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PRESTWICK GOLF CLUB

It was 17th October 1860 when the inaugural Open Championship was played on Ayrshire's links-fringed coast at Prestwick Golf Club. The 12-hole course laid out by Old Tom Morris in the 1850's saw the instigation of this great event and held it continuously for the following twelve years before sharing it with some of Scotland’s other prestigious clubs. The line-up of players gracing the turf through those years and on into the 1920's reads like the Who's Who of the game’s early days; Willie Park, the two Tom Morris's, Willie Auchterlonie, Harry Vardon and James Braid to name but a few.

What had begun as a simple competition between eight of Scotland's leading professionals turned into the greatest of all golf's championships. The Open was subsequently shared with Musselburgh and St Andrews on a rotating basis until Muirfield was included in 1892. Prestwick Golf Club continued its reign as an Open venue until 1925 when, because of the growing popularity of the event, it was unable to accommodate the ever-increasing galleries.

Although it no longer features on the Open rota, Prestwick continues as a unique and challenging experience that keen golfers from all over the world come to play. Originally renowned for its blind shots into 'deep dells', the present-day course is not quite so 'sporty' but it still reflects a bygone era as it dips and winds amongst the ancient sand dunes of the Ayrshire coast.

Of the most memorable holes, the 1st opens cheek to jowl with the main coastal railway line and indeed, Prestwick Station are only a wire fence away to the right. Once safely off with the inaugural drive, most players sigh with a sense of relief. The 3rd is noted for the massive and elongated Cardinal Bunker with subsequent danger in the nearby burn or the tall railway sleepers that loom above the bunkers. Should you tangle with any of these hazards it will no doubt be costly. Considered by many the greatest hole on the course is the 17th. This venerable 'antique' has remained unchanged since the 1850's with its blind second shot, its high ridge of dunes and the great ' Sahara' bunker that lies in wait just short of the green.

Prestwick Golf Club is a relaxed and friendly club that welcomes golfers from around the globe. Visitors are encouraged to use their temporary membership to enjoy lunch in the lavish Dining room or relax in the regal Cardinal room. A jacket, collar and tie are required in the Dining Room.

Photographs & text © David J Whyte 2009