Gleneagles – Queen’s Course

Gleneagles boasts three superb parkland golf courses: the King’s Course and Queen’s Course, both designed by the legendary James Braid, and the modern PGA Centenary Course, designed by Jack Nicklaus. While the King’s Course is perceived as being the jewel in Gleneagles’s crown, having played all three, picking the best would be a difficult decision to make.

Offering an often-welcome respite from the differing demands of links golf, Gleneagles is truly a golfer’s paradise. Set among ridges and hollows, copious quantities of heather, bracken and gorse enhance the challenge. On any of the courses, if you play well and rise to the challenges imposed by the superb layouts, your round can enter the realm of dreamland; but slice a shot here and miss a green there, then your only consolation may prove to be the stunning surrounding scenery.

The Gleneagles Queen’s Course has played host to many legends of the golfing fraternity, including Johnny Miller, Greg Norman and Tom Watson. Meandering through the estates’ many high ridges, the picturesque woodland setting offers true moorland characteristics. Though excellent holes abound, the par 4, 8th named “Auld Fauld” or “Sheep Pen” is of particular note. Aptly named, as one can imagine a sheep pen nestling in the sheltered hollow that houses the green, an array of bunkers will punish a timid approach, while an overzealous stroke will carry down the sloping green away from the hole.

Each course at Gleneagles thoroughly deserves its regal title, and whatever course you play or whether you play all three, you will walk away knowing that you have experienced something special.