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GOLF COURSES
 Golf Courses in Scotland
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Auchterarder, Perthshire, Scotland
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Founded |
1919 |
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Designer |
James Braid |
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Championship Length |
5,965 / 5,660 yards |
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PAR |
68 / 68 |
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SSS |
70 / 68 |
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Type |
Parkland |
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| Gleneagles (Queens) Golf Club |
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Details:
Some places are simply synonymous with the game of golf. You think of St. Andrews and you think of golf, think of Turnberry and you think golf and so it is with Gleneagles, although there is also much more to it than just golf. Dealing specifically with golf however, there are no fewer than three superb championship golf courses at Gleneagles, the Kings Course and Queens Course, both designed in 1919 and the PGA Centenary Course, previously known as the Monarch's Course, which was designed by Jack Nicklaus and opened for play in 1993. There is also a par three course, known as the Wee Course, which is an ideal light alternative for all golfers.
Like the Kings Course, the Queens Course was designed by legendary golf course architect, James Braid, and opened for play in 1919. A real feature of the course is its inspiring natural beauty and over the course of its history, the Queens Course has played host to some of the world's golfing greats, including Johnny Miller, Greg Norman, Seve Ballesteros, Tom Watson and Lee Trevino. And in case you want to know, Alan Shepard, a man who holds the distinction of hitting the longest drive ever (by virtue of hitting a ball on the moon), has also played here. Threading through high ridges on the north and west sides of the estate, the course offers a lovely woodland setting and countless fine moorland characteristics, adding to the challenge.
The course itself measures less than 6,000 yards but with a par of 68, is a stern test for those with aspirations of beating par. Do not be lulled into a false sense of security on the first tee, as this is a challenging opener. The ground falls away at your feet, the fairway swings round to the left and slopes towards the trees and there are a couple of cunningly placed bunkers, which test your approach to a miniscule green. Some brief respite from a tough opening is found at the short 2nd hole but the 421-yard, 3rd hole is rated as the hardest on the course. With the presence of a large bunker on the left and a ditch running all the way up the right hand side, your drive here must be long and precise in order to set up a reasonable approach to a green sloping from back to front.
Two of the other great holes on the outward journey include the par five, 7th hole, the only par five on the course, and the short par four, 8th hole, which plays to an interestingly positioned green, well-protected by bunkers. The doglegging 10th hole is a nice start to the back nine before water comes into play on the 13th and 14th, two consecutive short holes of varying length, with the latter requiring a tee shot of over 200 yards to a tiered putting surface. At odds with its name, the par three 17th is no "Hinny Mune" (Honeymoon). There is no escape unless you hit this undulating green and sometimes, there is no escape even if you do, as the green is some 50 yards long.
TOP
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Carr Golf Group, PO Box 6385, Dublin 15, Ireland
Toll Free: 1800 882 2656 enquiries@carrgolf.com
Tel: 353 1 822 6662 Fax: 353 1 822 6668
Golf Courses in Ireland and Scotland
- Hotels / Accommodation
in Ireland and Scotland |
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