The PGA Centenary | Gleneagles BOOK gift vouchers The PGA Centenary Created by Jack Nicklaus, the PGA Centenary Course was venue for the 2014 Ryder Cup, where the cream of European and American golf battled it out on Scottish soil for the first time in more than 40 years. Host Venue of The 2014 Ryder Cup and 2019 Solheim Cup. The PGA® Centenary Course, created by Jack Nicklaus, is a modern classic. Even for a champion and acclaimed golf architect like Nicklaus, The PGA Centenary Course was a challenge. It had to be a truly great golf course, set as it is in the heart of Scotland, the country that gave the world golf. Thankfully Nicklaus described the course as "the finest parcel of land in the world I have ever been given to work with". It had to be unique in its challenge, a golf course in the modern design ethos that at its fullest stretch tests the greatest players, while, in the immortal phrase of Bobby Jones, "offering problems a man may attempt according to his ability... never hopeless for the lesser player nor failing to concern and interest the expert".

The tees are graded at each hole in five stages, including a challenging 6,815 yards from the white markers down to 5,322 from the red. Fittingly, The PGA Centenary Course begins by playing southeast towards the glen, sweeping up the Ochil Hills to the summit of the pass below Ben Shee which joins it to Glendevon. A feature of The PGA Centenary Course is the feast of views of the spectacular countryside in which Gleneagles is set. Putting on the two-tier second green, you are distracted by the lush panorama of the rich Perthshire straths. As you move westwards over the next few holes, the rugged Grampians come into view on the right, then distantly purple ahead, Ben Vorlich and the mountains above the Trossachs. ® PGA is a registered trademark of The Professional Golfers' Association Limited The Ryder Cup puts Nicklaus-designed PGA Centenary Course at Gleneagles on international stage - Nicklaus.com The Ryder Cup puts Nicklaus-designed PGA Centenary Course at Gleneagles on international stage September 25, 2014 Courtesy of Gleneagles Hotel.

The 40th edition of The Ryder Cup is set to begin Friday at the Jack Nicklaus-designed PGA Centenary Course at Gleneagles Hotel in Scotland. Team USA will look to wrestle the Cup away, following the European Team’s recent dominance: Five wins in the past six Ryder Cup Matches, seven of the past nine, and 10 of the past 14. The 40th playing of The Ryder Cup, and only its second stop in Scotland in 40 years, should only add to Jack Nicklaus’ rich Ryder Cup legacy—first as a player, then a two-time captain, and now a designer of the host venue for the third time (his Valhalla design hosted the matches in 2008, when the U.S. enjoyed its latest victory, and he captained the 1987 U.S. team at his design at Muirfield Village Golf Club outside of Columbus, Ohio). The Golden Bear was 17-8-3 in six Cup appearances, with his 17 wins tied for fourth all-time for Team USA, his 10 singles’ victories ranking second, and his 18½ points won ranking fifth.

Nicklaus and 2014 U.S. Team Captain Tom Watson are second on the U.S. list of most successful Ryder Cup partnerships with four wins. The Golden Bear first represented the United States in the 1969 event, when in a now-famous act of sportsmanship, Nicklaus conceded a putt to Europe’s Tony Jacklin on the final hole, ensuring that the matches would end in their first-ever tie. He was also a member of the winning U.S. teams in 1971, ’73, ’75, ’77 and ‘81. Nicklaus went on to serve as a two-time non-playing captain of Team USA, leading his team to victory in 1983 and captaining the 1987 U.S. team at Muirfield Village Golf Club. “As a player and captain, I have maintained a consistent position regarding the competitive spirit of The Ryder Cup,” Nicklaus said. “These matches should always be conducted with utmost sportsmanship and for the singular purpose of international goodwill and growing the game I love.” The PGA Centenary Course at Gleneagles opened for play in 1993.

Nicklaus’ distinctly American-style parkland design has been host to 17 events in its short history, including the 1996 PGA Cup Matches, the 1999–2002 Scottish PGA Championship, the 2001 WPGA International, the 2003 and 2004 Diageo Championship, and the 2005–2013 Johnnie Walker Championship on the European Tour. This year, the course was named to Golfweek’s list of the Best Great Britain and Ireland Modern Courses. Gleneagles also placed first in Today’s Golfer Travel Awards as Scotland’s Best Hotel/Resort. Heading into The Ryder Cup, Nicklaus spoke in detail in this video interview about the recent renovations made to the PGA Centenary Course at Gleneagles in order to ready the course for The Ryder Cup. The Golden Bear also spoke about the importance of a U.S. victory, and what makes a good Ryder Cup captain in the Q&A provided below. 1. As the original designer for the PGA Centenary Course, please give us your opinion as to why this is a fitting course for the Ryder Cup 2014.

