About Gleneagles – The PGA Centenary Course
Set among the Ochil Hills of Perthshire, the PGA Centenary Course at Gleneagles is one of the most recognisable stages in modern golf. It was created by Jack Nicklaus and opened in 1993, laid out on a rolling piece of Scottish estate land that already had a golfing pedigree, since Gleneagles has hosted golfers since the early twentieth century and is home to the older King’s and Queen’s courses.
The name comes from the Professional Golfers’ Association, which turned one hundred in 2001 and gave the course its title. Nicklaus was brought in to build a layout that could carry serious tournament weight, and the result sits comfortably in the Highland landscape: heather banks, mature pines, burns that cut across the line of play, and long views toward the hills that frame nearly every hole.
It is, in the best sense, an American-minded design transplanted to Scotland. Generous fairways, strategic bunkering and big, contoured greens ask for thoughtful golf rather than brute force, while the turf and weather remind you exactly where you are.
👉 View the Gleneagles – The PGA Centenary Course print at Fairway Prints — minimalist wall art from R349.
The Course Experience
Walking the PGA Centenary is a lesson in pacing. The opening holes ease you into the round, then the course builds. Elevation changes are used cleverly, with tee shots dropping away to fairways below and approach shots that demand careful club selection because the greens sit in natural amphitheatres. The closing stretch, with its mix of risk and reward, is where matches are won and lost, which is exactly why it made such a compelling finish for professional events.
The atmosphere around the course is a big part of the appeal. The clubhouse, the practice grounds and the surrounding estate feel unhurried, yet there is always a trace of occasion in the air. Seasoned visitors talk about the quiet on the early tees, the smell of heather on a warm afternoon, and the way the light turns the fairways gold in the evening.
A Legacy on the Fairways
In 2014 the PGA Centenary Course hosted the Ryder Cup, with Europe taking the trophy in front of vast crowds. Images from that week, from the roar at the first tee to the closing celebrations, are still some of the most replayed in the competition’s history. It has since remained a regular on the international calendar, cementing its place among the great modern championship venues.
Part of its enduring charm is that it manages to be both a showpiece and a genuinely enjoyable course for everyday golfers. You can play the same ground the professionals did, hit the same awkward approach shots, and finish with the same sense of having been tested fairly.
Bring the Course Home
At Fairway Prints we turn the great courses into clean, minimalist wall art, with prints, canvas and framed options that suit a study, a clubhouse or a living room. The Gleneagles design strips the layout back to its essential lines, a quiet tribute for anyone who has walked these fairways or dreams of doing so.
Explore the Gleneagles – The PGA Centenary Course print at Fairway Prints.
