Prestwick Golf Club, nestled along the Ayrshire coastline in Scotland, is a place of reverence for golfers worldwide. Steeped in history, the club is celebrated as the birthplace of The Open Championship, which was first held here in 1860. For any golf enthusiast, playing at Prestwick is not merely a round of golf—it’s a journey through time, tradition, and challenge. The club’s iconic links course, and the palpable sense of history make it a pilgrimage-worthy destination.
Arrival and Atmosphere
From the moment you arrive at Prestwick, you are enveloped in an aura of tradition. The clubhouse, a Victorian masterpiece, is a blend of elegance and authenticity. The staff, impeccably polite yet unpretentious, welcome visitors warmly, making you feel both honoured and at ease. Walking through the clubhouse halls, adorned with photographs, trophies, and memorabilia of The Open and the club’s storied past, sets the tone for the day ahead. Prestwick’s setting is as charming as it is dramatic, with rugged dunes, wild grasses, and the railway line to your right as you tee off the first.
Prestwick is unapologetically quirky, and that’s part of its charm. The course has many blind shots, hidden bunkers, and undulating fairways that test not just your swing but your imagination and adaptability. It forces you to think critically about every shot, as there is often more than one way to approach each hole.
Prestwick Golf Club has five sets of tees to choose from. The yardage ranges from 5571 to 6908 yards. We chose to play from the white tees at 6551 yards. As always, choose the tees to suit your game and handicap.
Choosing what holes to feature in our article was difficult as so many are worthy of inclusion. On the front nine, we have chosen to feature the 1st, 3rd and 5th holes, you may think of others but we think these holes are great examples of the challenges of playing this iconic links.
The First Tee: A Start Unlike Any Other
The opening hole at Prestwick, aptly named “Railway,” is a testing start. A par four of 345 yards, it introduces the course with both charm and trepidation. The railway line, running parallel to the right, invades your psyche and your natural instinct is to aim further left. However, the fairway is tight, and while the hole isn’t overly long, it demands precision and nerve.
For first-timers, the mix of excitement and pressure is palpable as you address your ball on this historic tee box. Go too far left and your second shot to the green will be a blind shot. The out of bounds awaits if you push your approach.
The third hole, “Cardinal”
The perfect tee shot on the 3rd hole at Prestwick Golf Club
This par five measure 477 yards and is famed for its massive, deep bunker that guards the fairway. Nowadays, the bunker is only in play if you are a shorter hitter, you mishit your second or if the hole is playing into the wind. We hit our tee shot about 245 yards and ended up in the perfect position. Ten yards further and we would have been playing from the sand in a bunker you can’t see from the tee.
Our second shot over the Cardinal bunker
The Cardinal bunker
The safe line for your second shot is up over the path whereas the line to the green is 30 yards right of the path. The choice is yours although it is all carry to the green. If you choose to go for it you will need luck to finish on the green due to the undulations short of the green
The view of the 3rd green from the top of the path
Nine times out of ten you will be chipping onto this undulating green and trying to two putt for your par. This is one of the hardest green to hit in two on the course. There are others than demand luck rather than skill and we will discuss them later in this article.
Hole 5, “Himalayas”
Yes, it’s a blind tee shot on a par 3
The fifth hole is probably Prestwick Golf Club’s signature hole, if not it’s certainly the most famous. “Himalayas” is a par 3 of 206 yards from the white tees. The line is the white sleeper on the left side of the row of sleepers on the horizon. depending on what tees you are playing from, there is a corresponding painted sleeper to tell you the line.
The 5th hole, tee to green
The walk from the tee to the green is one where you are not quite sure if your tee shot has found the green. When you finally get a view of the green and you find out that your ball is on the putting surface, there is a palpable sense of relief and some joy that you have navigated a difficult hole.
A Unique and Quirky Back Nine
Again, it is difficult to choose only 3 holes on the back nine. We have chosen to feature the 13th, 15th and 17th holes. Three par fours that have their own unique challenges.
