Gleneagles Queen’s Course restored to pre-1980s glory

● Fairways and bunkers reworked in £1m renovation

One of Scotland’s most famous golf courses has been restored to its original glory following a £1 million renovation project.

The James Braid-designed Queen’s Course at Gleneagles, Perthshire, first opened to the public in 1919.

Fairways and bunkers have been returned to Braid’s design and heather stands have been reinstated to reflect the course’s appearance in the 1920s.

The 18-month renovation programme has also seen the installation of innovative drainage technology inspired by the heart’s response to atmospheric pressure.

Scott Fenwick, Golf Courses and Estate Manager at Gleneagles, said: “Our work over the last 18 months on The Queen’s Course has taken it back to how it would have been in Braid’s day.

“Braid’s bunker designs at Gleneagles were based on the courses supporting summer play only, so to bring them back to his original design concept, and make them playable all-year-round, marks a tremendous achievement.

“In the mid-1980s we began changing the identity of The Queen’s to meet golfers’ expectations at that time, which included reshaping the course until the fairways became really narrow and the original bunkers were moved into the rough.

“Using archived photographs and Braid’s designs as our guide, we’ve reversed most of those changes, increasing the fairways by around 40 per cent.

“Additionally, around the course, we’re re-introducing Scottish heather to frame the fairways and better reflect the course’s appearance in the 1920s.”

The Queen’s Course is ranked as one of the finest par-68 courses in the UK.

It originally opened as a nine-hole course in 1919 before launching as an 18-hole course in 1925.

Those who have played there include the late Seve Ballesteros, screen icons like Sean Connery and the only man to have hit a golf shot on the moon, Apollo 14 astronaut Alan Shepard.

The Queen’s Course renovation project has been completed as the 850-acre Perthshire estate prepares to host the 2018 European Golf Team Championships and The 2019 Solheim Cup.

Gary Silcock, Gleneagles’ Director of Golf, added: “Taken together, our courses offer a fascinating insight into the development of golf course design.”