Gleneagles (Queen's)

The Gleneagles Resort is home to three stunning courses, with the James Braid-designed Queen's Course being one of them.

The course was designed by the five-time Open Champion prior to the First World War. Following the War, construction continued, and the course was opened in 1919, alongside the King's Course.

The course sits on the north and west parts of the resort, and winds its way through high ridges. There is some distracting scenery, which can take your eye off the danger that lies in wait during a round on the delightful Queen's.  

Check out our full piece on the Gleneagles Resort here.
Visit 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 lay-outs both opening in 1919. The hotel at the Gleneagles Resort was opened five years later.

The venue made sporting history in 1921, hosting the first international match between a team of American golfers and a team of British golfers, in a precursor to the Ryder Cup. During the Second World War, the hotel was used as a military hospital for injured soldiers, before becoming a rehabilitation centre for miners. It reopened as a hotel in 1947.

The Queen's Course is considered to be the easiest of the three courses at Gleneagles, but as a Par 68 at around 6,000 from the back tees, it is certainly a tough test for golfers of all abilities. Almost like a links course, the Queen's layout at Gleneagles plays as an out-and-back layout, with the opening seven holes sitting along the northern boundary of the property before a small loop in the middle, followed by the turn for home.

The course opens with what might be classed as a gentle par 4, but it still measures at more than 400 from the tips. Playing as a slight dog-leg left, the aiming point is at the first fairway bunker down the right side. A short par 3 follows, but club selection is vital, as four bunkers lie in wait for anything short of the green. A pair of par 4s come before the second par 3 on the course, with both having relatively simple tee shots before more challenging approach shots. The 5th has five bunkers dotted around the green, and at 177 yards to the centre from the back tees, it requires a mid-to-long iron, at least. A lengthy par 4 follows at the 6th, with views over the course coming from one of the highest points. Three bunkers, along with OOB down the right side, could cause issues off the tee. 7 is the only par 5 on the Queen's, and at less than 500 yards, it is definitely reachable in two providing you can avoid the fairway traps that line both sides of the fairway.  8 is another birdie opportunity at less than 340 yards as you begin the loop of holes at the far end of the course. The two holes around the turn, at 9 and 10, provide tough tests where par is a good score on both. the former has an almost 90-degree right turn before you play towards the green, while the 10th moves slightly in the opposite direction, with the ideal line off the tee being at the two bunkers on the left side of the fairway,

At just 309 yards from the tips, 11 could be seen as a driveable par-4 on a good day, but in the cold Scottish breeze, it can still be a birdie opportunity with a fairway wood or long-iron and then a short wedge. 12 is certainly tough, at 433 yards, but a good approach to the back of the green leaves an uphill putt for birdie. 13 and 14 are back-to-back par-3s, but they are two very different challenges. Both feature water on the right side of the green, but that is about where the similarities end. From the back tees, 13 measures at just 140 yards, while the 14th is a whopping 215 yards long. Both have water on their right though, so anything slightly errant might be in danger... 15 offers up another birdie opportunity. It measures just 252 yards making it very driveable for many golfers. The 16th is a medium-length par 4 with trouble on either side in the form of thick trees. If you thought that 14 was a long par 3, wait until you get to 17... The penultimate hole on the course measures at more than 250 yards from the tips. The final hole on the Queen's is a long par 4, pushing the 400-yard mark. There are five bunkers protecting the green, making it one of the more tricky approach shots of the day.

Neil White: Despite the course being short by championship standards, there are no giveaways, especially against the wind.

Oliver Baker: Course gets going from 5th hole, cracking flow/routing, easy walk despite being undulating, short tee to green walks. Setting is stunning, not many better inland courses for views!

Danie Ferry: The first three holes slightly underwhelming before it establishes itself as a top tier course.

Charles Abraham: My favourite course in Scotland under 6,000 yards.

David Waker: James Braid design weaves through rolling moorland framed by heather and gorse, it is short by modern standards and thus the challenge is not length but accuracy with iconic holes like the par 3 14th perfectly showcasing this.

Steve Watton: The Queen's course made a perfect afternoon addition to our morning round on the King's. Visually stunning moorland/heathland golf.

Read more about our panellists here.

Where is Gleneagles located?
Gleneagles is just outside the town of Auchterarder, between Perth and Dunblane, in Scotland. Dundee is the nearest major city, around 40 miles to the east of the resort. The Scottish capital, Edinburgh, is just under 50 miles to the south.

Gleneagles Railway Station underwent major restorations ahead of the 2014 Ryder Cup, with ScotRail, the Caledonian Sleeper and LNER all operating services that stop at Gleneagles. The station is a five-minute drive from the resort’s entrance. For those flying in from abroad, Edinburgh Airport is the busiest airport in Scotland, and it around 50 miles away, with a normal drive taking just under an hour to reach the Gleneagles Resort.

Are there any other NCG Top 100s: Scotland venues nearby?
Along with the Queen's Course, the venue is also home to the King's Course and the PGA Centenary Course - the latter playing host to the 2014 Ryder Cup. Auchterarder, which also occupies a place on the NCG Top 100s: Scotland list, borders the PGA Centenary Course at Gleneagles.

What golf facilities does Gleneagles offer?  
Along with the three championship golf courses, the Gleneagles Resort also has the 9-hole Wee Course and the PGA National Academy, the latter being home to a full-length driving range and an incredible short game area.

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.  

Read our full piece on the Gleneagles Resort here.
Visit the Gleneagles website here.
Go back to the NCG Top 100s Homepage.