On 17 October 1860, eight golfers teed it up over the 12-hole course at Prestwick for a red Morocco leather belt with a silver buckle. They were playing the first Open Championship. Prestwick went on to host the first 12 Opens and 24 in all.
Tom Morris was the club’s first Keeper of the Green, and the 12-hole course was the first links he laid out. He extended it to 18 holes in the 1880s. The last Open here was in 1925, when the course could no longer accommodate the crowds, but it still presents many of the original features Morris intended. The 17th was originally the 2nd on the 12-hole course, the same hole played in that first Open.
Visitors are encouraged to take time in the clubhouse and learn its history. Prestwick is famed for its long table lunch in the Members’ Dining Room.
Plan your visit
Visit the Prestwick Golf Club website for tee times and visitor information. See more in our guide to golf in Ayrshire.
Want it arranged for you? Browse our member tour operators, or see more Scottish courses.