Prestwick

Located at 2 Links Road, Prestwick, the address provides a pre-cursor for everything that follows. The charming clubhouse is understated, welcoming and filled with a rich tapestry of golfing memorabilia. The golfing history which adorns the wood-panelled walls is worthy of a visit itself. The clubhouse's rich history offers a glimpse back to a different era and is as much a part of the Prestwick experience as tackling the famous course where The Open Championship was first played.

The world was introduced to The Open Championship at Prestwick on the 17th October 1860, where the championship was played according to Prestwick rules. Prestwick hosted the first twelve Opens. Open prize money was first presented here, The Open's first hole-in-one was achieved here and the first amateur victory was recorded on the course. Old Tom Morris, Willie Park Snr and Harry Vardon battled for supremacy on this links, for the iconic Claret Jug. The Open Championship is embedded within the club’s history - one simply couldn’t exist without the other.

Today's layout provides lovers of the game with a golfing experience in its purest form. Quirky bumps, hollows, rippling fairways and undulating greens ask you to think strategically about your shots. The lively links turf, daunting bunkers and strategic tee placements seamlessly blend fun with danger. At 6,908 yards from the championship tees it is not as long as the modern behemoths, however Old Tom Morris and Co. never had the technological benefits golfers enjoy today.

During a round at Prestwick you are indulged by the course's quirkiness. Prestwick's spirit is captured in its hole names. The 13th 'Sea Headrig' and 14th 'Goosedubs' make the modern mind boggle. Visit the 'Himalayas' at the 5th, scale the 'Alps' on the 17th, championship golf's oldest existing hole, and in between find yourself in 'Elysian Fields' at the 6th hole. Where it is hoped that in the words of Homer, “there not falls rain, nor hail, nor snow, but…a West wind that sings softly from the sea and gives fresh life to all”. However, as with any Odyssey the journey is fraught with danger; danger which comes in many forms, including out of bounds, water, rough, blind shots, an ever-present wind and the famous bunkers. The names of which are quite wonderful. The Cardinal, Sahara and Willie Campbell’s Grave to name a few, where during the 1887 Open Championship, Campbell was virtually assured of a win until he found the fairway bunker at the 16th. He took four shots to get out, and his score of eight cost him the tournament.

Any trip to Scotland, let alone Ayrshire, warrants a visit to Prestwick. Pay homage to the foresight of the early pioneers who shaped the game we love. And enjoy the game in its purest form.

Accommodation: SGB partner with a number of hotel chains across Ayrshire, such as SimpsInns and Marine & Lawn. While we work with many smaller, more intimate ones situated across the region. In addition, we have partnerships with a number of letting agencies to ensure we provide a fantastic suite of accommodation options across Ayrshire. Whether you want to stay on a country estate, in a hotel, a luxury lodge, an apartment or a signature villa, Scottish Golf Breaks can arrange it for you. 

 

 

Typical packages include:

• Golf at Prestwick & other venues of your choice
• Accommodation in either a hotel or a lodge
• Complimentary use of the Prestwick facilities and Clubhouse

 

Packages can be designed to your specification and group size, and can include additional courses in Ayrshire and, or other regions within Scotland.

 

Additional services:

• Airport or train station transfers (all sizes of groups catered for)
• Executive travel