Gleneagles 2014 work begins

PREPARATIONS for the 2014 Ryder Cup at Gleneagles are set to be stepped up after the PGA Centenary Course closed today for around six months.

The closure is to allow general maintenance to be carried out as well as the final changes recommended by Jack Nicklaus, the man who designed the course.

“This shutdown is important for 2014,” said Bernard Murphy, the general manager of Gleneagles Hotel.

“In previous years we have tried to do everything before Christmas, but we are taking a bit more time this winter as we need to get the job done.

“The course will hopefully re-open at the beginning of May, but it will be dependent on the weather. Over the last two winters it has been interrupted by the weather. Extreme weather delays the healing process.

“It is general maintenance, ongoing drainage etc and this year we are being a bit more aggressive at the front end.”

Nicklaus, back on board after being unhappy with changes made to his original design, has now presented a report to the Gleneagles management team following a visit to the Perthshire resort in the summer.

He has suggested building a new tee at the par-3 tenth and has also given some ideas for the much-maligned 18th, one of which is believed to be the creation of an elevated tee that would change the angle of the drive.

“The main changes to the course are the tenth and 18th but we are still ironing out the last few creases,” added Murphy.

“Regarding the 18th, we still don’t know what the change will be. Jack Nicklaus has made a suggestion about the strategy of the hole and we are waiting to see how that would work in more detail.

“I had a look at it this week along with Scott Fenwick (Golf Courses and Estates Manager) so that we could try to envisage it. It is likely to change, but there are still a couple of competing theories.”