The iconic Gleneagles Hotel in the Scottish Highlands has renovated back tees at five holes on its King’s course, ahead of its hosting the Senior Open Championship, July 21-24. James Braid designed the King’s in 1924 and the course underwent a successful restoration in 2016. The current work focused on adding length, challenge and better views of the greens.
A new back tee on the par-4 seventh hole, built behind the sixth green, stretches the yardage from 444 to 468. It also alters the angle of the tee shot, creating a sharper dogleg, which makes it tougher to cut the corner. At the 178-yard, par-3 eighth, Gleneagles extended the tee and moved it further left to reveal the right side of the green. The drivable par-4 14th has bumped its back tee yardage from 309 to 341, while at the petite, 158-yard, par-3 16th, the back tee has been lowered and shifted to the left to provide a view of the entire green.
Additional changes ahead of the tournament include the introduction of closely mown surfaces around the greens and fairway bunkers, which helps to better incorporate the site’s natural contours into the playing experience.
“Gleneagles’ reputation as a sporting estate has flourished for a century, with golf and the King’s course at the very heart of that rich history,” said Conor O’Leary, managing director of Gleneagles. “While our modern classic, the PGA Centenary course designed by Jack Nicklaus, has hosted iconic Ryder Cup and Solheim Cup matches, we are so proud to welcome legends of the game to the King’s, where golf started at Gleneagles all those years ago. The sympathetic course changes we have made recognize the way the modern game has evolved, but still retain the King’s numerous strategic challenges that have made this timeless classic so revered the world over.”
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