On the dramatic southwestern coast of Scotland, where the Firth of Clyde meets the Ayrshire shoreline and the ancient Turnberry Lighthouse stands guard over one of the world’s most beautiful stretches of land, sits a golf course that has seen more history than most countries. It has hosted four Open Championships. It served as a Royal Air Force airbase in both World Wars. It has been a hospital, an airfield, a runway, and a battlefield. And today, it is one of the most recognizable — and most politically discussed — golf resorts in the entire world.
But who actually owns Turnberry Golf Course? The answer is clear, verified, and involves one of the most famous names in American politics.
What Is Turnberry Golf Course?
Trump Turnberry is a golf resort in Turnberry, South Ayrshire, located on the Firth of Clyde in southwest Scotland. It comprises three links golf courses, a golf academy, a five-star James Miller-designed hotel from 1906, along with lodge and cottage accommodations.
Trump Turnberry is a world-renowned bucket-list golf destination. Home to the Ailsa course, host of four Open Championships, the resort consists of two 18-hole courses and one 9-hole course. The legendary 7,489-yard, par-71 Ailsa golf course is known for its tough opening holes and is demanding for even the most skilled golfers. Following a renovation by famed golf course architect Martin Ebert, the Ailsa sits within Golf Magazine’s top 20 golf courses in the world and is the number one course in the UK and Ireland.
Who Owns Turnberry Golf Course Right Now in 2026?
The direct answer is this: Turnberry Golf Course is owned by the Trump Organization.
As of 2024, Turnberry Golf Course and its associated resort assets — including The Turnberry Hotel, the Ailsa Course, King Robert the Bruce Course, Arran Course, and all on-site leisure facilities — are legally owned by Trump Turnberry Limited, a private company incorporated in Scotland on 23 May 2014 (Company Number SC484576). This entity is wholly owned by Trump Organization LLC, a Delaware-based holding company controlled by Donald J. Trump and his family.
Donald Trump purchased Turnberry in 2014 from Dubai-based Leisurecorp — a subsidiary of Dubai World — for a reported $63 million (£37.5 million). Since that acquisition, the Trump Organization has invested more than £200 million in renovating both the hotel and the golf courses.
Ownership and Key Stakeholders Table
| Owner / Party | Role | Stake | Key Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trump Organization LLC | Ultimate Parent Owner | 100% of Trump Turnberry Limited | Delaware-based holding company controlled by Donald J. Trump and family |
| Trump Turnberry Limited | Direct Legal Owner | 100% of resort assets | Incorporated in Scotland on 23 May 2014; Company Number SC484576 |
| Donald J. Trump | Controlling Principal | Controls Trump Organization | Purchased Turnberry in 2014 for ~$63 million (£37.5 million) |
| Trump Family | Beneficial Owners | Full beneficial ownership | Eric Trump and the Trump family oversee day-to-day operations |
| SLC Turnberry Limited | Operating Entity | Operates the resort | Manages hotel, courses, and all on-site facilities |
| Leisurecorp (Dubai World) | Former Owner (2008–2014) | Sold to Trump in 2014 | Dubai-based firm; sold for £37.5 million |
| Starwood Hotels | Former Manager (1997–2014) | No current stake | Managed Turnberry under Westin and Luxury Collection brands |
| R&A (Royal and Ancient) | Governing Body | No ownership | Controls The Open Championship rotation; currently excluding Turnberry |
The Full Ownership History: From Railway Hotel to Trump Empire
Turnberry’s story stretches back more than 120 years — and every chapter is as dramatic as the last.
A train station that led directly to the luxurious, Italian marble-floored Turnberry Station Hotel — now Trump Turnberry — both station and hotel opened in 1906. Visitors would flock from across the UK to the Ayrshire coastline, known as “the sunshine corner” of Scotland.
When Turnberry opened in 1901 it was heralded as one of Scotland’s best new links courses. The original railway company that built the hotel recognized that golfers would travel great distances for great courses — and they were right. Within a few years, Turnberry had earned a reputation as one of the finest coastal destinations in all of Britain.
Then the wars came.
The property was used as an airbase during the First World War, and a landing strip built for this purpose still exists, now disused. The Royal Flying Corps (RFC) trained pilots in the arts of aerial gunnery and combat, and the Turnberry Hotel was used as a hospital for the wounded. After the war, courses 1 and 2 were rebuilt and renamed “Ailsa” and “Arran”.
The cycle was repeated during the Second World War. The hotel was commissioned as a hospital, and the golf courses were seconded for air training for the Royal Air Force (RAF); it is thought that as many as 200 died at the base. Following the war, the course was in need of refurbishment and the hotel was in a dilapidated state.
In 1950 the course was reopened after a full rebuild, and it went on to host four Open Championships including the famous Duel in the Sun in 1977.
Starwood acquired the hotel in 1997, and until 2008, it was operated under the Westin Hotels & Resorts brand. In 2008, Leisurecorp, Dubai World’s sport and leisure subsidiary, purchased the resort, with Starwood continuing to manage operations under The Luxury Collection brand.
Then, in 2014, Donald Trump arrived — and everything changed again.
Trump’s Acquisition: The $63 Million Deal That Shocked Golf
Donald Trump expanded his golf empire with his biggest acquisition yet — Turnberry. Trump announced that he had agreed to buy the picturesque links course and resort on the west coast of Scotland, which has hosted the Open Championship four times. The most recent was in 2009, when Stewart Cink won a playoff over 59-year-old Tom Watson. The most famous was in 1977, the “Duel in the Sun” that featured Watson defeating Jack Nicklaus.
