Prestwick Golf Club

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Prestwick Golf Club

18th hole at Prestwick
Club information
Location	Prestwick, South Ayrshire, Scotland
Coordinates	55°30′19″N 4°37′00″W / 55.5052°N 4.6168°W / 55.5052; -4.6168Coordinates: 55°30′19″N 4°37′00″W / 55.5052°N 4.6168°W / 55.5052; -4.6168
Established	1851
Type	Private
Total holes	18
Tournaments hosted	The Open Golf Championship, British Amateur Championship
Website	http://www.prestwickgc.co.uk/

Prestwick Golf Club is located in the town of Prestwick, South Ayrshire, Scotland. It is approximately 30 miles (48 km) southwest of Scotland's largest city, Glasgow. Prestwick is a classic links golf course, being built on the rolling sandy land that "links" the beach and the land further inland. The course is located near the Prestwick airport and some holes run along railroad tracks on the eastern side of the course.

History

The club was founded in 1851, and Old Tom Morris was the club's "Keeper of the Green, Ball and Club Maker" for a number of years. Prestwick is famous as the initial sponsor of The Open Golf Championship, the oldest of golf's four major championships. The first Open was held in 1860 and the winner was presented with a red Morocco belt with silver clasps purchased by the members at a cost of £25. The club staged all the Opens up to 1870 and remained in the rotation until 1925, hosting the championship 24 times in all. Prestwick has also staged the British Amateur Championship on eleven occasions, most recently in 2001. The River Pow, or the Pow Burn, flows through the golf club and the river is a natural obstacle, there are fish and other species of rare nature in the river, so nature watchers are welcome there. There are also some sand dunes in the centre of the course, the tallest of the three being Pow Hill, the next being The Queens Jack, and the third tallest being Cearcevlock Hill. Blind shots from the tee at the short fifth and on the approach to the par-4 17th add considerably to the mystery and charm of the course. The most famous hole is the third, a par 5, dogleg right, of 500 yards, where the fairway simply ends about 300 yards from the tee, as the land descends into a vast, deep bunker, nicknamed the 'Cardinal', which is buttressed by railway ties. Many championship hopes have died in this bunker. The Pow Burn flanks the hole down its entire right side.

At the time of the early Open Championships the course had 12 holes, but in the later decades of the 19th century 18 became established as the standard number of holes on a course, and Prestwick was eventually extended to this. Morris supervised the extension. Unlike some of Scotland's other leading courses, Prestwick is a private members' club, but visitors may book to play the course on most days of the week.

The Open Championship

This is the list of The Open Championship champions at Prestwick Golf Club.

Year	Winner	No. of championships[1]	Score
			R1	R2	R3	Total
1860	Willie Park, Sr.	1st	55	59	60	174
1861	Tom Morris, Sr.	1st	54	56	53	163
1862	Tom Morris, Sr.	2nd	52	55	56	163
1863	Willie Park, Sr.	2nd	56	54	58	168
1864	Tom Morris, Sr.	3rd	54	58	55	167
1865	Andrew Strath	1st	55	54	53	162
1866	Willie Park, Sr.	3rd	54	56	59	169
1867	Tom Morris, Sr.	4th	58	54	58	170
1868	Tom Morris, Jr.	1st	51	54	49	154
1869	Tom Morris, Jr.	2nd	50	55	52	157
1870	Tom Morris, Jr.	3rd	47	51	51	149
1872	Tom Morris, Jr.	4th	57	56	53	163
1875	Willie Park, Sr.	4th	56	59	51	166
1878	Jamie Anderson	2nd	53	53	51	157
1881	Bob Ferguson	2nd	53	60	57	170

Year	Winner	No. of championships[1]	Score
			R1	R2	Total
1884	Jack Simpson	1st	78	82	160
1887	Willie Park, Jr.	1st	82	79	161
1890	John Ball(Am)	1st	82	82	164

Year	Winner	No. of championships[1]	Score
			R1	R2	R3	R4	Total
1893	Willie Auchterlonie	1st	78	81	81	82	322
1898	Harry Vardon	2nd	79	75	77	76	307
1903	Harry Vardon	4th	73	77	72	78	300
1908	James Braid	4th	70	72	77	72	291
1914	Harry Vardon	6th	73	77	78	78	306
1925	Jim Barnes	1st	70	77	79	74	300

Notes

External links

• Official website

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