Prestwick Golf Club

Prestwick Golf Club sits on sandy links between the Irish Sea and inland farmland near Prestwick in South Ayrshire. The course runs close to the town’s airport on its eastern edge, where some holes run alongside railway tracks. Its rolling dunes and open turf give the layout a classic links feel. The River Pow winds through the property, adding a natural hazard to several holes. Three hills—Pow Hill, The Queens Jack and Cearcevlock Hill—rise in the centre of the course. The Irish Sea forms the western boundary, with sand dunes and the Firth of Clyde beyond. The club is famous for hosting the first Open Championship in 1860 and staging it 24 times up to 1925. Old Tom Morris worked there from 1851 to 1864, designing the original 12-hole course and later helping extend it to 18 holes in 1882. Young Tom Morris won four Opens in a row at Prestwick between 1868 and 1872. Bernard Darwin, the leading golf writer of his day, later questioned whether the Open should return because of crowd control problems. The course still tests modern players despite its cramped layout. Visitors find a mix of original and modern holes, including the famous third, a 500-yard par 5 dogleg right. The fairway ends abruptly above a deep bunker called the Cardinal, which has ended many championship hopes. Blind shots from the fifth tee and the approach to the 17th add challenge. The Pow Burn flanks several holes, including the third, while the sea and dunes frame the western side. The course remains a private members’ club but accepts outside bookings on most days.