Gleneagles Golf Course at McLaren Park

Its pretty clear that the previous neg. reviews have issues with staff or the operator. The course is in really good shape, better than its been for quite sometime. There is a huge benefit to course knowledge, if your a first timer your in trouble unless your playing with regulars. The group in front of us hit two-three times at each tee. The course is hard, get over it or play some other wide open flat course.. like Flemming. Easy to get on, rarely do you have to wait or need a tee time to play. GlenEagle is a great course for above average players.

The course: The staff and regulars here won't waste any time letting you know how difficult it is. Unfortunately, the overall conditions are poor. Obviously the drought has much to do with it but that is the reality of the situation for many courses which have been able to handle it.

Staff friendliness: The staff and regulars should let go of this weird Gleneagles aura/complex they've built up over the years.

Price: I'd rather pay $38 for 18 holes on a real course than $19 for 9 holes.

Recommendation: I'd recommend it as a novelty experience. See if you get the same experience that many people get when they try it for the first time. Like having trouble finding the place or trying to figure out where the "proshop" is. Listen for someone blabbing about how difficult the course is or asking if you brought enough balls. Then, as you watch your first tee shot disappear into the thick tree line, ask yourself the same question.

Never in my life have I played on a worse golf course. There were sand traps that were growing weeds all the way across, various locations on the course where you could step into a hole many feet deep and break leg, and they even had soccer/golf set up on many holes to add insult to possible injury. There is absolutely no real maintenance of this course visible anywhere, and with the drought... it was a disaster. We were stunned that such a beautiful setting could offer such a terrible course.

Locals here have some sort of complex but once you get past that nonsense( I have experienced on many occasions), pretty fun track with decently conditioned greens and inconsistent fairways. Don't even ask about the bunkers but then again, they are a hazard so don't put your ball in them. I heard some banter about how they are attempting the Bandon/Doak minimalist concept here(dried out/unconditioned areas) but when your course is located on the side of a hill like this one is, that concept is unemployable. Give this course a shot but temper your expectations.