JACK: I have always believed that you don’t build a clubhouse just for a New Year’s Eve event, and you don’t design and build a golf course just for one tournament. The way we approach the design of any golf course is to make sure it services well its members and guests first, and then put enough spice, strategy and shot values, so if you wish to host a tournament or event of any level, you can do that. Gleneagles should be no different. It is a golf course for everyone. Having said that, I think it’s an exciting course for tournament play and there are places where it will yield birdies—as well as bogeys. Look at the 14th, for example. It is a very drivable par 4, with the bunkers coming into play around the green. You want birdie chances in a golf course; that’s what the Ryder Cup is all about. The course is almost 7,300 yards from the back tees, so it’s got modern length. I think it will be very popular. If you go through the golf course, I don’t think there is a weak shot. That’s what you try to eliminate. I’m very proud of it.

With the work we did a few years ago, our goal was to modernize the golf course and I think we’ve achieved that. All the people at Gleneagles have worked very hard to host the Ryder Cup and have Gleneagles put its best foot forward. I’m very flattered that the PGA of America chose Gleneagles as the host venue for The Ryder Cup. As one of the elder statesmen, to have had golf courses developed and then used for significant events such as a major championship or Ryder Cup, it’s really very gratifying. It is another aspect of the game that keeps me current, keeps me involved, keeps me interested, and keeps me really wanting to work and support the game I love. 2. How has the course been modified to meet the needs of the tournament? JACK: What we basically did over there was we revised most of the fairway lines. We brought them in a little bit for The Ryder Cup. The first hole, we adjusted the bunker off the tee a little bit. We took a bunker out behind the green and put it into a grass hollow, which we felt like probably allowed for more walk-off of the green and made better distribution for traffic.

As for the shot, the grass can be equally as challenging as the bunker—perhaps even more difficult for some. With the second hole, we really didn’t do a lot there. We redefined the fairway edges and we took a deep bunker out from behind the green, which was blind. We took it out and created a grass hollow. That’s basically what we did there. Third hole, we redid the whole bunkering on the right side of the fairway and that makes for a much more attractive tee shot. With the second shot into the green, we had high grass down on the back bank to the edge of the green and we opened those back up to where it’s not high grass down the edge of the green. It is now short rough, so you have a bit more forgiving area around the green. We redid the bunker on the front and made it a little bit more visible getting into the green. Fourth hole, we didn’t really do a lot. It was already a pretty good par 3, so we made only minor adjustments. The fifth hole has a really demanding tee shot. We left the tee shot alone.

Second shot, there were a couple of beech trees that were overhanging the left side, short of the green. They were getting pretty big. We took those out to open up a bail-out area short left of the green. You have water short right and a bunker left. It is a pretty strong golf hole, but I think now it’s a little bit more user friendly, to use that word again. The sixth hole, a par 3, we redid that one dramatically. I wasn’t really fond of the green. It was changed from the time I originally did it to when I came back, so we redid that green, creating more pin placements, a better relationship to a bunker on the left, and, simply, it looks like a better golf hole. Jack Nicklaus at Gleneagles Seventh hole, they had moved the green to the right. I did not move it back to where I originally designed it. I left it to the right but we redid part of the green, because you couldn’t keep the ball on it. It’s a nice tee shot, with a little second shot up the hill. It’s a pretty good golf hole. Not long, but a nice golf hole.

The eighth, we really didn’t do a lot to the tee shot. We reworked the bunkers a little bit. Ultimately, you can try to risk and carry it all, over a set of cross bunkers, and get the ball very close to the green. We put two bunkers in the front right of the green and set up a couple of pin positions. It’s a better golf hole now; a nice little golf hole. Before, it was a somewhat awkwardly placed hole. I think we have a good hole there. On the ninth hole, a secondary tee was put in between the back tee and members’ tee for wind conditions, and it’s a 600-plus-yard hole. I think ultimately that will help it be a little better if conditions change. On the second shot, we have a water hazard on the right that really wasn’t in play, and so we created a secondary fairway separated to where you can take your second shot and play it up the right side, challenge the water. But you have a chance to get it up into the green, or you can play it as a three-shot hole and then the bunkers force you to play out to the left and play up the length of the green.

