Scotland's best inland golf: The King's Course at Gleneagles

AUCHTERARDER, Scotland -- For golfers who think blind shots are only a phenomenon on a links, try a spin on the wild and wonderful King's Course at Gleneagles.

The King's Course, a heathland layout by James Braid that dates back to 1919, rides the natural ridges and fall lines of glacier-cut hills. Some of the movement is so severe that blind shots are inevitable. The best example is an intimidating wall of green grass guarding the hidden third green. Only an aiming post gives the indication there's golf to be played on the other side of the climb.

Other similarly interesting holes stock the King's, which hosted the Bell's Scottish Open eight times. The first hole rises skyward to a green located a three-club difference above the fairway. The par-4 seventh hole sling-shots left over a pair of bunkers. Ten protectively placed bunkers aim to block golfers from driving the 14th green on "Denty Den."

The resort's new owners have invested heavily to restore the King's to the look and style Braid intended. Rough has been shaved back and fairways widened to encourage a ground game similar to links golf. Greens have been enlarged to their original shapes and fairways realigned to bring bunkers back into play. The new look is actually nearly a century old. The King's will celebrate its centenary in 2019.

Did you know that the King's hosted the first match between British and American professionals in 1921, a precursor to The Ryder Cup? That's how historically significant this special course is.