Gleneagles (PGA Centenary)

The PGA Centenary Course is one of three 18-hole layouts at the Gleneagles Resort, situated in the centre of Scotland. 

The King’s Course and the Queen’s Course have been around for much longer, with the PGA Centenary Course being the youngest of the three.

Designed by the great Jack Nicklaus, the PGA Centenary has already played host to both the Ryder Cup and the Solheim Cup in its short history. 

Check out our full piece on the Gleneagles Resort here. 

Visit the Gleneagles website here.

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Donald Matheson was the man behind the plans for the Gleneagles Resort, with a project implemented to bring golf and a hotel to the region.

Those plans were halted when the First World War began in 1914, but soon came to fruition after the War. James Braid, the five-time Open Champion, was brought in to design the King's and Queen's Courses, with the two 18-hole layouts both opening in 1919. The hotel at the Gleneagles Resort was opened five years later.

It wasn’t until 1993 that the Monarch’s Course (as it was originally known) was constructed. Jack Nicklaus was the man behind the design, which changed it name to the PGA Centenary in 2001, to celebrate the 100th year of the PGA. 

Within a five-year period, the PGA Centenary made history. Following the hosting of the 2014 Ryder Cup, the PGA then played host to the Solheim Cup in 2019 – thus becoming the first course to have ever held both team match-play events.

It might be the newest course at the Gleneagles Resort, but the PGA Centenary is one of the finest layouts in the land. It has rock-solid championship credentials, is tough but perfectly fair and you can generally see where any trouble, which is generally short of the hole, lies.

"The finest parcel of land in the world I have ever been given to work with" – Jack Nicklaus

Every new course could do with a grand statement to hang their hat on, but this is some boast by the Golden Bear. The PGA Centenary is the longest inland course in Scotland at 7,278 yards off the blue tees though playing from the Whites is plenty long enough. The Yellows, at just over 6,300 yards, should be most players' starting point.

The opening tee shot is not overly daunting, as anything not leaked too far right will leave an uphill approach to an angled green. The first sign of any drama comes at the 2nd, where water lurks beside a narrow green meaning anything struck from distance will do very well to hold the green. It is the first of the four par 5s on the PGA Centenary Course, all of which are getable from the right tees. Another dogleg, this time to the right, then follows courtesy of a gorgeous par 4, which needs more than you imagine. You then come to the first short hole, though the 4th is not necessarily short. It is a vast par 3 – 'Gowden Beastie' or, as the designer might say, 'Golden Bear' – where a large bunker sits front and left. From the Blues, the 4th is almost 240 yards in length.

On the card, the 5th is rated the hardest hole and the professionals' figures bear that out. The line is to take it up the left but, being blind with a line of trees in your eye-line, it pushes you right. Too safe means you could be pitching your second down the fairway with a large pond hugging the right-sided approach. A bogey is a good score on 5. The 6th is the next par 3, and is play slightly downhill to a narrow green, with 90% of the carry being over water. You emerge from the trees at the 7th where you feel you can open your shoulders for the first time, before playing to a green which has been moved three times.

Some respite comes around the turn, with both the 8th and 11th being relatively short par 4s. As long as you can avoid the five fairway bunkers which will catch your eye, you can make birdie on 8. 11 is a slight dog-leg to the right, with a stream running across the hole between the fairway and green. Make sure you known what distance to hit your tee shot. From there, it is a simple wedge shot to the surface. The 9th is very much a three-shotter, pushing towards 570 yards from the tips, and with water to the right of the green. The fairway gets wider for your lay up, making it somewhat easier for those taking three to get on.

Take a moment on the 10th tee as the views can be outstanding. In the distance the Grampians, in the foreground the ferns, firs, pines and silver birch. This par 3 is played to a narrow green from almost 200 yards away, with a bunker on either side of the putting surface. From there, you are into a run of five consecutive par 4s, including the aforementioned short 11th.

The task when reaching 12 and 13 becomes immense. Both require something special to make par, both are well bunkered throughout and both, seemingly for the first time, run parallel. The latter pushes towards 480 yards from the tips. The 14th is the shortest of the 4s so is even more well protected with six bunkers dotted down the hole. Avoid the ones right and left of the fairway for the best chance at making birdie. The 15th will be many visitors' favourite. 'Ochil Sicht' offers a view of the Ochil Hills in the background while ahead is a drive that should stay right of centre to avoid a depression and an enormously long green where the majority will come up short. Look over to your left at any point and you will see the 6th hole at Auchterarder, Gleneagles’ next-door-neighbour.

With two par 5s in the last three there is chance to gather something back. The first of those is at 16, and again, it is a case of avoiding the large fairway traps that are in play. From there, lay up short of the large water hazard before knocking your third on to the green. The 17th, a par 3 of 194 yards, makes for an opportunity to shape the ball towards the pin, though, as the name 'Ca' Canny' (Be Careful) suggests, there are three greenside bunkers and a ridge that runs through the green to make things a little less straightforward. The closing hole is a bit of a slog, and a tough way to finish the PGA Centenary Course. There is only one fairway bunker in play off the tee, but the short stuff is narrow. Seven more traps come into play down by the green, whether you might think of taking it on with your second shot or not...

Where is Gleneagles located?

The Gleneagles Resort is situated in Auchterarder, in the Perth and Kinross region of Scotland. It sits halfway between the cities of Stirling and Perth – both of which are around 20 miles from the venue. Edinburgh, Scotland’s biggest city, is only 40 miles away to the south of Gleneagles. Conveniently for those driving from the south, the venue sits just off the A9, the main road which takes you to the Scottish Highlands.

Gleneagles Station sits on the opposite side of the A9, just a couple of miles from the hotel at the resort. Trains run frequently towards Glasgow and Edinburgh, with services also running towards Dundee and occasionally, London Kings Cross. For visitors from further afield, Edinburgh Airport – the busiest airport in Scotland – is less than 50 miles from the venue. Glasgow International Airport is also just over 50 miles to the southwest, providing international travellers with plenty of choice.

Are there any other NCG Top 100s: Scotland venues nearby?

Along with the PGA Centenary Course, Gleneagles also has the King’s Course and the Queen’s Course – both of which are also on the NCG Top 100s: Scotland list. Not only that, but next door to Gleneagles sits Auchterarder, another venue on the list. Glenbervie, Ladybank and Blairgowrie – with its Rosemount and Lansdowne Courses – are all within 35 miles.

What golf facilities does Gleneagles offer?

Unsurprisingly, the golfing facilities at the resort are world class. Along with the three 18-hole golf courses, Gleneagles is also the home to a PGA National Golf Academy and the Wee Course, the perfect 9-holer to work on your game. The Academy features a full-length driving range with both matted and grass teeing areas, along with a stunning short game facility that has two practice greens and three bunkers to work your magic from. Each course also has a putting green by the 1st tee, for those final touches.

What are the green fees at Gleneagles?

The price of a green fee at Gleneagles changes throughout the year, depending on the season. It is also different depending on whether it is a weekday or weekend.

For more information on current green fees at Gleneagles visit their website here.