So it’s an option hole, depending on what conditions are and how they will be able to play it—as a two-shot or a three-shot hole. I think it’s a very attractive tee shot, a very attractive second shot. I think it’s a very pretty golf hole. 10th tee, we reduced the tees a little bit to provide a little space for the gallery. It’s a little better viewing area, but we really didn’t do a whole lot to the hole. We didn’t do a lot to 11. There really wasn’t a whole lot we could do. It’s a hole that’s a lay-up off the tee, playing across a ravine. It’s a nice, short par 4. A lot of birdies will be made there, but it’s a nice hole. The 12th hole we changed from a par 5 to a par4. We had the par-5 green, but they needed a concession area, so we adjusted that hole and moved the green to the right and made it shorter. We adjusted the tee shot a little bit with the rough lines and some mounds along the left, and a bunker on the front left of the green.

It’s a fairly strong but really nice par 4. The next hole is a little bit of mystery off the tee. We have got some mounds about 200 yards off the tee to sort of say, “Okay, come challenge me or not challenge me.” We had a bunker in the middle of the fairway, which we took out. I think the tee shot will create a little mystery. Once played, the mystery will not be as great. There’s a bunker that’s about 40 yards short of the green, which I wanted to remove, but I don’t know if that will happen for The Ryder Cup. It’s deceptive. I don’t think it really affects the play very much because players will get used to it. Tough, strong par 4. The 14th hole was changed from a par 3 to a par 4. It could possibly be a drivable par 4. I did not change that. I just readjusted the bunkering and so I think it’s a pretty nice little golf hole. You sort of play it to the left with an iron or fairway metal, and pitch in. Or, you take a shot at the green.

It’s got some penal bunkers that come into play with the tee shot, if you don’t hit it right or hit it properly. It will be tough. The 15th hole has got good length to it. There is a nice bunker on the right side of the fairway; a long thin green; and two bunkers on the right side. Good, strong golf hole. 16 is a par 5. We’ve narrowed the fairway, and changed the bunkering up around the green. It’s a reachable par 5. I think it is a good, strong hole the players will enjoy. 17 is a nice par 3. Bunker short left, back left and right. A little bit of movement in the green, but not a tremendous amount. Just a little bit. But it’s a nice 194-yard par 3. The 18th hole was totally rebuilt. It was a par 5 prior. We kept it as a par 5/par 4. It could be played either way. We put a bunker on the right side on the tee shot.

From there, we took the green and probably cut it down, oh, about 10 meters, with the fairway approach up into it, and created gallery mounds around it. We created a gambling couple of cross bunkers, a big swale over the green to the left for bail-out, but for a tough, difficult recovery. Two good shots will put you on the green. A bad first shot without a favorable lie, or a good tee shot but a bad second, will put you in a hard position to make 4. I don’t think you’ll find a lot of 6s being carded on this golf hole, but I think you’ll find some eagles, you’ll find some birdies and you’ll find some players who are not going to be happy with making par. 3. What will be the most challenging parts of the course during the tournament? JACK: Well, I think, you know, any time you’re playing golf in Scotland, particularly the end of September, weather will probably play a large factor in what goes on. I think that if played in fairly benign weather, I don’t really consider it an extremely difficult golf course.

With favorable weather and firm conditions, the golf course can play as tough as you want it to play. I think the weather will be the determining and demanding factor. You’re going to see a lot of pretty good golf scores, because I don’t think Gleneagles was intended to be a back-breaking golf course—just a good, solid golf course. In September you’ll see a lot of 66s or 67s, which will provide a lot of excitement for the match-play element and provide everyone with a good event. 4) What is special or unique about this course? JACK: It’s still my only golf course in Scotland. I think it’s a bit of a combination between an American golf course and an inland Scottish golf course. It’s got a lot of target greens and target shots. It also has a lot of run-up shots, too. I think both of them will be there. 5) What is the winning ingredient for Ryder Cup success? JACK: It will be a good match, but I’ve never felt that it was real important who won. That’s never been to me the purpose of The Ryder Cup. You know, I think everybody certainly goes in with the goal to win The Ryder Cup.

