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4.9
7 Reviews (7)
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4.9
Value
4.0
Layout
4.3
Friendliness
5.0
Pace
4.8
Amenities
4.9
100.0%
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7 out of 7 reviews
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About

Holes 18
Type Private
Style Links
Par 71
Length 6908 yards
Slope 139
Rating 74.4

Prestwick is one of the oldest golf clubs in the world and stakes claim as the original host to the British Open in 1860. The course was only 12 holes back then, but was later stretched to 18 by Old Tom Morris. Today, the Open has moved next door to Royal Troon when its in this neck of Ayrshire, but Prestwick still demands utmost respect from first-time guests, as it features narrow fairways and rugged dunes creating many blind shots. Players are most advised to take caddies along. Prestwick's clubhouse also features a wonderful collection of golf memorabilia.

Course Details

Year Built 1851
Golf Season Year round

Rentals/Services

Carts Electric carts are not permitted due to the terrain of the course. One single seater is available for visitors with a medical condition. They must also take a caddie.
Clubs Yes
Pull-carts Yes

Practice/Instruction

Driving Range Yes
Caddies Yes
Teaching Pro Yes
Putting Green Yes

Policies

Credit Cards Accepted Mastercard, VISA & American Express. Diners Club is not accepted.
Walking Allowed Yes
Dress code Appropriate golf attire.

Food & Beverage

Restaurant

Available Facilities

Clubhouse, Lounge, Meeting Facilities

Reviews

4.9
7 Reviews (7)
Advanced Filters
Overall Rating
Recommended
Handicap
Age
Type of Golfer
Gender
Played On
Reviews 638
Handicap 10-14
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Golf Advisor
Previously Played
Windy weather
Walked

A Scottish history lesson

I've been beaten up by Prestwick twice, but that hasn't stopped me from loving everything about the experience. The blind shots are befuddling and legendary. The first hole along the railway line and the final hole toward the clock on the clubhouse are iconic. It's definitely recommended to take a caddie to get the full experience on the quirky links that hosted the first Open. Be sure to spend some time touring the clubhouse. There's a lot of memorabilia and history packed inside.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 310
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Birmingham Advisor
Top 10 Contributor
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Walked

Prestwick is an architectural museum

Prestwick rivals any course in the world when it comes to history. This is where the Open Championship was born in 1860, where it stayed put until 1873, and where it was staged a total of 25 times - the last being in 1925. By then, Prestwick was judged too short, too gimmicky, too old-fashioned, too confined for thousands of spectators.

The course is chock full of old school links features like blind shots, shared fairways, driveable par 4s, and confounding green contours. It has towering sand hills, fairways straight out of a moonscape, hidden greens cunningly defended by humps and hollow, and one of the world’s three or four most spectacular cavernous bunkers.

Prestwick dramatically and vitally influenced the direction of golf course architecture. Only a handful of other courses can claim such a prominent role. It contains eight holes that have made a major impact on course architecture. Consider that 99.99% of golf courses have none. That is why you should play here. Pete Dye visited Prestwick in 1963, and the result is plain to see in the wooden planks that hallmark his work.

Don’t come to Prestwick expecting great views and a modern championship track. Instead, embrace the quirkiness and history of the place. The club has expertly avoided change for the sake of remaining relevant.

Be sure and take a look at the old cemetery that sits on the other side of the rock wall behind the first green. In it resides two Open champions.

Notice the crazy green complex at No. 14. The hole was originally a par 3 that played into the green from your left. Hence the slope.

And post-round, go a couple of blocks back into Prestwick and have a drink at Bar Central, which is owned by a long-time and current European Tour caddie.

Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 95
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Top 250 Contributor
Previously Played

One of my Scotland favorites

Prestwick is not for everyone. It's a quirky course that challenges off the tee and around the green and it's rough is thicker than many Scottish courses. It's a course you will either love or hate. After playing it a dozen times in the past twenty years, it's clearly one I love.

The first hole gets the challenge started. A narrow hole with the railway running hard down the right side, its a tee shot to make the normal player more than a little nervous. The par 5 3rd presents the challenge with a blind 2nd shot. The 4th is a great example (repeated numerous times) of how the tee shot has to be played at an angle that seems unnatural to the eye. The blind tee shot on the par 3 5th is always a treat. I could go on and on about the merits and challenges on almost every hole, but I'll wrap up by saying the 17th is one of the most interesting and challenging par 4 you will ever play. At least the short par 4 18th gives you perhaps the best chance of a birdie all day.

The course was in excellent condition the three days we played in the past week.

