Gleneagles and Perth and Kinross Council should buy GWest and create the future of Public golf in Scotland
- SHANK
- Feb 26
- 4 min read
The G in GWest is supposed to relate to Gleneagles, with the course lying west of the world famous golf resort, but it has become more synonymous with Ghost, as the David McLay-Kidd designed course has laid empty forever. Next year will mark 20 years since the plans for GWest were first unveiled, and it is time that this potentially magnificent course was taken over by its neighbour to the east in collaboration with the local authority.
GWest is owned by Mohsin Al-Tajir and the course is part of a 600-acre estate which was supposed to be part of a gated community which also included the now infamous mosque-style clubhouse, a hotel and spa, along with many exclusive properties. Today, 17 years after the course was completed the clubhouse is a shell, no hotel has been built, and not a single property stands on the estate. It is said that only 20-30 rounds of golf have ever been played on the ultra-exclusive course.
6 years ago Mohsin Al-Tajir told BBC Radio 4 that the economic downturn in 2007/2008 affected the project, “When the economic picks up in Scotland and we can see what’s happening in the future, we’ll develop it properly,” he said. “At the moment, we’re sitting [still]. Brexit’s come along. Scotland’s screaming for independence.
“You want to invest [but] the next phase of gWest is another fifty, sixty maybe one hundred million pounds and, as a family, we’re not willing to put that sort of money in if we don’t know what the future is.
“If Scotland got independence tomorrow and they decided to turn it into a tax haven like Monaco, we’d be the first there to put the money. In fact, we’d put in three or four courses in and build another two hotels."
Of course, Scotland is not going to be turned into another Monaco, as much as the elite would love it to be.
We are nearly 20 years on from the global financial crisis, and a decade removed from the EU Referendum, and god knows how long away from Scotland becoming an Independent nation. GWest could be an incredible opportunity for golf in this country, and be the future of public golf in Scotland.
It is said that Gleneagles initially identified this land as the place they wanted to build the PGA Centenary Course, that never came to fruition and they settled on the land adjacent to the Kings Course. When the land became available the prospect of a fourth course for the resort was not realistic, but now under the ownership of Ennismore, Gleneagles should look again at the possibility of purchasing the land, and this time do so in partnership with Perth and Kinross Council.
Gleneagles simply purchasing the course to become the fourth in its elite roster of courses, and charging green fees in excess of £300 wouldn't add anything to Gleneagles, and wouldn't do a great deal for Scottish golf. However, if purchased together with P&K Council, the course could become a standard bearer for public-private partnerships and create an iconic public golf facility.
The land was supposed to be home to a hotel, spa, clubhouse, gated community and potentially a second course. So what could be achieved by Gleneagles and P&K Council?
Gleneagles could expand its Glenmor property offering. Currently Glenmor is a seasonal ownership village with seven-night or short break luxury family lodges to buy or rent, with around 80 properties across the estate, and expansion on to the parcel of land which GWest sits on could see them expand this number by two or even three times. There is certainly no need for an additional hotel to be built, which would compete with the iconic and original Gleneagles Hotel, which celebrated its 100th birthday in 2024.
Purchasing the land in partnership with P&K Council could see parts of the land made available to the local community, for recreation including walking, public events and activities, and crucially, golf. GWest being a public course, made available to golfers from all across Scotland at an affordable rate could inspire the next generation and buck the trend of new courses opening which are not accessible for the masses. The course could also generate revenue for Gleneagles with selected days and times being only for residents of the hotel and Glenmor.
As the land is large enough for a second course, an academy course and practice facilities can be built to provide further facilities for the public. A driving range would have to be built in any case because GWest is far too removed from the main practice facility at Gleneagles for golfers to prepare for their rounds. The clubhouse and the estate could also become home to new restaurants and bars open to the public, giving the masses a taste of Gleneagles, providing additional facilities and opportunities for the local community.
The village of Blackford (population 900+) is situated just a 2 mile drive from GWest, and the town of Auchterarder (population 6,000+) is less than 5 miles from the course.
The course at GWest measures 7,319 yards from the championship tees, and could be used as a third championship course if Gleneagles were ever to stage a multi-course pro-am similar to the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship or AT&T Pebble Beach pro-am. It could also stage Tartan Pro Tour events, Scottish PGA events or Scottish amateur golf tournaments in the future.
SHANK, by Matt Hooper
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