But The Ryder Cup is a goodwill match. It’s a match between two golfing organizations but with the goal to bring them closer together in international competition. That was always the spirit in which I thought The Ryder Cup should be played. We play enough golf tournaments where we beat each other’s brains in. I think the press makes more out of it than the players make out of it. But there is always bragging rights. Viewing Times: Venue information - Gleneagles - Event Information - Ryder Cup 2014 Facts Venue The PGA Centenary Course at Gleneagles played host to The 40th Ryder Cup matches when Team USA tried to wrest the trophy back from the European team who won in such dramatic circumstances at Medinah.

Despite the contest taking place in the heart of Scotland, The Home of Golf, the American team claimed something of a home advantage given the PGA Centenary Course was designed by the legendary Jack Nicklaus who dubbed it 'the finest parcel of land in the world I have ever been given to work with.' If you would like to take a closer look at the course, then why not follow BBC Sport presenter Hazel Irvine and Gleneagles Head Professional Andrew Jowett as they guide you around The PGA Centenary Course, hole by hole . The course is just one of three stunning examples of classic golf architecture at The Gleneagles Hotel with both the King’s and Queen’s courses regarded as some of James Braid’s finest pieces of work. But few courses in Scotland can match the amphitheatre of the PGA Centenary Course, which has undergone extensive renovation to key holes to provide added drama during The 2014 Ryder Cup. The Gleneagles Hotel itself is one of the world’s leading 5-star resorts, set in 850 acres of Perthshire countryside.

It has one of the most luxurious destination spas in the world and Andrew Fairlie’s Restaurant at the Gleneagles Hotel is the only Scottish establishment with two Michelin stars. Perthshire is where the Highlands and the Lowlands meet and where 39 golf courses ensure there is something for every golfer. In fact, golf has been played in Perthshire since the 15th century. King James IV learned to play on the public parklands of the city of Perth, by the River Tay - close to where the King James IV course now sits. The PGA Centenary Course and Golf at Gleneagles By Brent Kelley Gleneagles is a resort set on 850 acres of countryside in Perthshire, Scotland, that includes a luxury hotel and spa, shooting activities, fishing, cycling, equestrian facilities - even falconry. And also golf. There are 63 holes of golf at Gleneagles, plus an academy. One of those courses, the PGA Centenary Course, is a European Tour and Ryder Cup venue. The golf course designers at Gleneagles were (are) legends: James Braid (of the Great Triumvirate ) and Jack Nicklaus .

Gleneagles has been named the "Best Golf Resort in the World" multiple times in the "Ultratravel" awards handed out by UK newspaper The Daily Telegraph. Address: The Gleneagles Hotel, Auchterarder, Perthshire, Scotland PH3 1NF Phone: In the UK - 0800 389 3737; in the U.S. - 1-866-881-9525; Europe and International callers - +44 (0)1764 662231 Website: gleneagles.com Can I Play Golf at Gleneagles? Yes. Gleneagles' golf resort offers stay-and-play packages combining lodging in the resort's luxury hotel with green fees . continue reading below our video How to Throw a Perfect Spiral in Football Or you can play any of the golf courses on site on a daily-fee basis (no handicap certificate required). May through October is the high season for Gleneagles, and green fees are about £100 more for visitors than in November/December. Hotel guests pay a lower green fee than visitors, as one would expect.

Visit the Gleneagles website linked above for more info about rates, packages and booking tee times . The resort also offers membership packages. Gleneagles and PGA Centenary Course Origins The Gleneagles Hotel was built by the Caledonian Railway Company and opened in 1924. But golf at Gleneagles predates the hotel - the King's Course, laid out by Scottish golf legend James Braid, opened in 1919. The resort, with its grand hotel, golf courses and other sporting pursuits, was first envisioned by the railroad's general manager, Donald Matheson, in the early 19-teens. Construction of the hotel, however, was interrupted by World War I, which is why it opened after the first golf course was completed. The Queen's Course was the second of the golf courses to open, also designed by Braid. It began as nine holes but later expanded to 18. In 1988, Gleneagles hired Jack Nicklaus to design a new 18-hole course for the resort.

