PGA Centenary Course - Gleneagles, Scotland

Britain’s Tommy Fleetwood won his first European Tour title at the Johnny Walker Championship, hosted by the PGA Centenary Course at Gleneagles. This week’s course review takes golfers on a quick tour of this prestigious golfing establishment as we find out what makes this course so unique.

Located approximately one hour by car between Glasgow and Edinburgh, Gleneagles is one of Scotland’s best-known golfing establishments. Like St Andrews, the golf offering at Gleneagles consists of several golf courses of different ages, with the PGA Centenary course being the youngest.

Designed by Jack Nicklaus, the Centenary Course (formerly known as the Monarch) first opened to the public in 1993. Since then the course has weathered two decades of use by championship and local players, maturing into one of the best American-style golf courses in the British Isles.

The Centenary Course is long, measuring up at just over 7000 yards from the back tees –fortunately golfers can choose from five sets of tees depending on their driving distance. In contrast to many Scottish links courses, the Centenary’s inland location and limited use of water hazards may come as a relief to golf travellers who have experienced the challenging side of Scotland’s golf offering and are looking for a taste of home.

Though the course layout (which follows a stadium format) may be familiar, the Nicklaus design takes no prisoners. Undulating greens and ample bunkers provide a challenge to golfers of all handicaps, and the lack of water on some holes shouldn’t lull players into a sense of complacency – every shot counts at the PGA Centenary Course.

The Gleneagles Hotel offers golf packages which include the Centenary as well as the other courses that make up the resort. Golfers can enquire about accommodation and tee times by visiting the resort’s website.

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