St. Andrews may be The Home of Golf, and Muirfield may have written the original rules, but only Prestwick can claim to be the Birthplace of The Open Championship.
Although its no longer a part of The Open rota, Prestwick delivers a one of a kind experience to those who are wise enough to include it on their Scotland golf tours.
For many golf travelers, the combination of an enigmatic links and a history as rich as any place in the game makes Prestwick a highlight of their time in Scotland.
Here are 7 things to see during your visit to Prestwick Golf Club.
The Railway
The great Donald Ross once said that a golf course should begin with “a gentle handshake.” Based on the scorecard, it would appear that the 1st hole at Prestwick Golf Club meets that standard.
But once on the tee, it’s clear that this short par-4 presents a very different welcome than the one we’d first imagined. The red brick wall which separates the course from the railway to Glasgow runs hard up the right side of the fairway.
It was the construction of this railway that made a course at Prestwick possible in the first place back in the 1850s. And while most golfers no longer arrive at the course by train, an untold number of golf balls depart it that way every day.
The Memorabilia
As the birthplace of The Open Championship, and the host of the tournament on 24 occasions, the memorabilia inside the Prestwick clubhouse could fill a small museum.
From the original Red Moroccan Challenge Belt which was awarded to the winner, to any number of paintings, historic clubs, and artifacts from the days when Old Tom Morris served as Keeper of the Green.
No visit to Prestwick is complete without a perusal of this impressive collection. In some cases, the H&B Concierge may even be able to arrange for a private tour after your round.
The Cardinal
The par-5 3rd at Prestwick is one of the most recognizable holes in Scotland thanks to the imposing Cardinal Bunker.
Although the bunker is easily cleared with two solid strikes, anyone who finds the Cardinal will not forget the encounter. Especially if it involves a ricochet off the railroad ties, which Pete Dye would include in many of his notable course designs after a visit to Prestwick in the 1960s.
The Cardinal is so large that it comes back into play on the 16th hole, where any approach that’s short and right of the green will likely find this formidable fortress.
The Red Lion
Just around the corner from the Prestwick clubhouse, The Red Lion pub played an important role in the history of the club and The Open Championship.
On July 2, 1851, a group of 57 gentlemen met at the Red Lion and formed the Prestwick Golf Club. They soon hired Old Tom Morris, whose former home is now a pharmacy across the street from the Red Lion, and tasked him with building the club’s original 12-hole course.
Nine years later, the gentlemen at Prestwick sent a letter to the leading golf clubs of Scotland and invited them to send their best players to compete in a new tournament. The competition was designed to identify “the finest player in the land” and is now known as The Open Championship.
The Himalayas
Part of the charm of Prestwick Golf Club is that the course feels like a journey back in time. There are many things about the links that simply would not exist were it built today.
Perhaps the best example of this is the completely blind par-3 5th hole, known as Himalayas. Guided by nothing more than a stone on top of the hill, the golfer sends their tee shot over the mound and hopes for the best. There is something exhilarating about climbing the hill to see where a well struck shot has come to rest, but a word of warning…
If your caddie plays spotter on top of the hill, treat any claim of a hole in one with extreme skepticism.
The Prestwick Experience
If you’re looking to make the most of your time at this historic club, The Prestwick Experience is sure to fit the bill. After your round on the legendary links, you and your playing partners will don a jacket and tie to enjoy a three-course lunch in the Dining Room. Surrounded by some of golf’s greatest history, and sharing a table with fellow visitors and members alike, the experience is unique in this part of Scotland. Just like Prestwick.
The Alps
The 17th at Prestwick, like the Himalayas, is the kind of hole that would never be built today. It also happens to be the oldest existing hole in championship golf.
The approach here is completely blind, and is again reminiscent of the Himalayas. There is nothing more than a stone on top of the hill, which lies between you and the green, to guide the way home.
Whatever club you think the shot requires, our advice is to take one more. Otherwise, the giant Sahara bunker may give an unwelcome surprise when you reach the top of the hill.
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