Turnberry could soon have its own version of Augusta’s Amen Corner

The proposed changes to Turnberry promise to make it the best course on The Open rota after St Andrews.

It has been a splendid venue on the four times it has hosted the Championship. Who can forget ‘Duel in the Sun’ in 1977 or Tom Watson so nearly winning, aged 59, in 2009?

Turnberry is situated on a magnificent piece of coastline. It is an iconic setting because of the lighthouse and views over Ailsa Craig.

But I’ve always felt that the course didn’t quite match the surroundings. Now with Donald Trump’s input, that is going to change.

The big detail is to make more use of the lighthouse around the turn, and to move holes closer to the coastline.

There will be five new holes, including the run from nine to 11, with two par-3s where players will hit over the bay and coastal inlets onto the green.

It’s even been suggested that the lighthouse might be used as a halfway hut. What a place to have a bacon sandwich!

This could become a memorable stretch of holes, one to rival Amen Corner at Augusta or the Bear Trap at PGA National in Florida.

And I’m sure with Trump’s eye for marketing, he’d come up with a catchy term for that part of the course.

He has an impressive portfolio of golf courses around the world, like Doral, but Turnberry will be the jewel in his crown.

For such a golfing fanatic, staging a Major on his redesigned links would top the lot.

However, traditionalists need not worry about Trump having too much influence because The R&A will work very closely with the American over these changes, as it’s in both parties’ interest to create a world-class venue and course for golf’s biggest event.

Once the course is ready, they can work on the infrastructure.

Transport links to Turnberry are not the best at the moment, but the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles showed how an isolated venue can still welcome big crowds with good logistical planning and organisation.

With an iconic course, one of the best hotels in Scotland and better connections to the rest of the country, it can become a more common stop on The Open rota.

We just hope a date can be agreed for the fifth Turnberry Open as quickly as possible, so we have an excuse to go back.