The Independent in London reported that Trump paid Dubai-based Leisurecorp just over $63 million (£37.5 million). Turnberry was the 17th golf property owned by Trump, including 12 in the United States.
Trump promised at the time to invest heavily in the property. He was as good as his word. Trump Turnberry, an 800-acre resort in Ayrshire, was acquired by the former US President in 2014 and relaunched in 2016 following a £200 million refurbishment. Trump Turnberry features two 18-hole golf courses and one 9-hole course as well as a 500-capacity Donald J Trump Ballroom and a hireable Trump Boardroom.
The £200 Million Renovation: What Trump Changed
The scale of Trump’s investment in Turnberry is genuinely extraordinary. The £200 million renovation program touched virtually every corner of the resort.
The Ailsa Course — the championship course that has hosted the Open four times — was redesigned by celebrated golf architect Martin Ebert of Ebert & Mackenzie. The redesign restored and enhanced the course’s historic character while adding modern features that meet the standards required for elite tournament golf. The Ailsa now sits within Golf Magazine’s top 20 golf courses in the world and is ranked the number one course in the UK and Ireland.
A completely new course — the King Robert the Bruce — was added to the resort, named after the Scottish King whose ancestral connection to the land where Turnberry now stands dates back to the 13th century. Trump’s Twelve, an extraordinary new twelve-hole Par 3 course, is opening in Summer 2026, providing an additional challenge for golfers of all levels.
The historic Turnberry Hotel was fully renovated to five-star standards, with new restaurants, upgraded rooms, and the addition of the iconic Turnberry Lighthouse suite — one of the most extraordinary places to stay in all of British golf.
The Open Championship Question: Will Turnberry Return?
This is the single most controversial aspect of Turnberry’s current situation — and it has nothing to do with the golf itself.
The British Open golf championship will not be staged at the Turnberry course in Scotland owned by US President Donald Trump for the “foreseeable future”, tournament organisers announced. The R&A, which governs The Open Championship, made clear that taking the championship back to Turnberry would distract from events on the course — a polite way of saying that Trump’s political prominence made hosting a major there impossible from a public relations standpoint.
For all the upgrades, tweaks, and advice taken on board, it seems the R&A has little to no interest in returning The Open to Turnberry while Trump owns the club. This is a significant financial and reputational issue for the resort — an Open Championship at Turnberry would generate tens of millions of pounds in revenue and worldwide television coverage. Without it, Turnberry remains a premium destination that falls just short of its full commercial potential.
Turnberry’s Finances: From Losses to Profit
For years after Trump bought Turnberry, the resort ran at a loss — not unusual for a property undergoing a £200 million renovation program. But the financial picture eventually improved.
Trump Turnberry made a pre-tax profit of £571,000 in 2022, compared to a loss of £3.7 million the previous year. With attendance recovering following the coronavirus pandemic, income increased to about £22 million, up from £13.1 million in 2021. According to the reports, Trump Turnberry did not pay any tax on its 2022 earnings because of deductible losses carried forward from prior years and other deductions.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. Who owns Turnberry Golf Course in 2026?
Turnberry is owned by Trump Turnberry Limited, a Scottish company wholly owned by Trump Organization LLC, controlled by Donald J. Trump and his family.
Q2. When did Trump buy Turnberry?
Donald Trump purchased Turnberry in 2014 from Dubai-based Leisurecorp for approximately $63 million (£37.5 million).
Q3. How much did Trump invest in Turnberry?
Trump invested more than £200 million in renovating Turnberry’s hotel, golf courses, and resort facilities after purchasing it in 2014.
Q4. How many golf courses does Turnberry have?
Trump Turnberry has three golf courses — the Ailsa (18-hole championship), King Robert the Bruce (18-hole), and the Arran (9-hole), plus the new Trump’s Twelve Par 3 course opening Summer 2026.
Q5. Who owned Turnberry before Trump?
Before Trump, Turnberry was owned by Leisurecorp (Dubai World’s subsidiary) from 2008 to 2014, and before that by Starwood Hotels from 1997 to 2008.
Q6. Will Turnberry host The Open Championship again?
Not anytime soon. The R&A stated The Open will not return to Turnberry for the “foreseeable future” due to the political controversy surrounding its Trump ownership.
Q7. When did Turnberry first open?
Turnberry first opened as a golf course in 1901 and the iconic Turnberry Hotel opened alongside a dedicated railway station in 1906.
Q8. Was Turnberry used in World War II?
Yes. Turnberry’s courses were requisitioned by the Royal Air Force (RAF) in both World War I and World War II and used as an airfield and pilot training base, with the hotel serving as a military hospital.
Turnberry Golf Course is owned by Trump Turnberry Limited, a Scottish-registered private company that is wholly owned by Trump Organization LLC — the holding company controlled by Donald J. Trump and his family. Trump purchased Turnberry in 2014 from Dubai-based Leisurecorp for approximately $63 million (£37.5 million), then invested more than £200 million in renovating every aspect of the resort.
Today, Trump Turnberry is home to three golf courses — the Ailsa, the King Robert the Bruce, and the nine-hole Arran — plus a five-star hotel, multiple award-winning restaurants, and a world-class golf academy. The Ailsa Course is ranked the number one course in the UK and Ireland by Golf Magazine. A brand-new twelve-hole Par 3 course called Trump’s Twelve opens in Summer 2026.
The only thing missing is The Open Championship — and the R&A shows no signs of returning it to Turnberry for the foreseeable future.