US President made a bid to buy one of St Andrews’ most prominent landmarks.

Home of golf could have been transformed if bid for historic site had gone through

US President Donald Trump made a bid to buy one of St Andrews’ most prominent and exclusive properties.

Before his presidential ambitions were realised, Mr Trump tried to purchase Hamilton Hall in a deal which could have changed the face of golf on the east coast of Scotland.

According to a report yesterday, Mr Trump first made his intentions clear after a visit to Scotland when he was setting up his controversial course at the Menie estate in Aberdeenshire.

Using information released in court documents in the US, the report states Mr Trump eventually abandoned the attempt to buy the hotel when he failed to secure favourable banking facilities with the Bank of Scotland.

Hamilton Hall, once the Grand Hotel and playground of the stars, was eventually bought in 2009 by US plumbing magnate Herb Kohler for £11 million and he has turned it into luxury flats.

It brought to an end Mr Trump’s lengthy bid to gain control of the site, overlooking the Old Course’s 18th green.

According to the court papers, Mr Trump first became involved in 2006 when the Wassermans, who had bought the building for £20 million from St Andrews University, sought to use his name to secure equity for their plan to convert it into flats.

In 2008, a company called Trump Hotel St Andrews Limited was incorporated, with directors including Mr Trump and his adult children.

Later that year he offered to buy it outright for £23 million to redevelop it as a hotel by the time of the 2010 Open Championship.

An approach to the Bank of Scotland for a mortgage deal included a provision that it would be used as the “primary bank for all our United Kingdom enterprises, in particular, the Aberdeen development”. This was turned down as “too risky” and the sale did not happen.

In August 2009, Mr Trump made a last-ditch bid to secure Hamilton Hall with bids of £10 million, dependant on a bank deal, or £4 million in cash.

Kohler won the bidding process which, the court papers show, also involved Celtic FC majority shareholder Dermot Desmond and a £4.1m bid by the university.

Local politicians spoke of their relief that Mr Trump did not succeed. Stephen Gethins, the SNP MP for North East Fife and the party’s foreign affairs spokesman, said: “I’m sure many will feel St Andrews has had a lucky escape from someone who simply thinks he can buy influence.”

The bid by Donald Trump to buy Hamilton Hall in St Andrews raises an intriguing ‘what may have been’ question. It is fair to say a Trump hotel at the Old Course would have transformed the town centre.

The attempt was made before The Donald’s presidential ambitions were even conceived. Could a successful bid have diverted his gaze from politics?

Is St Andrews’ gain, the world’s loss, or vice versa?

Hamilton Hall, right, overlooking the 18th green at the Old Course, was targeted by Mr Trump in 2008.

US President Donald Trump.