By Joel Beall
The Ailsa Course at Turnberry is one of the finest links in the world and a member of the Open rota. At least, ostensibly.

Turnberry has not hosted the Open Championship since 2009 and is not scheduled as a future venue. A matter that lies, at least in part, with the resort’s ownership. Before he ran for president, Donald Trump bought the property in 2014. His political foray has complicated matters, a sentiment acknowledged earlier this year by R&A chief executive Marin Slumbers.

“Turnberry is a fantastic golf course and will be a great venue when we get there,” Slumbers said in February. “It would be very complex having an Open at Turnberry at the moment. You’ve got the ownership issue of the course and the staging there. But there are a number of other courses we haven’t been to for a few years, and we are looking forward to going back to all of them.”

Speaking at Carnoustie, Slumbers continued to sidestep the Turnberry dilemma.

“With respect to 2022, I’ve already said, ’21 we’re going to be celebrating the 150th playing of The Open at St. Andrews,” Slumbers said Wednesday. “And in ’22, we’ll be going south of the border.”

Slumbers is referring to England, which boasts four Open rota links: Royal St. George’s, Royal Lytham & St. Annes, Royal Liverpool and Royal Birkdale. Royal St. George’s, however, is scheduled to host in 2020. Lytham, where the claret jug last visited in 2012, would be the favourite, as Liverpool served as Open host in 2014 and Birkdale held the championship last summer.

There was a 15-year gap between the previous two times Turnberry staged the Open, 1994 and 2009. Extended that same time period, Turnberry would seemingly host again by 2024.

Turnberry has hosted a total of four Opens (1977 and 1986 being the others), and as well as two Women’s Opens (the last in 2015). The Ailsa Course ranks 10th in the latest Golf Digest World 100 rankings. Only Royal Dornoch, Muirfield and St. Andrews rank higher among Scottish links.

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Sven. It’s not the most South African name?
I have certainly confused many people over the last few years. Add in my slightly Scottish accent from living on the West coast of Scotland over the last nine years and you have yourself a Scottish-South African hybrid. My parents are South African, but my grandparents were Dutch and German.

Home club?
The first club I joined at the age of six was Benoni Lake Golf Club, but I played most of my junior golf at ERPM, a parkland golf course close to my house.

Your favourite golfer?
Has to be Tiger Woods, from what he has achieved in the game to what he has done for the game of golf. I think every touring professional golfer knows they can thank Tiger for that extra couple of zeros in their bank accounts. But also how he strived to keep getting better, even when he was winning all the time, to change his swing completely to keep improving, more than once.

Tiger during the 1997 US Masters – Getty Images

Who’d make up your dream fourball ?
Tiger and Nicklaus, just so I can ask them, ‘so, who is the best ever? ‘ And Henrik Stenson – one of the nicest guys I’ve met, with a great sense of humour!

And your favourite course?
Apart from Trump International here in Dubai? The re-designed Ailsa Course at Trump Turnberry is a favourite. It will certainly take a lot for any course worldwide to beat the new re-designed Ailsa! It has everything a golfer could ask for.

Bucket list golf experience?
Augusta, just because of The Masters, from the pristine fairways to the stimp 14 greens. It’s a course I’ve always wanted to play and it will remain on top of the bucket list until I get the honour to play it.

Best round?
I think the best feeling I have ever had after a round was the first time I broke 70 on my home course when I was 13. I shot 66 in a members tournament and I remember all the adult gathering around the 18^th as the word spread around the course that I was quite a few under par. It was the first time I could picture how it would feel coming down the stretch in a major tournament having to par it to win. The lowest was 64 a few times at my home course.

Nielsen spent nearly 10 years at The Open Championship venue – Image courtesy Trump Turnberry

Best win?
Representing South Africa as a Junior Springbok was a great honour, and being the only unbeaten player in the three days was a pretty good feeling too!

Favourite sport outside of golf?
Rugby. It’s a South African thing I guess. That with a braai and we are happy! But I do enjoy watching tennis too, Djokovic has been a favourite for years – another great athlete with a great sense of humour.

Which begs the question – what’s happened to South African rugby?
It’s painful to even answer this question, especially when the question is coming from an All Black (supporter). I just think we need to change structures from school levels all the way to the top and too many South Africans are playing abroad. We will be back, don’t you worry!

Which tournament do you dream of winning?
The Green Jacket! Everything about the Masters is magical…the course, the jacket, driving up Magnolia Lane. I’d like to copy Henrik Stenson and play ‘Ice Ice Baby’ from Vanilla ice on the radio while driving up…but I’m sure the members there would feel much different if it was me doing it.

What do you like to do on a day off?
I like to play golf. I know, you would think I would like time away from the game, but no, I love the game! Always trying new things! The friends I played with it Scotland always asked me ‘So Sven, what is your swing thought for today’ as they knew I always tinkered with my own swing and technique striving to improve and see what works and what doesn’t. But then again, if I don’t tinker, how would I know if it works or not? If not golf, family and friends are important to me, so I spend time with them.

How long where you at Turnberry and what was the standout highlight?
I was at Turnberry for nine years, almost 10. The history and being a part of the team in 2009 when we held the 138^th Open. The best experience ever, to have all the best players in the world there practicing weeks before and looking after them was an experience I will never forget. Walking with Tiger for two days inside the ropes was probably the single best golfing memory for me personally!

