A Pictorial: The Gleneagles King's Course!!!

[Kyle Henderson]

I elected to head inland to Auchterarder for one solitary day of my links-dominated sojourn in the home of golf to play the King’s and Queens courses at the famed Gleneagles Hotel. Both are layouts by James Braid and C.K. Hutchinson (1919, with a third layout now known as the PGA Centenary course added by Jack Nicklaus in the early 1990’s). The King’s course is a stern test in terms of its length, predominantly blind or semi-blind tee shots and fearsome bunkers. These bunkers are ovular to kidney shaped with steep, grassed faces and guard the front corners of every green. The greens themselves feature very subtle breaks and little interest for my taste. The fairways are mowed in crisscrossing patterns that distract from the curvaceous slopes over which they are draped.

While I enjoyed both courses well enough, I wasn’t overwhelmed by them and certainly don’t think they’re worth £155 per round. That being said, ignoring the steep tariffs, the courses occupy land very well-suited to parkland golf and certainly offer a handful of excellent holes each, with the King’s course being the clearly superior and more challenging choice, though not by leaps and bounds.
I caught the courses on a rather gray and non-photogenic day, but I hope these depictions convey some of the course’s challenge and beauty.

FYI: My other pictorial threads from this trip can be viewed at the following links:
Royal Dornoch http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,40107.0/
Brora http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,40120.0/
Golspie http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,40126.0/
The Castle Course http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,40204.0/
Murcar http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,40281.0/
Crail: Craigshead & Balcombie http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,40325.0/
Lundin Links http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,40387.0/
Muirfield http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,40439.0/
Cruden Bay http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,40565.0/
Gleneagles - Kings Course http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,40675.0/
St. Andrews - Old Course http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,40696.0/
Gullane #1 & #2 http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,41085.0/
Panmure http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,41122.0/
Gleneagles - Queens Course http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,41152.0/
Kingsbarns http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,41184.0/
Royal Aberdeen - Balgownie Links http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,41498.0/
Carnoustie – Championship Course http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,41834.0/
North Berwick - West Links http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,42104.0/

*not featured: Nairn, Eden, New, Castle Stuart (tour)


Enjoy.


A look at the starter hut and yours truly.

The 1st (par 4, 362 yards) stretches up the hill past the 18th green.

The 2nd running down toward the motorway (par 4, 436 yards).

2nd green approach

The 3rd (par 4, 374 yards) plays up to and over the ridge dead ahead …

…with the 3rd green (viewed from left/front) sitting just behind.

The 4th (par 4, 466 yards) is long, awkwardly pitched from right to left, and runs steadily uphill. Par 4 they say? I’m happy with my 5, thank you.

5th (par 3, 178 yards). I don’t imagine many pars are made after missing the green.

The 6th (par 5, 480 yards) doglegs left and offers a needed birdie opportunity.

A view of the 6th approach displays the folly of missing left.

The 7th (par 4, 444 yards) requires a long accurate drive over a diagonal ridge.

This perspective demonstrates the advantage to be gained by challenging the inside of the dogleg to yield a shorter approach.

Bunkers guard everything within 50 yards of the7th green, forcing players to attempt a long, aerial approach.

The 8th (par 3, 178 yards) plays downhill and features a shallow but wide green that runs from short left to long right.

The 9th (par 4, 409 yards) offers few level lies for those lucky enough to reach the fairway. The approach is played uphill to a sizable green.

Sun peeks out over the 10th (par 5, 499 yards) holes, another shortish par 5 that grows progressively tougher as one nears the green.

The 11th ( par 3, 230 yards)hole is a stern par 3 sitting adjacent to the slightly more than halfway house which also serves the Queens course.

The 12th (par 4, 442 yards), like so many other holes on the King’s, plays blind over a ridge infused with sandy abysses.

12th approach

The 13th (par 4, 464 yards) requires a long drive over the right edge of the pictured bunker for par seekers.

From the landing zone, a long approach stuck from sloping ground is required.

