On the 17th October 1860 eight golfers teed it up in a golf match over the 12-hole course at Prestwick for a red Morocco leather belt with a silver buckle. Little did they know that they were playing in golfs first Major championship (the Open Championship) Prestwick Golf Club was proud to host the first 12 Opens and 24 in all.

Tom Morris was the Club’s first Keeper of the Green and his 12 hole course was the first links he laid out. He extended the course to 18 holes in the 1880s and today it offers visiting golfers tee options ranging from 5973 yards to 6908 yards. The last Open played at Prestwick was in 1925 when it was decided that, although the course still presented a severe challenge to the leading golfers of the day, it could no longer accommodate the crowds that had become part and parcel of staging a golfing major. Although Prestwick is no longer on the Open rota the course still presents many of the original features and challenges that Morris intended. The 17th hole was originally the 2nd hole on the 12-hole course and is the same hole played by the competitors in that first Open. Today Prestwick remains a must play for so many visitors to Scotland and the experience on course and in the clubhouse are matched by few. Visitors are assured of a warm welcome to the Club and are encouraged to take time to enjoy the Clubhouse and learn of the history of the Club and the Open Championship. Prestwick is famed for its long table lunch and visitors can enjoy dining in the Members’ Dining Room as part of the Prestwick Experience.