That course - which opened in 1993 with the name Monarch's Course - took the place of two other courses at Gleneagles, replacing what were called Glendevon and Prince's. Nicklaus' Monarch's Course was renamed PGA Centenary Course in 2001 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the British Professional Golfers Association. In 2011 and 2012, Nicklaus returned to lead a renovation of the Centenary Course in preparation for the 2014 Ryder Cup . PGA Centenary Course Pars and Yardages The pars and yards for each hole on Gleneagles' PGA Centenary Course, from the Blue (back) tees: No. 1 - Par 4 - 426 yards No. 2 - Par 5 - 516 yards No. 3 - Par 4 - 431 yards No. 4 - Par 3 - 239 yards No. 5 - Par 4 - 461 yards No. 6 - Par 3 - 201 yards No. 7 - Par 4 - 468 yards No.

8 - Par 4 - 419 yards No. 9 - Par 5 - 618 yards Out - Par 36 - 3,779 yards No. 10 - Par 3 - 208 yards No. 11 - Par 4 - 350 yards No. 12 - Par 4 - 445 yards No. 13 - Par 4 - 481 yards No. 14 - Par 4 - 320 yards No. 15 - Par 4 - 463 yards No. 16 - Par 5 - 543 yards No. 17 - Par 3 - 194 yards No. 18 - Par 5 - 513 yards In - Par 36 - 3,779 yards Total - Par 72 - 7,296 yards (The holes are all named; those names are listed below in the History & Trivia section.) The Blue tees have a Standard Scratch Score (SSS) rating of 77 and a Slope rating of 145.

There are four other sets of tees on the PGA Centenary Course: White Tees: 6,804 yards, par 72, SSS 74, Slope 141 Yellow Tees: 6,326 yards, par 72, SSS 72, Slope 137 Green Tees: 5,904 yards, par 71 for men, par 72 for women, SSS 70 (men)/72 (women), Slope 133 (men)/136 (women) Red Tees: 5,263 yards, par 72 (par and ratings are listed for women), SSS 72, Slope 128 Other Golf Courses at Gleneagles In addition to the PGA Centenary Course, there are two more 18-hole courses at Gleneagles, plus a 9-holer: King's Course: Opened in 1919 with an original design by James Braid. It is a par-71 that plays 6,790 yards from the back tees.

Queen's Course: Also designed by Braid, the Queen's Course is a shorter track - 5,965 yards - with a par of 68. PGA National Academy Course: Part of the PGA National Golf Academy at Gleneagles, a 9-hole, par-3 course designed for beginners. Its origins date to 1928 when it was called the "Wee Course." Significant Tournaments at Gleneagles 2014 Ryder Cup (Centenary Course): TBD In addition, the Scottish Open was played at Gleneagles from 1987 through 1994 on the King's Course. And continuing from 1999, the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles , a European Tour events, is played on the PGA Centenary Course. More Gleneagles/PGA Centenary Course History and Trivia The holes on Gleneagle's PGA Centenary Course are named.

The front nine holes (listed in order from 1 through 9) are called Bracken Brae, Wester Greenwells, Schiehallion, Gowden Beastie, Crookit Cratur, Mickle Skelp, Larch Gait, Sidlin’ Brows and Crook O’ Moss. The bank nine holes (listed from 10 through 18) are called Sleekit Howe, Laich Burn, Carn Mairg, Wimplin’ Wyne, Nebit Knowe, Ochil Sicht, Lochan Loup, Ca’ Canny and Dun Roamin’. (Hole names are given in Scots.) In 1921, a team of 10 golfers - some born in the United States, others (such as Jock Hutchison) living there or naturalized citizens - arrived at Gleneagles to face off against a team of 10 U.K. golfers. This was an informal competition played the week before the British Open . (The Ryder Cup didn't start until 1927.) The British side won by a score of 9 to 3.

In 1966, the King's Course was the site of a "Big Three" match pitting golf's three biggest superstars, Arnold Palmer , Nicklaus and Gary Player . "The Big Three" was a made-for-TV series of four matches between the three, staged by the BBC. Palmer was the eventual series winner. In 2001, Paul Casey earned his first professional win at the PGA Centenary Course in the Johnnie Walker Championship. Gleneagles Golf Course, Auchterarder Scotland | Hidden Links Golf Gleneagles Golf Course, Auchterarder Scotland Gleneagles Golf Course, Auchterarder Scotland View Full Gallery Gleneagles Golf Course, Auchterarder Scotland Highlights “The Palace of the Glens”—such is the phrase often used to describe the magnificent Gleneagles Hotel in Scotland, undoubtedly one of the world’s finest golf resorts, and Gleneagles should be included in absolutely every golf trip to Scotland, no matter how much it stretches the budget!

