What’s a portakabin? And why are Scottish golfers sad it’s gone from Dundonald Links?

Those of you keen on the history of cherished, triumphant edifices will probably know that the Eiffel Tower was originally intended as a temporary exhibit when it started to get rattled up back in 1887.

And look at it now? Still plonked there as a majestic beacon for patriotism, resistance, romance and long bloomin’ queues of camera-clicking tourists. Now, we’re not saying the old portakabin clubhouse at Dundonald Links — which sits less than an hour southwest of Glasgow, Scotland — was anything remotely like this grand Parisian pile but, having stood as a stopgap facility for almost two decades at the Ayrshire venue, it too became something of a treasure.

“People had a real soft spot for it and by the end, we thought it would just about have listed status,” said Dundonald Links general manager, Ian Ferguson, with a reflective chuckle as he looked back on a hardy make-shift assembly which has welcomed some of the world’s best golfers in both the men’s and women’s Scottish Opens.

“It was actually quite emotional when they took it away. They took it off in sections, from one end to the other, and you could see it disappear day by day to the point where you could glimpse the exposed hand dryers in the loos. As much as people loved it, there were others who didn’t. Some people wouldn’t bring a corporate event here as it just wasn’t as grand as some other places so we had to move on.”

The portakabin is no more but in its place has emerged the bricks, mortar and shimmering fixtures and fittings of a fully operational and permanent clubhouse. The hand dryers in the loos are pretty fancy, too.

As part of a major, multi-million pound investment by new owners, Darwin Escapes, Dundonald, which was sold by Loch Lomond a couple of years ago, is now ready to return to the big stage of championship golf again with the Trust Golf Women’s Scottish Open coming back to this neck of the woods in 2022 and 2023.

With the prize fund of the championship rocketing to $2 million next year, this is a terrific time to be involved with a tournament that is going from strength to strength.

“The business model here is pretty straightforward,” added Ferguson, after a VIP night of lavish, glass-clinking indulgence that would’ve made Nero envious. “We are catering for golf tourism from all over the world and want to get people to stay, play, eat, drink and have a good time. But we definitely are a tournament venue and we made sure that what we designed and developed would fit in with significant championships.”

The addition of an abundant cluster of delightfully appointed lodges around the premises clearly has benefits for the stay-and-play side of things but, from a championship perspective, there are added advantages.

Mi Hyang Lee of Korea, winner of the Aberdeen Asset Management Ladies Scottish Open, plays her second shot at the 18th hole as she finishes her final round at Dundonald Links Golf Course on July 30, 2017 in Troon, Scotland. (Photo by Mark Runnacles/Getty Images)

Golf got used to operating in tightly controlled bubbles during the Covid pandemic. Fingers crossed, we don’t go back to all that palaver but, amid ongoing uncertainty, resurgences, spikes and variants you never know what the future holds. Whatever happens, Dundonald is well placed to cope and cater for any radical changes in operational procedures and protocols.

“It lends itself to these changed times,” added Ferguson. “If we did have to go back to that tournament bubble, it’s now easy to create that isolation here and you can comply with whatever regulations are in place at that point.”

Having staged the Women’s Scottish Open three times from 2015, while hosting the men’s championship in 2017, Dundonald is certainly no stranger to showpiece occasions. “If the European Tour [now the DP World Tour] would like to come back we would be very keen to talk to them,” added Ferguson.

For the time being, the focus is on the Women’s Scottish Open and a stellar cast that will arrive for an event that takes place the week before a historic AIG Women’s Open at Muirfield.

“Having the Women’s Scottish Open here for the next two years adds huge value and it’s a great morale booster for all the staff to work towards,” said Ferguson. “Who knows? Dundonald could become the home of the event.”

As for the dearly departed portakabin?

“It will always have cult status,” smiled Ferguson.