Revamped Turnberry Praised by Tom Watson

Post by Golf Writer Kieran Clark at Carnoustie

Eight-time major champion Tom Watson is following in the footsteps of his maiden Grand Slam triumph this week at Carnoustie for the Senior Open Championship. The 66-year-old, winner of five Claret Jugs, makes a return to Scotland after emotionally bowing out last year at St. Andrews, and he’s back with that trademark competiveness and appreciation for links golf unchanged.

It’s been a trip of revisiting old memories for the Kansas-native, who spent time at Royal Troon during the weekend, where he memorably secured the Open in 1982.  He was also a visitor on Sunday of the newly renovated Ailsa Course at Turnberry, where the greatest seaside golfer of the modern era famously duelled Jack Nicklaus in the sun back in 1977, not to mention coming agonisingly close to achieving the most historic of achievements seven years ago.

With such a glorious past behind him, and an obvious affection for the Ayrshire venue now owned by controversial presidential candidate Donald Trump, Watson’s assessment of the new layout designed by the respected Martin Ebert was always going to carry significant weight.

“Turnberry has been significantly changed for the better. It’s an awesome golf course,” said Watson at his pre-tournament press conference to no doubt cheers of relief from those behind those much publicised alterations. “(It’s) been made into a world-class, top-class golf course, really, really good.”

Despite the tremendous prestige that has come with hosting numerous Open Championships, there had always been a sense that Turnberry was a course that didn’t fully utilise the majestic coastline it was dressed with, particularly around the turn, which has now been corrected with the addition of a stunning assortment of holes that clearly pleases the most important critic of all.

When asked what most impresses him about what he experienced at the weekend, the two-time Ryder Cup captain outlined the alterations in detail with distinct enthusiasm: “The re-design of the holes along the ocean, the 9^th hole, the par 3, is now right up in the bay, absolutely beautiful shot. The 10^th hole, you go down, the beautiful cross-bunkers, the par 5. The 11^th hole, par 3, again, using the bay, using the ocean there. The tee, the walk at the fifth. You walk up there, parallel to the ocean with an absolute perfect view.”

He continued: “All the bunkers have been re-designed. I’d have to say, they still have the traditional sod roll bunker, the rivet bunkers, but they also have the cross-bunkers with all the fingers and gnarly fescues on top; a beautiful look. I mean, it’s really well done.”

Literally giving Ebert two thumbs up in front of the media, for Watson, the new Turnberry is at the summit of the revered Open rotation. “I don’t like to rank, but it’s right at the top. To me it’s right at the top. It’s excellent. It’s not just good; it’s excellent. You’ve got to play it. It’s really good.”

With the course’s owner presently embattled in a contentious campaign, which has already seen Trump venues lose the PGA Grand Slam of Golf and WGC Cadillac Championship, the champion of 39 years ago is hopeful that the Ailsa will once again host an Open in the near future.

“I would be very disappointed if they don’t go back to Trump Turnberry,” the three-time Senior Open champion stated, adding the resort’s unpopular new name that is unpalatable to many. "The political thing is anybody’s guess what might happen. I’m just saying the golf course is A1, A1 golf course. It is really, really good. I’m not being paid to promote it for sure, but I know one thing, it’s a course that everybody ought to go (and) play.”

With the Open having just been played up the coast, it remains to be seen when Turnberry will make its next appearance on a major stage. But when it does, we can be sure that Tom Watson will be more delighted than most.