One of the most inexplicable mysteries in Scottish golf has just taken another twist.
If you have ever driven along the A9 near Gleneagles, taken a train between Stirling and Perth, or have indulged in that most underrated hobby of exploring around Google Maps, you may have spotted a rogue golf course, one that sits seemingly untouched, clearly visible from afar but inaccessible to reach.
This is gWest, which is a full, 18-hole layout on a vast property that is located just yards from The Queen's Course at Gleneagles.
Designed by David McLay Kidd and completed in 2009, the venue has taken on a ghostly character that has been without little explanation in the almost two decades since. You can see a full hole-by-hole guide of the course by visiting its official website.
Owned by the family of Mahdi Al Tajir, one of the wealthiest people from the United Arab Emirates who spends much of his time in the UK, including at Keir House, which is only a short drive from gWest, the course is carefully maintained and immaculately presented despite the fact that few have ever played it.
Champion Golfer of the Year in 2016, Henrik Stenson - an apparent friend of the family - has reportedly been among the lucky bunch, as have members of (recent winning Walker Cup captain) Dean Robertson's University of Stirling golf team.
(Image Credit: gWest)
Bunkered's Michael McEwan wrote this expansive piece on the subject in 2024, which we'd fully recommend delving into, where he describes the origins of the property, its development, and the grand plans to sell lucrative property plots on site and build a luxury boutique hotel, all of which have stagnated and fallen dormant due to a variety of elusive reasons.
There is a rather distinctive clubhouse that you can see from a distance, however. The exterior of that building was finally completed. But without any regular members or visitors to inhabit it.
Why this bizarre tale has emerged again is the revelation that the course is now for sale, as reported by The Courier, with the prestigious firm Knight Frank marketing the property and inviting offers.
Euan Kelly, partner at Knight Frank Edinburgh, commented: "It is incredibly rare that an opportunity like gWest becomes available.
"We’re expecting a huge amount of interest from across the globe in what could be a once-in-a-lifetime asset: a substantial consented resort development site, with a golf course designed by a celebrated architect, in one of Scotland's most prestigious leisure locations.
"While the bold ambitions for the site have yet to fully come to fruition, a sale could see them take an important step forward and add another destination to Scotland's, and Perthshire's, strong tourist offering."
(Image Credit: gWest)
What this means for the future is unknown. Ultra-exclusive developments elsewhere are in various stages of progress in areas like the Feddinch site near St Andrews and the Ury Estate in Aberdeenshire, so there is clearly an appetite among investors for this sort of venture located in Scotland, and we'd have to assume that gWest will ultimately take on a similar identity.
That is, of course, merely speculation, but it feels appropriate to think aloud in that respect as the mystery, secrecy and shroud of doubt that has hung over gWest for close to 20 years lends itself to letting your imagination run wild.
Finally, there is progressive movement in the saga, but whether that means any of us mere mortals will ever play there, is a dubious notion at best.
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