Nielsen prepares his approach to the par 4 8th hole at Trump Dubai – Image Kent Gray

Give us your early impressions of Gil Hanse’s creation, Trump Dubai?
I love the design and unique qualities of the course Mr Hanse created. He has achieved exactly what he wanted to, a course for all abilities, which will be fun to play. It’s rewarding and challenging at the same time. Some imagination can be used around the links styled greens, with undulations reminding me of the links in Scotland.

What can members and guests expect from a Trump golf experience?
A very high quality customer service experience from a golf and F&B element while playing golf on a challenging but fun course.

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What prompted the redevelopment of Turnberry, already one of the strongest courses on the Open rota?
When Mr Donald Trump bought the property in 2014 he loved the Ailsa course for what it was but fully believed that it could be improved. He thought that there was an even better golf course out there and that the incredible coastline could enhance both the golf holes and the golfer’s experience.

Specifically, what was done?
The Trump Organisation purchased the resort in July 2014, and the first work began in October 2014 with the upgrade of the clubhouse and the hotel meeting space. Mr Trump and Martin Ebert, the golf course architect, worked on the plans for the new golf course through the winter of 2014/15 and the final design was agreed with Mr Trump and unveiled in Spring 2015. Work began on the Ailsa Course in October 2015 and we re-opened the course on the June 1 this year.
Essentially the main changes were to holes 1, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 14, 17 and 18. All the changes are significant and have greatly improved the holes but the stretch from 9 through 11 is as dramatic a three-hole stretch you will find. It really is breathtaking. All of the 18 greens were lifted to allow a consistent root zone profile to be established throughout and then the existing greens turf was replaced. We introduced a new irrigation system throughout. New tees were built, both back and forward and every existing bunker was re-designed, with the fairway bunkers being restored to a more natural, rough edged appearance for which they were once famed and obviously new bunkers were added to a number of the holes. Along with the Ailsa work, the famed Turnberry Lighthouse was completely transformed to now house an incredible two-bedroom suite and also our Halfway House. With the work that has been done here, there can be no finer Halfway House in the world!

What do you think the Trump brand does for Turnberry, already one of the most recognisable golf names around?
Turnberry is a legendary destination, known throughout the golfing world for its four Open Championships on the great Ailsa course and also for its personalised service and attention to detail. The Trump name is known throughout the world for high standards of luxury, so the two combined create a truly memorable experience for our guests.

What were some of the challenges Turnberry faced through the course of the redevelopment, and how did you overcome it?
It was a major renovation program through a Scottish winter so the weather definitely played a part in the challenges that the team faced. The main contractor, SOL Golf, did an incredible job with a dedicated and talented team of people to complete the work on time. They employed a large number of greens staff through the winter, which has ensured continuity through the grow-in period.
One of the major issues was on the 14th hole, which is a beautiful new par 5. The original plan was to use a technique whereby we would grow the fairway from turf cores taken from existing Ailsa fairways. In theory this should have been fine but unfortunately the Scottish winter took its toll and it became apparent that within the required timescale the condition would not have been to the required standard in time. A decision was then taken to re-turf the whole 14th fairway, with existing fairway turf from our Kintyre Course, and that was a major job that wasn’t planned for so I would say that was ultimately one of the main challenges of the renovation.

What are some of the non-course features introduced at Turnberry with this redevelopment? How do you think this will add to the golf experience?
Working alongside Martin Ebert, the course architect, we’ve upgraded our pitch and putt course in front of the hotel from a 12-hole to an 18-hole course. Renamed “The Wee Links”, it’s designed to play like a mini Ailsa course. It’s really quite special and the resort guests and our members enjoy playing it. We also reopened The Golf Academy after a refurbishment. The putting studio and swing studio have been revamped and fitted with the latest technology. We also welcomed True Spec Golf as our custom fitting offering, the first of its kind in the UK.
As part of the Academy and focus on instruction, we also had a new short game area created. It truly is a fantastic addition to the golf offering that we have here.

I couldn’t help but notice what a wonderful job you did refurbishing the lighthouse and opening it to the golfers. Tell us what you did there and what it offers now.
The lighthouse had sat untouched for over 30 years so when The Trump Organization announced they were going to upgrade the building and create a two-bedroom suite, as well as putting in a new halfway house, we were thrilled. It makes perfect sense. The lighthouse is such an iconic and important symbol of Turnberry that it’s wonderful that guests now can actually experience it, either through staying overnight or just by stopping in for some lunch on their way from the 9th to the 10th.

What work was done to the hotel?
Ralph Porciani now manages the hotel and has done so since The Trump Organization took over in 2014. The main building of the hotel was built in 1906 and in September 2015 it closed to undergo probably the biggest renovation it has ever seen in over 100 years. All of its 103 bedrooms have been refurbished, as have all of the public areas, bars and restaurants.

What other development is planned, if any?
The renovations will complete in the summer of 2017, with The Spa at Turnberry and the Trump Villas also due to be refurbished. Work is currently underway on our second golf course, which is also benefitting from the magic touch of Martin Ebert.

Compiled by Ju K. Tan/Images courtesy Trump Turnberry

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