We would give anything to be able to spend a week at Gleneagles in Scotland, enjoying both the Gleneagles Hotel and the amazing, wonderfully scenic Gleneagles golf courses–Gleneagles Kings, Queens, and PGA Centenary. But we would settle for at least one night at Gleneagles! Gleneagles PGA Centenary Course has been widely recognized as one of Scotland’s greatest inland venues since hosting the 2014 Ryder Cup at Gleneagles. Designed by Jack Nicklaus, Gleneagles PGA Centenary Course is what most would call “Parkland golf”. In Scotland though that comes with a twist—the views on Gleneagles PGA Course into the nearby Glen with countryside and rolling hills that seem to carry on to infinity are some of the most memorable a golfer could ever experience. Many aficionados of Scotland golf courses would have liked the 2014 Ryder Cup to be played on Gleneagles Kings Course, a particular Hidden Links favorite! We are astounded that more people do not automatically include Gleneagles Kings Course on their list of “must play” Scotland courses.

Designed by James Braid, Gleneagles Kings Course is the original championship course at Gleneagles and widely acclaimed as the preeminent inland Scottish course. Gleneagles Kings Course plays much like an “inland links,” with superb, bouncy turf, and all of the essential elements of a great, historic Scottish links such as raised greens, deep bunkering, the occasional blind shot, humps and hillocks, and incredible beauty. We would advise playing the Gleneagles Queens Course as well, a bit shorter but similar in style and just as beautiful as the Gleneagles Kings Course. Also designed by James Braid, Gleneagles Queens Course happens to have the best hole at Gleneagles in our opinion, the magnificent downhill 18th. A good score is there to be had on Gleneagles Queens Course as you have 6 magnificent par-3s to attack. Combine the Gleneagles Hotel, the sublime setting, and superb golf on the Gleneagles PGA Centenary, Kings, and Queens Courses, and Gleneagles may very well be the best time to be had on your Scotland golf holiday!

Gleneagles - PGA Centenary Course - Pioneer Golf Play this course » Who this course is best for: A golfer who would like to play a Ryder Cup course (host of the 2014 event) and would enjoy playing a modern, parkland-style Nicklaus design. Overview: Gleneagles boasts three superb parkland golf courses: the King’s Course and Queen’s Course, both designed by the legendary James Braid, and the modern PGA Centenary Course, designed by Jack Nicklaus. While the King’s Course is perceived as being the jewel in Gleneagles’s crown, having played all three, picking the best would be a difficult decision to make. Offering an often-welcome respite from the differing demands of links golf, Gleneagles is truly a golfer’s paradise. Set among ridges and hollows, copious quantities of heather, bracken and gorse enhance the challenge. On any of the courses, if you play well and rise to the challenges imposed by the superb layouts, your round can enter the realm of dreamland; but slice a shot here and miss a green there, then your only consolation may prove to be the stunning surrounding scenery.

The most recent addition to the golfing crown of Gleneagles is the Nicklaus-designed PGA Centenary Course, the Ryder Cup venue in 2014. Even for a proven architect like Nicklaus, the PGA Centenary Course was a real test as it had to be unique in its challenge, do justice to the existing courses and fit the landscape in a way that did no violence to the great Scottish golfing tradition. Complementing the layout and obvious quality of the course, one of its features is the feast of spectacular views. Each course at Gleneagles thoroughly deserves its regal title, and whatever course you play or whether you play all three, you will walk away knowing that you have experienced something special. Course review content courtesy of Golf Publisher Syndications Turf Talk: Gleneagles' Centenary course Turf Talk: Gleneagles' Centenary course By Jeff Shain, PGATOUR.COM Follow @JeffShain The last time Europe hosted on a links course was Royal Lytham & St. Annes in 1977. (David Cannon/Getty Images) Though the Ryder Cup has returned to Scotland for the first time in four decades, the venue doesn’t necessarily impart authentic Scottish flavor.

