About the course
Trump International Golf Links Aberdeen lies on the Menie estate at Balmedie, on the Aberdeenshire coast a short drive north of the city. The links runs through a wide belt of high, shifting sand dunes covered in marram grass, with long sandy beaches and the North Sea on one side and open farmland on the other. Since 2025 the estate has had a second 18-hole course, the MacLeod Course, named after the mother of Donald Trump, who bought the land in 2006.
The original course was designed by the English architect Martin Hawtree and opened in July 2012. Building it was controversial because of the dunes, which were part of a protected nature site, and the project drew strong opposition from conservation groups and some local residents. In August 2025 the course hosted the Nexo Championship on the DP World Tour, its first event at that level.
Hawtree set the holes in natural corridors through the dunes, and many tees are raised high on the ridges, so drives are played out over rolling ground to fairways that sit lower down. The greens are large and often perched on plateaus or tucked into hollows, which makes the approach shot the main test once the ball is in play. The marram-covered slopes off the fairway are severe, and the wind off the sea can change the length of a hole dramatically, so the choice of tees has a real impact on the day.
Why we recommend it
This course is built through some of the largest sand dunes in Britain on the coast north of Aberdeen, and the scale of the setting is the main reason to come. Many holes are played along valleys between towering dunes, with the North Sea alongside, and from the back tees it is a serious test, so choose the tees with care. MacLeod House is on site, and Royal Aberdeen and Cruden Bay are both within easy reach.
Photo gallery
| World ranking | 93 |
| Architect | Dr. Martin Hawtree |
| Year of foundation | 2012 |
| Par Course | 72 |
| Number of holes | 18 |