Location: Prestwick, Ayrshire, Scotland | Ranking: #79
Designer: Tom Morris Sr. (1851) | Type: Links · Birthplace of The Open | Green Fees: From £200
Editor’s Note: Old Prestwick is where The Open Championship began in 1860 — the original 12-hole layout created by Old Tom Morris has grown to 18 holes that have changed little since the Victorian era. The Cardinal Bunker on the 3rd is perhaps the most famous hazard in golf history. To play Old Prestwick is to understand where the game came from — blind shots, dunes, burns and the relentless logic of natural links golf. A pilgrimage for anyone who loves golf history above all else.
Travel & Logistics
- Airport: Glasgow Prestwick (PIK) — 5 mins walk | Glasgow International (GLA) — 30 mins
- Booking: prestwickgc.co.uk | Rating / Slope: 73.5 / 140
Championship Scorecard
| Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | OUT |
| Par | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 36 |
| Name | Railway | Goosedubs | Cardinal | Bridge | Himalayas | Elbow | Pow Burn | Station | Dunes | — |
| Yards | 346 | 512 | 482 | 382 | 406 | 362 | 430 | 148 | 444 | 3,512 |
| Hole | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | IN | TOTAL |
| Par | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 34 | 71 |
| Name | Sea Headrig | Short | Wall | Sea Hollow | Gowan Brae | Narrows | Cardinal’s Back | Alps | Town | — | — |
| Yards | 454 | 166 | 513 | 460 | 367 | 194 | 288 | 391 | 284 | 3,117 | 6,544 |
Par 4Par 3Par 5
Key Strategy Notes
- Hole 3 — Cardinal (Par 4, 482 Yards): Named for the massive Cardinal Bunker that crosses the fairway at driving distance — one of the most famous hazards in golf. The bunker face is 12 feet high; escape alone costs a stroke. The most photographed hole in Scottish golf history.
- Blind Holes: Six of eighteen holes feature some degree of blindness — the white stone markers indicate the line. Old Prestwick makes no apology for its Victorian character; the blind shots are features, not faults.
- The Alps (Hole 17): A blind approach over a massive dune to a hidden green — the quintessential blind hole in golf architecture. Every design reference to “Alps holes” in architecture literature begins here.
The 19th Hole
- Piersland House Hotel, Troon (4★): 10 minutes from Old Prestwick — the best Ayrshire golf base. Book via Expedia →
- The Prestwick St Nicholas Golf Club: Walk across the road for a second round on a completely different and underrated links — one of the great post-round doubles in Scottish golf.