Gleneagles

The King's Golf Course has been a frequent stop on both the PGA Tour and Ladies European Tour since its inception in 1919. James Braid was determined to create a course which placed the emphasis on the golfer's ability to shape his shots and be creative, which explains why Lee Trevino, one of the most natural players to ever play the game, said that, "If Heaven is as good as this, I sure hope they have some tee-times left."

Did you know?
The King's course hosted the first informal Ryder Cup match with Great Britain winning 9-3

Awards:
Readers of 'Celebrated Living', the luxury magazine for American Airlines, voted the Kings course 6th in their Platinum list of International Golf Courses

Signature hole- No. 18 (Kings Hame): Par 5, 525 yards (Blue), SI 5

Kings' signature 18th is a brilliant finish to a fantastic round and was included in the book, Classic Golf Holes. Straight from the tee, the golfer is presented with a risk-reward shot, whereby, if they can clear the ridge and catch a down-slope, the large green is easily reachable in two. However, the risk comes in the form of two bunkers either side of the ridge, meaning that a few yards could be the difference between birdie and bogey. Once at the green, the golfer is allowed no let up and an uphill front half of the green makes for a challenging finish to a compelling round.

Threading through the high ridges on the north and east side of the estate, the Queen's Golf Course has many moorland characteristics and offers beautiful woodland settings as the course meanders through the glen. With indigenous lochans and streams incorporated as water hazards, this is a beautiful and genuine heathland classic.

Signature hole- No. 12 (The Tinkers Gill): Par 4, 433 yards, SI 2

The Queens Course highlight is the 12th hole. From the tee, the best position is to aim slightly right of the fairway, so that the hole is opened up when the fairway doglegs downhill and left. There is little danger on this drive too, so it is better to be longer in order to make for a shorter approach to a green. When attempting at the well protected green, it is better to aim past the pin in order to leave an uphill putt.

Jack Nicklaus' monster PGA Centenary Golf Course joined the list of Ryder Cup courses when it hosted the 2014 matches, and while most agree that the Golden Bear has created a modern classic, Jack himself gave the credit to the canvas he was supplied with, saying that it was "the finest parcel of land in the world I have ever been given to work with."

Did you know?
Perhaps the best performance at Gleneagles was by Adam Scott in the 2002 Diageo Scottish PGA Championships. The Australian shot a remarkable round of 23 under, beating the rest of the field by 10 shots!

Signature Hole- No. 5 (Crookit Cratur): Par 4, 461 yards (Blue),SI 1

The gem of the PGA Centenary is the 5th, and at stroke index 1 it will certainly test every golfer. The hole requires much in the way of accuracy and throughout the long par 4, you have to make your way down a narrow fairway. The approach is dangerous too and any mis-hit shots will be swallowed up by the lake short of the hole. A nerve-racking hole with the potential to be a real scorecard wrecker!