Gleneagles King's Course

Gleneagles King's Course, designed by James Braid in 1919, is widely considered Braid's finest work. The course was laid out across high moorland in central Perthshire, with the Ochil Hills to the south and the Grampians to the north — one of the most theatrical natural settings of any course in Britain. Braid himself called it 'a wee bit of heaven.'

The routing uses every fold of the moorland. The 1st climbs gently to a green tucked behind a knoll; the 5th and 13th drop dramatically into valleys with the mountains behind; the 17th plays back uphill towards the hotel. Par is 71 across 6,790 yards. None of the holes feel formulaic — every one earns its place — and the bunkering, distinctive in its bold Braid style, frames each landing area without smothering it.

Visitor green fee is £245 in 2026, with reduced rates for resort guests staying at Gleneagles Hotel. Booking via gleneagles.com up to 12 months ahead. Buggies available, but the course is genuinely walkable for anyone of reasonable fitness — about 4.5 miles of moorland with no extreme climbs. Pair the King's with the PGA Centenary in the same day for a 36-hole resort experience, or with Blairgowrie Rosemount (45 min north) for a Perthshire heathland-and-moorland combo.