[Paul_Turner]

Thanks to Brian Ewen for these beautiful pics of Gleneagles Queens.

Unlike the Kings course, Alister Mackenzie liked the Queens; probably because he didn't bid on the project and lose?  His criticism of the Kings was that it was designed "by committee"; too many cooks... Whereas he liked the Queens because it was designed by one man: CK Hutchison.  I'd like to know more about this chap, he built some fine courses often in partnership with Guy Campbell and SV Hotchkin.  A partnership that perhaps doesn't get its due recognition.


The 4th

The 6th

The 12th

The 12th green

The 14th green

The 14th from 5th tee

The 15th

The 17th

The 17th green


I have some more pics from Jeroen which I can post if wanted.

[ian]

I can't forgive myself for staying there and playing the Kings and not touring the Queens. The one thing that strikes me from the photos is how much they look alike.

I did play 11 rounds on the pitch and putt course though. If you have a picture of that, I really could use it.

Keep the courses coming Paul, this is one of my favourite things on the site.

[Brian_Ewen]

Thank you Paul for allowing me to share these photos with the group . I enjoyed Jeroens photos of the Kings course that you also posted , and being a fan of the Queens I wanted to address the balance .

Paul I am puzzled as I have always thought the Queens was a James Braid designed course  , though I knew that it had been re-modelled by James Alexander in the 1950's . Certainly some of the greenside bunkering has a Braid look about them ? .

If you are ever at Gleneagles and only have the time to play one course I would recommend the Queens over the Kings . I am one that agrees with Dr MacKenzie that the Kings has too many holes where you see more of the green from the tee , than you do from the fairway.

The Queens doesnt have the incredible views of the Kings (though the photos show they are not far behind ) but the course has a more compact feel to it , a lovely routing , and at less than 6700 yards and a par of 68 , it is playable and enjoyable for a golfer of my standard .

One negative point , If these wetter summers in Scotland are here for good , Gleneagles must do something about the drainage on the course . This will be third time I have played at Gleneagles over the last couple of years , and each time the fairways have been very wet and boggy .

When we played last week , Gleneagles were running a speacial deal for October of £31 a round , at this price I consider the Queens a bargain .

[Paul_Turner]

Brian

I was going by what Mackenzie wrote in "The Spirit of St Andrews", looking at the architecture bible by Cornish and Whitten, both Braid and Hutchison are credited for both Kings and Queens, so who knows?  C&W is sometimes wrong, as they can only go by what the club tells them.  Perhaps I might dig something up in my research?

I agree that both courses look similar, both in style and interest: some spectacular holes!

Not sure what's up with a couple of those pics above???

[Tyler Kearns]

Paul,
       Great pictures, I concur with Ian, it's one of the best features of GCA, so please, feel free to post more images. Amongst many other things, architecture is a visual art; therefore, more pictures equals better education.

Tyler Kearns

[Tom MacWood (Guest)]

Paul
Wonderful pictures. The use of the natural features of the site is striking. I'm with you in wanting to know more about Hutchison. Darwin believed Hutchison never got his proper due at Gleneagles, or his proper due as an architect. He attributed it to the fact he had a quiet and effacing personality, and unfortunately because he didn't design that many courses.

I know he was a Scot educated at Eton. A very fine amateur, he lost in the finals of the British Am when up one with two to play at Muirfield (he hailed from Lothian). He was engaged to marry Joyce Wethered - don't what happened there. He was a POW during WWI and built a golf course in the stallag. He and Campbell were long time partners.

[allysmith]

Brian,

Excellent photographs. Now Cruikie is a world wide golfer. Your views on the Queens are to be applauded. I have played the Kings and Queens about 6 times each and fully agree that the challenge of the queens out strips the Kings by quite a way.

Unfortunately the technical challenges of both the Kings and Queens do not match those of the PGA Centenary and so they were not chosen for the 2014 Ryder Cup. Even a suitable composite course could not be put together.

I guess the allure and charm should remain with us amateurs as the Kings and Queens have succumbed to the ravages of time.

[Tommy_Naccarato (Guest)]

It is interesting to see this bunker maintenance and practices. for those of you that don't know, Gleneagles is under the watchful guise of David Kidd's father who I believe is superintendent there.

The bunkers DO in fact have that Bandon Dunes look to them.

[Brian_Ewen]

Paul
Having a quick look through books and websites , several times Major CK Hutchinson is listed as Braid's assistant on the Gleneagles project .

The courses were built between 1914 and 1919 , James Braid would have still been playing golf in these years, so maybe Major Hutchinson should be given more credit for the design , though using the C&W bible , Braid designed very few courses during this period .

A couple of facts I found interesting while looking through these books :

The Queen's course was intended as a ladies' course , which explains its shortness.

Many people think the Hotel / Courses are named after the bird but it is actually an anglicisation of the Gaelic glen eaglais, the glen of the church.

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