The 13th green
The 13th hole, known as “Sea Headrig”, is a challenging par 4 of 458 yards. We have probably played this hole about a dozen times over the years and have yet to find the green in regulation. A good tee shot will leave you just over 200 yards to a green that has humps and hollows just short of it. It will take a lucky bounce to end up on the putting surface. The green is narrow but wide, and anything landing in the left half will probably end up down a slope, leaving a difficult putt or chip back up to the pin. It’s not the second hardest hole for nothing.
“Narrows”
The toughest tee shot on the course
The 15th hole is called “Narrows” and has the most demanding tee shot. The hole measures 353 yards, but you only want to hit your tee shot between 200 and 210 yards onto the plateau. Anything going further, and left or right, will be in trouble.
Your second shot on the 15th
From the plateau, you have a second shot at a green you can’t see. The green is over the ridge, and you can just see the top of the flag in the photo above. Your line is left of the flag as the green slopes severely left to right. Anything right of the pin will not hold the green, and like the 13th green, you will have an uphill putt or chip to a pin 6 or 8ft above you.
“Alps”
The 17th hole
The 17th hole is another that typifies the challenge of Prestwick. The hole measures 394 yards, and you have to hit the tight fairway to have any chance of going for the green in two. The tee box will let you know which sleeper to hit over for your blind second shot.
Your blind approach on the 17th hole
Depending on how good a drive you hit and whether or not you are on the fairway, the second shot is a challenge. If you miss the fairway, lay up to short of the ridge. You can then walk up to see where the pin is and have a look at the bunker which you can only see from the top.
The 17th green and that enormous deep bunker
As you can see in the photo above, the green on 17 is not just over the top of the ridge. You have to take enough club to carry the distance to the centre of the green. Even then, you are not guaranteed an easy two putt and the green slopes from back to front and from right to left. If you make a par here, you can enjoy your post-round beverage with a smile on your face.
A Stroll Through History
Although every hole at Prestwick carries a story, the 17th, “Alps,” is Old Tom Morris’s original 2nd hole of the layout, and playing it feels like stepping into his shoes. The fairway, hemmed in by dunes, has a natural flow, as if the land itself dictated it’s design. It is the oldest existing hole in championship golf, dating from 1851.
Even the bunkers, which are plentiful and punishing, tell a tale of traditional golf. They are not the perfectly manicured sand traps of modern courses but rugged hazards designed to be avoided at all costs. They reflect the course’s philosophy: golf is a game of skill, strategy, and respect for the land.
In Our Opinion
You MUST play at Prestwick Golf Club on any trip to the west coast of Scotland. It is such an iconic links and you will play holes that you have never encountered on any other course. Even though it was early in the season, the course and the greens were excellent. The fairways were firm and fast, and the greens were running true, making it a round to remember.
The Lasting Impression
Playing at Prestwick Golf Club is not just about golf; it’s about immersion in a rich tapestry of history, nature, and tradition. The course, while challenging and quirky, is ultimately fair and endlessly engaging. Its unique character leaves an indelible impression, reminding you why links golf is revered worldwide.
Thank you to the Club Secretary, Robert McGuire, for hosting us and allowing us to experience this unique links course. It was a privilege and an immense pleasure.
For many, a round at Prestwick is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. For others, it’s the kind of place that draws you back, time and again, to relive its magic. Either way, it is a place that lingers in the memory, a testament to the enduring appeal of the game in its purest form.
At a Glance:
- Birthplace of the Open Championship
- Historic and quirky links course
- Home of the original Open Championship belt
- Traditional but welcoming clubhouse
- Well-stocked pro shop with plenty of crested apparel
- Short game area and putting green
- Practice area at the far end of the course
- In the heart of links golf in Ayrshire
- Eight links course nearby
Jim Callaghan CCM is a former Club Manager with experience overseeing several top Scottish Golf Clubs.
Now, as European Editor of Golf Operator Magazine and World’s Best Golf Destinations, he shares insights into club operations and his golfing adventures across Europe.
Jim is also an Ambassador for premium clothing brand Fenix Xcell Clothing and also for the Spanish local DMC, Costa Verde Golf.
If your club/resort or brand wants to reach over 400,000 golfers, contact Jim at [email protected] or call 0044 (0) 78522 88732.
Featured Post
0
