsa Craig, the lighthouse, the coastline — but with a far more manageable test of golf, particularly for women without the length off the tee to fully take on the Ailsa. That made it the more enjoyable round of the two for us.
The stretch from the 8th to the 11th, climbing Bain’s Hill, is where the course earns its reputation. The 8th is a long par five playing downhill towards the ocean to a green that feels like it falls off the edge of the world. The 9th follows with a green perched right on the cliff edge above Kintyre’s Cove — one of the most dramatic green sites anywhere in Scottish golf, and not a shot for anyone hitting it nervously. The par three 10th plays across its own valley, and the 11th, now stretched to a par five, has the lighthouse as the focal point from the tee.
That lighthouse is the thing to know about. It dominates the view from this entire stretch of holes and you will photograph it constantly — but you never actually get close to it on the Robert The Bruce course whatever anyone tells you. It sits over by the Ailsa, visible throughout the round but always at a distance. Don’t expect to walk past it.
The course is manicured to within an inch of its life, which you rather expect when you are paying the gree fee prices, and the bunkering and gorse-lined fairways keep you honest throughout — the gorse in particular is unforgiving if you stray from the fairway. The starter was a particular highlight — warm, funny, and clearly a hit with the American visitors queuing up behind us. Small details like that matter on a course where everything else is so polished.
Green fees vary by season, with a Scottish Resident rate also available — check directly for current pricing as it shifts significantly between low and peak season. There are also significant better deals for hotel residents.
Food and Drink
The resort has two restaurants carrying 2 AA Rosettes between them, and dinner in the 1906, the hotels’ signature restaurant did not disappoint. Expect proper prices to match. The wine list alone could account for half your budget if you let it. Budget accordingly and enjoy it as part of the treat.
Breakfast was a genuine highlight and one of the best parts of the stay. The restaurant has spectacular views out over the course and the coastline, which makes the start to the day feel like part of the experience rather than a formality before golf.
The buffet is excellent, but the real treat is that hot dishes are still cooked to order and brought to your table — a level of service that has become rare even at this end of the market. Worth getting up in time to enjoy it properly rather than rushing through before a tee time.
The Spa
The Spa at Turnberry was quiet when we visited, which made it feel like a genuine retreat rather than another busy facility to queue for. After two rounds of golf, an hour here was exactly the right way to recover before dinner — a proper pause built into a trip that otherwise moved at quite a pace.
The Verdict
Turnberry is a classic, and it earns that status. Whatever you think of the man whose name is now stamped across every surface, the resort itself delivers — five-star rooms, two genuinely excellent golf courses, a spa worth your time, and service that justifies the price tag.
This is not a trip for anyone watching the budget. The green fees alone will give most golfers pause, and the bar bill can run away from you if you let it. But if the budget can stretch to it, even for one night as part of a longer Ayrshire trip, it is worth doing properly. The Robert The Bruce in particular deserves more attention than it gets standing next to the Ailsa — for many women golfers, especially those without serious length off the tee, it is the better choice of the two.
Best for: a special occasion stay, or as the high-end night of a longer Ayrshire golf trip taking in Dundonald and Gailes alongside it.
Useful links: Trunberry Golf Club – Trump Turnberry Hotel & Resort
