The Trump effect at Doonbeg

Membership is 80 per cent international, mainly Americans, and 20 per cent Irish

Flags fly outside the entrance to Trump International Golf Course, near Doonbeg. Pic: Getty

The Doonbeg, Co Clare, luxury golf resort owned by Donald Trump is seeing the benefits of a €5.5 million investment in its links course with a rise in members despite an imminent 33 per cent joining fee hike to €20,000.

“We’ve put around €4.5 million into the golf course alone and another million into [maintenance] machinery,” membership director Brendan Murphy said.

“To the Trump family’s credit, they’ve come in and bought this and ...