The Centenary course at Gleneagles is an inland course, designed by an American, which may foster an initial double take for those expecting to see something akin to Muirfield or Troon or Turnberry. Not to say it won’t be challenging, but more in a U.S. Open sort of fashion. In a sense, that puts Gleneagles right in line with recent European-side hosts Celtic Manor, the K Club, The Belfry and Walton Heath. The last time Europe hosted on a links course was Royal Lytham & St. Annes in 1977 – before continental Europe was welcomed into the Ryder fold. “It’s a little more Americanized with the thickness of the rough, with maybe the softness of the golf course,” Matt Kuchar said of Gleneagles. “I think this certainly will be an exciting match-play course with the amount of birdies that can be made.” MORE: Four-ball pairings | Match previews | Thursday notebook | Picks | Rankings | Gala photos | Phil's remark | Poulter's passion The Centenary course, designed by Jack Nicklaus, has been part of the European Tour schedule since 1999.

As such, European captain Paul McGinley has been reluctant to order a tweaks that might help a few of his players but would look unfamiliar to others. “There was a time when we were straighter and shorter,” McGinley said, “and [Americans] were longer and a little bit wider, but that’s not the case anymore. I think if you look at the statistics off the teams now, you’ll find that they are very closely aligned. “So it’s one of the reasons why it wasn't a case of me trying to outsmart myself. I wanted to make sure our players were going to be comfortable. And if the Americans are comfortable, too, so be it.” Scott Fenwick, who oversees Gleneagles’ grounds, and his staff have drawn widespread praise from both captains and players who came over in the summer for an early look. This week, though, has produced a certain amount of surprise at rough measuring 8 inches in places. “It’s a bit thicker,” said European rookie Stephen Gallacher, who resides less than 40 miles from Gleneagles.

“Whether that's just [because] we're having such a good summer – I don't know if it's meant or not.” Jim Furyk said: “In a setup for match play, they usually tend to let us get a little bit more aggressive and wild, and you see recoveries. You're not going to see a lot of recovery shots here when guys get in that hay.” Weekend forecasts call for cool weather, with highs in the low 60s, and little chance of the rain that plagued both Celtic Manor four years ago and the K Club before that. “It would be great if we had nice sunny days,” Fenwick told The Scotsman newspaper, “as that would be a great [advertisement] for Gleneagles and Scotland.

But we’ll deal with whatever comes along.” PREVIOUS Gleneagles selected as 2019 host of The Solheim Cup - Nicklaus Golf Course Design Gleneagles selected as 2019 host of The Solheim Cup Gleneagles Hotel - The PGA Centenary Course News December 15, 2015 Gleneagles selected as 2019 host of The Solheim Cup The prestigious Solheim Cup tournament will thrust the PGA Centenary Course at Gleneagles and Pertshire, Scotland, back into golf’s worldwide spotlight in 2019, as the layout designed by Jack Nicklaus was announced as host of the biennial match between the best in women’s golf from Europe and the United States. Gleneagles and the Golden Bear’s design played host to The Ryder Cup 2014. Last fall’s Ryder Cup on the renowned resort’s PGA Centenary Course generated a golf and tourism legacy, and saw hundreds of millions of people witness sporting drama with a stunning Big County backdrop. The Solheim Cup in 2019 furthers the buzz and reputation surrounding the award-winning layout.

Gleneagles hosted 45,000 spectators from 75 countries each day of The 2014 Ryder Cup, and half a billion homes saw Gleneagles on television each day of the competition. Then First Minister Alex Salmond said at its conclusion, “There can be no better advert for Scottish tourism.” The Ryder Cup had an anticipated economic impact of £100 million to the area. When The Solheim Cup 2019 location was announced, Gleneagles Managing Director Bernard Murphy said, “We are extremely proud to be chosen as the host venue for The 2019 Solheim Cup. Gleneagles has a great history of holding major international events and we are delighted to be able to add The Solheim Cup to that list.” Gary Silcock, Director of Golf at Gleneagles, added, “It’s a real coup for Gleneagles and Perthshire to have the opportunity to host another high-profile golfing event.

