Shortly before noon on Wednesday 17 October 1860, a small group of eight golfers made their way towards the sand hills of Prestwick. They were about to play the first round of The Open Championship.
The idea was conceived at the Red Lion Inn, then the clubhouse for the Prestwick links. The eight entrants were all professionals of sorts, caddies or club and ball makers. Prestwick proposed 36 holes of medal play, open to professionals from all clubs. The other clubs showed little enthusiasm, so Prestwick went it alone.
The first players teed off at noon, and the whole field finished before dark. Willie Park won with a score of 174, two strokes ahead of Tom Morris, who had moved to Prestwick from St Andrews to be Keeper of the Green.
Prestwick went on to host The Open 24 times, the last in 1925. You can still play Prestwick Golf Club today, and The Open returns to St Andrews in 2027. Read our guide to planning a trip around it.