Let's finish that the club's staff is one of the friendliest you will find. Their Prestwick Experience gives you the chance to lunch in the main dining room with other visitors and members and is worth experiencing at least once. They also have a great deal with a significantly reduced rate for additional rounds during the week following your first round.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 378
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Top 10 Contributor
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Walked

Another must-play in Scotland

The history, the quirky layout and the setting all make for this course that hosted the first Open a must play for visitors to Scotland. The course has so many traditions and artifacts in its old clubhouse, including the traditional kummel drink (which I tried). The 17th (one of the most unique holes I've ever played) is actually the oldest hole in championship golf as Prestwick hosted the first Open in 1860. That was before the U.S. Civil War.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 27
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing
Excellent weather
Walked

Golfing history

After spending a very informative and pleasant half hour talking to the pro who informed us that the very first British Open was played here in 1860, we decided to play a round if possible. He squeezed us on and we had one of the more enjoyable rounds of our trip.
Even though the 17th is the only original hole from that first Open, it was still a thrill to tread the same grounds a all those long-passed greats.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 100
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Top 250 Contributor
Denver Advisor
First Time Playing
Excellent weather
Walked

Must play History

Prestwick is unique and not easy at all. I recommend playing it forward here. I actually played here twice in the morning on consecutive days. The club was very welcoming. I even went out before other groups on both days. Being on my own first thing in the morning-both rounds were completed in 3 hours.

The course has some great holes. The first plays alongside the train tracks and the closer you are to the tracks, the more the green opens up. Stay left and it is completely blind. The 17th is the original "Alps" hole and is a classic. Long approach shot over mounding and a bunker that you can't see. Amazing. The 5th hole is similar but a one shot hole without the bunkers. Ring the bell to let everyone know you are finished.
The par 5 third hole "Cardinal" is exceptional. Second and third shot options are abundant on this hole. Don't get in the Cardinal Bunker-I did once and regret it.
The thirteenth hole has a green that only mother nature can produce. Despite being a long hole, the green has many sections and humps as well as run offs if you are short. Not sure that this hole would exist with modern machines-glad it does.

This is a unique links which is tough; from the back many forced carries and no matter where you are playing from strategy with blind shots. I think that if you had to play this course for the rest of your life-you would not grow tired of it. It is full of strategy and surprises.
If you are in Ayrshire, this is a can't miss.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Extremely Challenging
Played On
Reviews 26
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Golf Advisor
Previously Played
Average weather
Walked

Authentic, rugged, quirky and blissfully out of touch would all be appropriate accounts of this museum that features multiple blind holes, small and w

People are amazed when they learn that Prestwick is second only to the Old Course in the number of Open Championships it has hosted (24), having hosted it’s last in 1925. So it is important that one approaches the experience with an appreciation for being swept up by things that were. Old Tom Morris was the course’s first “Keeper of the Green,” in 1851, when the course was twelve holes (an additional six were added in 1883). Authentic, rugged, quirky and blissfully out of touch would all be appropriate accounts of this museum that features multiple blind holes, small and well protected greens and wild variety at every turn. Prestwick is a joy and should be on every golfer’s bucket list.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
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Golf Packages

West Coast Scotland Open Championship Golf Package

FROM $697 (USD)
SOUTHWEST SCOTLAND | Enjoy 7 nights' accommodations at the Marine Hotel in Troon and 5 rounds of golf at Old Course at Royal Troon Golf Club, Prestwick Golf Club, Ailsa Golf Course at Trump Turnberry, a Luxury Collection Resort, Dundonald Links, and Western Gailes Golf Club.

West Coast Scotland Hidden Gems Golf Package

FROM $327 (USD)
SOUTHWEST SCOTLAND | Enjoy 7 nights' accommodations at Piersland House Hotel and 5 rounds of golf at Western Gailes Golf Club, Dundonald Links, Gailes Links, Prestwick Golf Club, and Kilmarnock Barassie Golf Club.

The Complete Scottish Coast to Coast Golf Tour

FROM $577 (USD)
SCOTLAND| Starting on the South West coast, making a stop to experience the iconic home of golf at St Andrews and finishing down in North Berwick, this package is jam packed with three past and present Open Championship courses as well as a few hidden treasures along the way. Staying in 4 and 5* hotels along the way, this tour will offer you unforgettable golf, delicious food and sensational views as well as potentially the chance to play the phenomenal Old Course at St Andrews.

St Andrews, Highlands & Edinburgh Trilogy Tour

FROM $387 (USD)
SCOTLAND| A golf tour that allows you to experience the iconic Home of Golf at St Andrews, the spectacular golf of the Scottish Highlands and the historic city of Edinburgh is certainly not one to miss out on. Spend 4 days in St Andrews and take on the outstanding Old Course, then transfer to the highlands for some spectacular links golf at Royal Dornoch and Castle Stuart and finish the tour in Edinburgh with a chance to explore the Scottish Capital.

Easy Edinburgh Golf Package

FROM $417 (USD)
EDINBURGH| Enjoy 7 nights' accommodations at the No.12 Hotel & Bistro and 5 rounds of golf at Gullane No. 1 at Gullane Golf Club, Dunbar Golf Club, West Links at North Berwick Golf Club, Gullane No. 2 Course at Gullane Golf Club, and Kilspindie Golf Club.
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