Ah it has been two years in waiting… It is RYDER CUP WEEK! What a great time this is for the golf world. The Ryder Cup is arguably the most exciting, and most patriotic of golf events. Team USA or Team Europe?
At the last Ryder Cup, on USA soil, Team USA blew a large lead on the last day. This year the cup is on Team Europe’s soil, in front of Team Europe’s home crowd. Let us take a look at the home of the 2014 Ryder Cup, Gleneagles PGA Centenary Course.
Location
Gleneagles is located near Auchterarder, Perth and Kinross, Scotland (see map to right). This is the lower 3rd of Scotland, approximately 1-1.5 hours southwest of St. Andrews. The course is located inland, and is therefore not a “links” style course. Links courses “link” the land and the sea technically.
Design
Jack Nicklaus took on the task of designing the course in 1988 and the course was completed in 1993. The course winds through and over hilly terrain with classic scottish mountain backdrops.
Five sets of tees challenge players of all levels. The Ryder Cup tees will be at roughly 7,300 yards. Course rating from the longest tees is a tough 77 with a slope of 145. Tough indeed.
Bunkering takes on more of a flatter and wider american style and less of the round and deep pot-bunkers found on traditional scottish links courses.
Ryder Cup
As the course architecture is slightly more american than scottish, there’s not necessarily a distinct advantage for Team Europe. The primary advantage the european team will have is playing in front of their boisterous home crowd.
17th
The stretch holes of 16-17-18 should provide some great drama. 16 is a 518 yard par-5 which is reachable in two by most players at the Ryder Cup level. Expect to see many birdies and even some eagles on this hole. Hole 17 is a long par-3 which stretches to 194 yards, slightly downhill. The green is guarded by plenty of bunkering, rewarding accuracy. Hole 18 (below) is another par-5 which is even more reachable than hole 16. This finishing hole is perfectly designed to reward aggressive play and should be the location of many dramatic moments in the 2014 Ryder Cup.
18th
Contact
Auchterarder
Perthshire
Scotland PH3 1NF
www.gleneagles.com
