Gleneagles Country Club

One thing I like to do before visiting and playing a golf course is to read about its history. I find it intriguing, and I always learn something special about each facility. In the case of Gleneagles Country Club in Delray Beach, Florida, there was a lot to learn!

Gleneagles was established in 1984, and in its early days, the club was home to six of golf’s greatest legends: Gay Brewer, Billy Casper, Doug Ford, Bob Goalby, Doug Sanders, and Sam Snead. These players called Gleneagles home and acted as “ambassadors” for the developer. They spread the word about the Club everywhere they went.

In 1986, the club hosted a Senior PGA Tour event that was highlighted not only by these resident tour pros but also by golf icons Gary Player and Arnold Palmer. On July 1, 1989, the developer turned the club over to the members, and it has been operating as a private, not-for-profit, member-owned country club ever since.

But golf wasn’t the only attraction to Gleneagles; tennis legends Ivan Lendl and Steffi Graf joined the club and trained on the tennis center's original grass courts. For tennis lovers, Gleneagles now has 19 Har-Tru night-lit courts and 8 pickleball courts. The new Tennis and Pickleball Center opened in March 2025 and features fresh new locker rooms, an expanded pro shop, and enhanced viewing areas of the club’s tennis and pickleball courts. It’s sure to become the hub for racquet sports and social gatherings for generations to come.

The Country Club is part of the master-planned Gleneagles community and is a recreational oasis for those who want to remain active well into their golden years. There are 1,082 homes and condominiums within the community. In addition to 36 holes of championship golf and the aforementioned tennis courts and pickleball courts, you’ll find a 90,000+ square foot clubhouse with 3 restaurants and lounges. The Healthy Lifestyle Center features a state-of-the-art fitness center, spa, physical therapy services, Pilates, and a resort-style pool complex. With all of this and Gleneagles’ social clubs, there’s always something to do!

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 re-opened 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 visual aesthetics of the course. 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. Yardages range from 6,066 yards for better players to 4,264 yards for juniors, ladies, and seniors with a par of 71. The front side is unique with three par 3s, three par 4s, and three par 5s. Even from the back/Black tees, there is no par 5 over 500 yards, although there are 3 long par 3s – 174, 183, and 226 yards. 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!

According to long-time Director of Golf Joe DeMino, “Many of the members already love the revamped 2nd hole – a par three with a semi-island green and coconut trees. It looks like it belongs in the Caribbean.” It plays 132 yards from the Blue Tees and is all carry over water with a large bunker between the water and the green.

The Victory Course is in fabulous condition thanks to the leadership of the Director of Golf Course Maintenance, Jason Bagwell. It is meticulously maintained by a grounds crew that takes a lot of pride in the course and how it is perceived by others.

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.

Inside the 90,000 square-foot clubhouse, you’ll find three restaurants that cater to just about any palate, and two lounges. For many Members, dining is an important aspect, especially when you want to impress friends and business associates. So why not dine at a Club with an award-winning Executive Chef? Gleneagles’ Christopher Reichart was named to Club + Resort Magazine’s list of Top 40 Under 40 Chefs in 2024. Reichart and his team add a special flair to each meal they prepare and create some unique dishes. From the Beet and Grapefruit Salad to the Burrata and Bucatini to their Stuffed Portobello Spanakopita, you’re sure to enjoy each meal.

And while I’m on the subject of awards, in March 2025, Gleneagles earned two awards for their 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.