Following his Turnberry takeover Donald Trump outlines vision for improvement

American tycoon Donald Trump has outlined his plans to renovate his new Trump Turnberry golf course, and defended adding his name to the famous golfing property.

The businessman has already pledged $100 million to renovate the hotel that overlooks one of the most famous courses in the world, which he bought last month, and revealed more developments during a visit to Scotland on Wednesday.

The resort is being renamed Trump Turnberry, and brings the number of golf courses owned by the property magnate to 17.

Trump defended putting his name to the venue, and insists his main priority is to make Turnberry a huge success as a result of the planned redevelopments by his organisation.

If I thought it was going to hurt Turnberry I wouldn't use the name but it's going to make this great resort much more successful than it has been and that's the primary reason I'm doing it.

"One of the things that I think is good (about the Trump organization) is we have tremendous success, our buildings are tremendously successful, so if you add it, I'm not doing it for ego, I'm doing it because it's going to make the place more successful," Trump said.

Renaming

"If I thought it was going to hurt Turnberry I wouldn't use the name but it's going to make this great resort much more successful than it has been and that's the primary reason I'm doing it.

"I spoke to the higher-ups in the world of golf and one of them said it used to be called Westin Turnberry when the Japanese owned it, I think Trump Turnberry sounds much better."

On a visit to Scotland last month, Mr Trump did not reveal the price of the purchase, only saying that he had paid "a lot" for the resort which includes a course on the Open Championship circuit - which was a huge factor in his decision.

'It's a magnificent tournament, I've watched it for so many years and never missed it,' he said of The Open.

"It's just an honor to be associated with the Royal and Ancient and the tournament potentially. It's already had four Opens and the women are coming next year, which I consider very important, and I think the greatness of this course will lead to others, it has to.

Trump, joined by his son Eric and golf course architect Martin Ebert revealed some of their plans to alter the Ailsa Course, which has staged four Opens, including making the famous lighthouse the halfway house for the course.

Ailsa tweaks

“We can’t share all of the ideas at the moment,” added Ebert. “It is all very much a work in progress. We will respect the wishes of the R&A and develop proposals sensitive to the needs of the Open Championship.

“We are keen to protect the history and heritage of the course but there are definitely opportunities. I’m very grateful to Mr. Trump for entrusting me with working on the golf course. It’s a great honour and responsibility.”

Turnberry played host to one of the most famous Open Championships, the 1977 "Duel in the Sun" where Tom Watson won over Jack Nicklaus.

It is Mr Trump's second Scottish course, following on from his Aberdeenshire resort which opened in July 2012.

Plans for a second golf course, club house and hotel on the same site remain on hold amid a dispute over a proposed wind farm adjacent to the resort.