The Greatest 36 Holes? Coming Soon
“It needs to be remembered by all that we do not inherit this earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our descendants.”—David Milne, Menie resident, Aberdeenshire, 2010
In 2006, Donald Trump announced plans to build “The Greatest Golf Course in the World” on Aberdeenshire’s dynamic coastline, an area designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) for its ecological significance and natural beauty. The development, approved in 2008 by the Scottish government under First Minister Alex Salmond, prioritized promised economic benefits over environmental concerns. The decision sparked controversy, with campaigners arguing that the impact on the dunes, wildlife, and local residents was too high a price to pay.
For photographer Alicia Bruce, the Menie dunes held personal significance. She grew up nearby and played on them as a child. The dramatic transformation of this cherished landscape into a golf course motivated Bruce to begin documenting Trump’s development in Menie. Since then, she has created an ongoing body of work that spans nearly two decades, a record of the ecological and social changes brought by Trump’s ventures in the region. Her project covers not only the construction of Trump’s first golf course but also the second course, which began in 2023 and threatens the remaining sand dunes, stretching all the way to Balmedie Country Park.
The alterations to the landscape have been significant: sand dunes have been stabilized, shifted, and sprayed with hydroseed, altering their natural state. Once open to the public, much of the land is now fenced off, with access denied by Trump security personnel who claim to be “protecting the dunes.” The Menie Coastguard Cottages, home to long-time residents, have been emptied, with tenants dislodged to make way for further development. Bruce’s latest images made in 2024 capture this ongoing transformation, juxtaposing the site’s altered state with its former natural beauty as Trump builds a second golf course.
This new project phase builds on Bruce’s critically acclaimed monograph, I Burn But I Am Not Consumed (Daylight Books, 2023), which documented 16 years of Trump’s impact on the Menie community. Her work highlights the resilience and humanity of local residents who have endured years of disruption, even as they were publicly dismissed and derided by Trump, who famously labelled them “peasants” and “pigs.” Bruce’s images not only tell a story of environmental loss but also reflect on themes of human and land rights, displacement, and resistance.
Recognized for its cultural significance, Bruce’s work was celebrated in a 2013 Scottish Parliamentary motion, and her photographs have been exhibited internationally, including at MoCP Chicago and the Lishui Photography Culture Center. These images have shifted public perception of Menie’s residents, presenting them not as obstacles to progress but as individuals fighting for their homes and heritage.
Deeply personal and political, Bruce’s ongoing documentation of Trump’s developments in Menie serves as a humane and poignant portrait of a community in conflict. It offers a critical reflection on the lasting impacts of a development marketed as “The Greatest Golf Course in the World” and the consequences of prioritizing profit over preservation.
Film and processing for the 2024 project phase was made possible with the Richard and Siobhan Coward Foundation Grant for Analogue Photography.
