Golden Bear’s got a sore head

Nov 11 2008 by Gordon Bannerman, Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

IT will host the 2014 Ryder Cup but the Gleneagles course is being stalked by controversy.

The legendary Jack Nicklaus designed the original Monarch’s track, now known as the PGA Centenary Course.

But Perthshire-born golf course architect David McLay Kidd was drafted in to tweak the Golden Bear’s original lay-out to ensure Gleneagles presents a challenge to the big hitters of the modern era.

It’s still a work in progress, with the 18th hole yet to be transformed in advance of the Ryder Cup.

But it has emerged that Nicklaus isn’t impressed with Gleneagles playing around with his original design, which opened on the “finest parcel of land I have ever been given to work with” back in 1993.

The Golden Bear is growling over Gleneagles tampering with the original design without his knowledge or input. It barely rates a mention on his website, which profiles the many Nicklaus Signature courses which have emerged around the globe.

Now, instead of billing it as a course designed by Jack Nicklaus, Gleneagles flag it up as being “created” by the golfing legend.

A spokeswoman for Gleneagles said: “Jack Nicklaus designed the course for us in the early 90s.

“In the last few years and in the build up to being the hosts for the Ryder Cup, we have had another designer tweak a few holes.

“We do say he created the course and we have an ongoing relationship with the Jack Nicklaus organisation.”