13th look back

A tasty but potentially testing bridei hole, the 14th (par 4, 309 yards) plays over a small ridge…

… to a green protected by 5  bunkers, several of which sit at awkward distances from the surface.

Another blind tee shot at the 15th (par 4, 459 yards).

The 15th fairway turns steeply downhill at 200 yards out.

Fairway bunkers 100 yards from the green challenge low trajectory approach shots.

This view of the 16th (par 3, 158 yards) is from the back tees, with the forward tees sitting on the left at the rear of the 15th green. The 16th green on the right in the saddles surrounded by sand pits.

A  look back at the teeing grounds from behind the 16th green.

The 17th (par 4, 377 yards) bends left along the ridge line.

17th approach

17th look back

Looking past the 17th green to the 18th.

18th (par 5, 525 yards) tee shot.

The world famous hotel to the left.

18th approach

A look back down the 18th provides an indication of how soft the greens were for me.

Fin.

[Rob Rigg]

Well done again Kyle - sounds like sticking to the linksland is the best plan for any trip to Scotland?

[Adrian_Stiff]

Thanks for the pics Kyle- Its nice but I think the look could be improved by getting rid of the stripes, traditional mowing patterns would make this look so much nicer.

[Ally Mcintosh]

The mowing is horrible... Can't remember that from the last time I was there... Cross hatching the fairways and vertical stripes on the carry rough!

Also seems to me that there are more trees where there shouldn't be.

Going by this pictorial, I've got rose tinted memories of Gleneagles.... Nice pictures though... Thanks Kyle

[Sean_A]

I don't know, the course looks magical to me.  Solid golf sprinkled with some devilish charm.  I have always liked the look of Gleneagles, but as Kyle suggests, its over-priced.  Plus, I am not a huge fan of the whole hotel deal - it makes what should be a lovely day out a bit stiff. 

Kyle, once again, thanks for the pix.

Ciao

[Ally Mcintosh]

Looks far too busy for me Sean....

Should be heading back next month though so will be able to report back in person...

Hopefully seeing David Kidd's new course (Gleneagles West or some other new name) so excited by that prospect...

[Emil Weber]

Thanks Kyle for another great pictorial. What really impresses me is the property - great land for golf. It looks like 15 is a really good hole and there's a good variety in the par 3s, is that right?

[David_Tepper]

Kyle -

Thanks for the pics.
How did the turf at Gleneagles play relative to all the links courses you played on your trip?
Did you consciously have to shift back to playing an aerial game or was the course firm enough to bounce the ball?

DT

[Matt MacIver]

Kyle - thanks for the pix and returning memories.  I wedged in a round at Kings in-between travelling from Ayrshire to Fife and would recommend it to anybody.  I absolutely loved the course and could play it (most) every day - cost aside.  I too love rolling greens, but the choppy and frequently blind tee shots made up for it - guess that could get old if this was your daily driver, but for most it's not.  I don't think the heinous mowing patterns were there two years ago, and remember the greens being much slower than I expected. 

[Tim Pitner]

I agree that the mowing patterns are horrible, but that probably matters more when viewing photos than when playing golf.  The terrain looks amazing. 

What is the story with Kidd's work there?  I thought I read that he was pulled off the job of redoing the Centenary course for the Ryder Cup.

[Kyle Henderson]

Well done again Kyle - sounds like sticking to the linksland is the best plan for any trip to Scotland?

Probably so -- that's certainly what I take home from the experience -- but to each their own.

[Kyle Henderson]

Thanks Kyle for another great pictorial. What really impresses me is the property - great land for golf. It looks like 15 is a really good hole and there's a good variety in the par 3s, is that right?

The par 3's vary in length, but are basically all raised with steep-faced bunkers surrounding them.

I enjoyed the stretch of holes from 13-15 the most.

[Kyle Henderson]

Kyle -

Thanks for the pics.
How did the turf at Gleneagles play relative to all the links courses you played on your trip?
Did you consciously have to shift back to playing an aerial game or was the course firm enough to bounce the ball?

