Jack Nicklaus adds shine to Gleneagles’ 18th

Nicklaus, who designed the original layout before it was tweaked by Scottish course designer David McLay Kidd, has been brought back on board by bosses at the five-star Perthshire resort in the countdown to it hosting the third biggest event on the sporting calendar.

The 18-time major winner has made a number of changes in a bid to make it “more relevant to today’s game” and he is particularly excited about the work that is currently being undertaken on the closing hole, where the Ryder Cup could be won or lost.

The need for it to be changed for the biennial match against the Americans was magnified when the inability of players to reach the uphill hole in two blows resulted in a five-man play-off going to five extra holes in last year’s Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles.

An original proposal by Nicklaus, one of the most respected course designers in the world, was deemed to be too costly, would have taken too long to complete and caused too much disruption

However, his second option is well on its way to creating an exciting change to the hole. It involves a new slightly- elevated tee being built and 35,000 tonnes of soil being removed to flatten out the final part of the hole, where a new green is also being created to the right of the existing one.

Speaking exclusively to The Scotsman, Nicklaus said: “Over our last few years and visits to Gleneagles, what we have tried to accomplish is to bring the PGA Centenary Course up to date and more relevant in today’s game.

“The golf course (known originally as the Monarch’s) opened in 1993 and, at that time, we were still using wound golf balls.

“The game has changed, and our recent work was aimed at making Gleneagles – from some of the bunkering to the strategy – more relevant to today’s game and, of course, have it well prepared for the Ryder Cup in 2014. Hopefully, along the way, we created some better golf holes.”

Nicklaus, who played in six Ryder Cups and captained the Americans in both 1983 and 1987, added: “The hole that provided us the best opportunity for improvement was the 18th.

“We provided Gleneagles a very detailed and extensive plan on how to improve the 18th and then left it up to them to make a decision based on time and available resources.

“Among the adjustments we collectively decided to move forward with on this reachable par-5 (513 yards or 469 metres), is to place a bunker off the right side of the first landing area.

“Obviously, the more you challenge the bunker, the better the opportunity you will have to reach the green in two.

“We then plan to add a group of diagonal bunkers short and right of the new green site, with the deepest of the bunkers fronting the green.

“That will leave the golfer three options on how to play the hole: One, the second shot can be played up the right side and short of these bunkers, leaving you a pitch over the bunkers and to the green.

“Two, you can take it up the left side, over the edge of the bunkers, opening up the green and leaving you a short pitch up the length of the green.

“Or three, you can take it all the way home. With the hole not being overly long, we wanted to give the players the opportunity to take a gamble and take it home over the deep bunker just short of the green.

“The most significant change, however, to the 18th hole is that we will lower the green and create an amphitheatre effect and additional gallery space.

“I believe the 18th will not only be a much better hole than is currently there, but I think it will be a more exciting finishing hole and a better setting for spectators.”

Critics have been queing up to slaughter the hole ever since Gleneagles was named as the host venue for the 2014 match – the first Ryder Cup to be held in Scotland for more than 40 years – claiming it wouldn’t provide the dramatic finishing hole worthy of the biggest stage in golf.

Among those to comment on the hole was Colin Montgomerie, an eight-time Ryder Cup player and captain of the winning European team at Celtic Manor in Wales two years ago.

“The 18th isn’t the finish that we are looking for right now for the Ryder Cup,” said the Scot, who lives close to Gleneagles at Dunning, of the hole six years ago.

“Whether they move the tee to the left to make the hole straighter, whether they make it a par-4 or 5, it will make it better.”

Ideas mooted ranged from moving the tee to the top of the hill overlooking the tenth hole and introducing a water hazard close to the green to re-routing the order of the entire course to ensure that a more interesting hole became the 18th.

However, Gleneagles bosses are happy with the changes agreed with Nicklaus. He had previously asked for his name to be disassociated with the course as another designer made changes to it, but is now delighted to be back on board.

“The Ryder Cup tends not to finish on the 18th but that is no excuse. We want 18 great golf holes here and that’s what we will have,” said Gleneagles general manager Bernard Murphy.

Managing director Patrick Elsmie added: “Jack and his organisation were extremely amenable in coming up with a solution, which is how do we take a piece of ground and make it something that is going to be exciting as well as being a wonderful way to finish, whether it be a championship or a match in the Ryder Cup.”

Darren Clarke, the current Open champion, once said: “It’s beyond my comprehension they’ve chosen to have the Ryder Cup on this course.” But Gleneagles bosses have spent a fortune in recent years in a bid to make the 2014 match a memorable occasion for both players and spectators alike. Twelve months ago, the bill was estimated as being around £25 million and, although part of that has been spent on the hotel and a revamped Dormie House, that didn’t include the latest work being undertaken on the course, which is due to be completed by May.

During its current winter shutdown, other final changes being made to the course include the addition of a large pond on the right side of the ninth fairway and a new tee at the par-3 tenth. “We have enjoyed working with the team at Gleneagles on these improvements and are delighted they have made this commitment to the golf course,” commented Nicklaus.