The Solheim Cup has an audience in the hundreds of millions globally and it will bring thousands of spectators to the area.” First Minister Nicola Sturgeon also praised the decision: “This is tremendous news, not only for golf tourism and events in Scotland but for Scotland as a whole. As a nation we take a huge amount of pride in welcoming major events to our country and in women’s golf they don’t come any bigger than The Solheim Cup.” Additional Nicklaus Design layouts to host the prestigious biennial ladies competition have included Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio; Killeen Castle near Dublin, Ireland; and The Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. Latest Nicklaus Design News Nicklaus Design is recognized around the globe as the world's premier golf course design firm. See what the press has written about us. Search Nicklaus Design Courses Nicklaus Design has over 410 courses open for play in 45 countries with another 57 under development. Nicklaus Design Offices With eight offices in six countries across three continents, Nicklaus Design has local representation for any project.

2014 Ryder Cup dates set, event to be played in late September in Scotland 2014 Ryder Cup dates set, event to be played in late September in Scotland Getty Images The 2014 Ryder Cup will be the event's 40th staging and the second time it has been held in Scotland. By Series: Ryder Cup Published: Tuesday, November 29, 2011 | 1:10 p.m. Howling winds and torrential rains accompanied Tuesday's date announcement for the 2014 Ryder Cup, but organizers dismissed fears of another weather-disrupted event in Britain. The 2014 biennial match between Europe and the United States will take place Sept. 26-28 on the PGA Centenary Course at Gleneagles. RYDER CUP Relive the 2012 Ryder Cup Europe currently holds the Ryder Cup, having triumphed at Celtic Manor last October in an event that went into a fourth day for the first time in history due to adverse weather in Wales.

While golf's entry into the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro will lead to a restructuring of the sport's already-packed calendar, the 2014 Ryder Cup will remain in its traditional place on the schedule, rather than an earlier date that might be less susceptible to bad weather. The wet surroundings and lying water on the King's Course by the Dormy Clubhouse, where Tuesday's announcement was made, must have made for uncomfortable viewing, but European Ryder Cup Director Richard Hills maintained the weather is not a concern. "It's in its traditional date," said Hills. "We are not an indoor sport. You have instances where tournaments in July have had to go into Mondays, so it's not an unusual occurrence. We have to deal with what we've been given. The possibility of changing the date was examined, he said, adding that Ryder Cup officials were comfortable with the late September slot. "If we had played the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor we'd have had three days' straight sunshine this year," he said. "We're very confident of delivery in this particular date." The competition will be played in the traditional three-day, 28-point format and there is the possibility of an additional day's play, if required.

"There's always been a provision that you could run over into that extra day," Hills added. It will be the 40th staging of the Ryder Cup and the second time the event has been held in Scotland. In 1973, the contest was played at Muirfield in East Lothian. There is a particular poignancy about the event returning to Gleneagles, too. "The precursor to the first match in 1927 was a friendly match played here, at Gleneagles, in 1921," Hills explained. "It's something of a homecoming." Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond was present at the announcement. He estimates the Scottish economy will benefit by up to $150 million from the event, which is to take place in the same year as Glasgow will host the Commonwealth Games. In an effort to allay fears over the Scottish climate, Salmond read out figures relating to conditions at Gleneagles earlier this year, describing them as "balmy sunshine." And the SNP leader, for one, is relishing the prospect of the Ryder Cup returning to Scotland. "It's going to be enormous.

I'm feeling the excitement already -- 2014's the next year of Homecoming (a celebration of Scottish ancestry)," he said. "It's also the year of the Commonwealth Games, where the whole Commonwealth will come to Glasgow for a great multi-sport event. And then in September it's the Ryder Cup." The 2012 Ryder Cup will take place at the Medinah Country Club near Chicago next September, with Jose Maria Olazabal as captain. Scotland will have to wait until early 2013 to discover if Colin Montgomerie -- or any other Scot -- is awarded the captaincy for 2014. It was a debate Salmond avoided. "It's a decision which is taken by the tournament committee of the PGA European Tour," Hills said. "Normally that would take place in the second committee after the Chicago match, sometime early in 2013." Two other announcements were made, with drinks giant Diageo joining as an official partner of the 2014 tournament. Changes to the course were also made public, with adjustments made at the ninth, 10th and 18th holes following proposals by 18-time major champion Jack Nicklaus.

Question: Who designed the PGA Centenary Course at Gleneagles on which the match was played?
Answer: Jack Nicklaus