I think it’s safe to say that the main attraction at Gleneagles is golf, at least for the members I spoke with. Golf course architect Karl Litten originally designed both the Legends and Victory courses. Both have received total renovations by Kipp Schulties and South Florida Golf Renovations, beginning with the Legends in 2011. The newly designed Victory Course reopened in January 2024.
Schulties’ renovation of the Victory Course included new tees, fairways, redesigned greens, new wood bulkhead retaining walls, and a state-of-the-art irrigation system. Gleneagles also did a couple of things to enhance the course’s visual aesthetics. Several water features were updated and redesigned, and a few new lakes were added, which helped to minimize forced carries and improve the overall playability. New turf management practices were implemented, which also optimized playing conditions year-round.
The Club invested in the landscaping around and beyond the golf course, creating stunning views at every turn. Trees that had outgrown their usefulness over the past 20 years were relocated to areas around the property where they could flourish, including several native oaks, sabal palms, royal palms, and coconut trees. New concrete cart paths were also installed.
The Victory Course was everything I thought it would be. Although not as long as its sister course, The Legends, Victory makes you think your way around the golf course. With 6 sets of tees and a scorecard that gives five more hybrid yardages, there’s a suitable distance for all levels and calibers of golfers. Two of the five par 3s are back to back at Numbers 2 and 3.
A couple of the par 5s are reachable, starting with the first hole, a 490-yard dogleg right par 5. There was no need to hit driver because if you hit it through the dogleg, you’re in someone’s backyard. If you can hit your tee shot over the bunker on the right at the dogleg, you’ll have a great angle into the green. I didn’t get on in two, but I hit my pitch shot close enough to make a birdie!
The big question golf courses and private clubs are trying to answer these days is “How do we get the millennial generation involved and grow the game?” Millennials don’t want to invest the 4 or 5 hours necessary to play a round of golf (plus travel time). One answer is to create shorter courses that take significantly less time to play. With this philosophy in mind, Gleneagles has created a par 3 “overlay” on the Victory Course. It’s an additional set of tees on each hole that play anywhere from 75 and 160 yards. This concept creates a separate golf course within the championship golf course and can usually be played in two hours or less. It’s a great way to introduce new players to the game and for those who don’t want to spend extended amounts of time in the sun.
In March 2025, Gleneagles earned two awards for its golf facilities: Club + Resort Business Model Clubs for the 2024 Victory course renovation, and Palm Beach Post Best Private Golf Course in Palm Beach County. The Best Private Golf Course award was presented by Miss Florida at a ceremony at the Palm Beach County Convention Center. Having recently visited Gleneagles, played the golf courses, and sampled the cuisine, I can assure you these awards are well deserved. To see for yourself everything that Gleneagles Country Club has to offer, or to arrange a visit, call them at (561) 498-3606 or visit www.gleneagles.cc.