DT

The soft greens and thicker rough did bring me back to more of a stateside, aerial playing style. The air was also a bit thicker under cloudy skies than during the warm conditions I was graced with for most of my coastal experience in Fife. Basically, I went back to playing for the middle or back of the green instead of the yardage to the front edge.

What I missed most of all was the soft bunker sand found on the links. The bunkers at Gleneagles are filled with coarse and rocky grains.

[Kyle Henderson]

Kyle - thanks for the pix and returning memories.  I wedged in a round at Kings in-between travelling from Ayrshire to Fife and would recommend it to anybody.  I absolutely loved the course and could play it (most) every day - cost aside.  I too love rolling greens, but the choppy and frequently blind tee shots made up for it - guess that could get old if this was your daily driver, but for most it's not.  I don't think the heinous mowing patterns were there two years ago, and remember the greens being much slower than I expected. 

I didn't mind the blind drives too much, though there are too many of them (and not from necessity by my reckoning). The problem is that weaker players will top drives into them and be faced with long uphill approaches out of rough whil strong players won't think twice about carrying them -- very much the opposite of ideal IMHO. This imbalance is compunded by the frequent placement of nasty bunkers in the faces of said slopes.

The Old Course has a bit of this problem as well, as weak players may not clear the gorse covered mounds that hide the fairways from the teeing grounds on several holes going out, but Gleneagle's slopes are more prevalent.

[Kyle Henderson]

I agree that the mowing patterns are horrible, but that probably matters more when viewing photos than when playing golf.  The terrain looks amazing. 

What is the story with Kidd's work there?  I thought I read that he was pulled off the job of redoing the Centenary course for the Ryder Cup.

Not sure what the story is there. Here's what Kidd's website says on the subject:

http://www.dmkgolfdesign.com/portfolio-gleneagles.aspx

[Brian_Ewen]

The course that Ally mentions , Gleneagles West , is next door to the Hotels course .

http://www.dmkgolfdesign.com/portfolio-gwest.aspx

Must admit , there is not a lot of talk about it .

[Kyle Henderson]

The course that Ally mentions , Gleneagles West , is next door to the Hotels course .

http://www.dmkgolfdesign.com/portfolio-gwest.aspx

Must admit , there is not a lot of talk about it .

I heard nary a peep during my visit. I did see a lot of dirt being pushed around adjacent to the Queen's Course, but it wasn't clear for what purpose.

[Kyle Henderson]

A link to some info about the Gleneagles West development.

http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/news/display.var.1490688.0.luxury_hotel_and_golf_course_planned_near_gleneagles.php

[Brian_Ewen]

Kyle
I am hoping there will be a pictorial for the Queens .

[Kyle Henderson]

Kyle
I am hoping there will be a pictorial for the Queens .

Scouts honor.

[Andrew Mitchell]

Thanks for the photo tour Kyle.

Gleneagles has always been on my must play list ever since the days of regular TV coverage from Pro Celebrity Challenge (can anyone remember whether they switched from Gleneagles to Turnberry or vice versa?).  I also remember my Uncle telling me of his club's annual trip to Gleneagles back in the 1970's when the daily green fee was less than £1!  Despite driving past it on several occasions in recent years when visiting my daughter in Dundee I still haven't got there and with the current green fee at £155 it could be a while yet!

Your photos do whet the appetite though and the rolling terrain is ideal for inland golf.

[Brian_Ewen]

Andrew
I remember playing the Kings in July 1986 , the reason I remember the date is that we watched Germany v Argentina WC final afterwards , and the cost of a green fee that day was £16 .

Its amazing how its become so expensive to play the game in Scotland nowadays !

To me , the Kings is not worth the green fee they are asking nowadays , although there is deals going around for a round + a night in the hotel for the same price .

I wish BBC would re-release some of the old Pro-Celeb series , I remember the Turnberry ones , and the Kings course ones , but I have a friend who is adamant that they also used the Queens course , which I dont remember .