Birth of the Open Championship
“When I was 13, we emigrated from Scotland to Canada. My Scottish relatives hired a bus to see us off… or maybe to make sure we did actually leave! ”
From many of the high tees, Prestwick looks like an old shaggy dog. ‘Scratch’ players stay well away from the rough!
We flew from Prestwick on Scotland’s West Coast. Prestwick Airport was the most important, accessible UK/European airport linking with North America all the way through the 1960s. During World War II, 300 military aircraft were landing each day bringing supplies & troops from the USA.
Its most shining moment came, (apart from me departing on a BOAC flight to Toronto) when Elvis Presley landed, his one & only footfall in the UK. On March 3, 1960, ‘The King’ arrived and stayed for all of two hours on his way home to the US after a two-year National Service stint in Germany. They’re still talking about it today!
WULLIE THE CADDY
I played Prestwick at least once a year. The club secretary would invite us ‘travel & media types’ for a free day, lunch included. I got to know some of the local caddies and would always look out for Wullie as we’d become acquainted over the rounds.
Wullie initially would give me what I considered to be the worst possible lines, especially off the tee. I would look at him incredulously and say ‘You’re f**ing kidding’ or words to that effect.
‘Suit yourself,’ he would say, sniffily. ‘But that’s the line’. The 3rd is one of golf’s classics and a remnant of the original 12-hole course. A par 5, you lay up short of the Cardinal Bunker. Favour the right side of the fairway to reduce the angle and shorten the hole. Strong players can take on the green directly others should hit over the vast and deep bunker to leave around 100 yards to the green. The Pow burn is out of bounds its entire length. It took a turn and trundled down onto the green. From then on, I trusted Wullie’s every word.
He told me a story of an American golfer who was delighted to be striding the hoary hills of ‘Old Prestwick’. Willie was telling him how in the 1850s Old Tom Morris moved over from St Andrews with his family to construct a 12-hole course that still forms the basis of what we see at Prestwick today.
“I love your golf course,’ the Yank enthused. ‘It’s so rustic, so authentic. But why did they build it so close to the airport?’
STAY FOR THE DAY
Like all of the very special golf clubs in Scotland, it pays to stay for the day. Lunch at Prestwick is a unique experience. I notice now, that they’ve packaged it as the ‘Prestwick Experience’ where you play the course in the morning, grab a shower and ideally change into your jacket, tie and tartan trews, a habit that’s sadly not required anymore. I quite liked those old traditions.
Then we all sit down to a first-class lunch in the Dining Room.
Preparing for lunch! Besides good, old-fashioned cooking, you get the chance to mingle with the members which is always great fun!
BIRTHPLACE OF THE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP
Prestwick Golf Club was the very first venue for The Open Championship when in 1860, Old Tom Morris and members of Prestwick came up with the bright idea of inviting a handful of Scottish professionals (then known as caddies) for a match across a rudimentary 12-hole course. Only eight contenders showed up and went around the course three times - in the one day. That was the rather inauspicious start. Willie Park, Sr. from Musselburgh won with a score of 174 beating Old Tom by two strokes.
The Open Championship is considered the most prestigious golf competition on the planet. Prestwick Golf Club still celebrates its rich and fascinating history. You can see replicas of the original Open Championship Belt and Claret Jug on display in the clubhouse. Prestwick hosted the Open no fewer than 24 times before it became too difficult to move crowds safely around the hilly terrain.
PLAYING PRESTWICK
Like any old timer, the course can be a bit crotchety at times in that there are blind holes everywhere and funny twists over many wrinkled fairways. But that’s all part of the fun & excitement. I definitely recommend hiring Wullie or one of his compatriots as you’ll make a mess playing towards the obvious bits.
Tee times for the ‘Prestwick Experience’ are available only on Wednesday and Friday mornings between 8.00 and 9.00 am so book well in advance.
I don’t know if David, the club steward is still there (I’ll check this year) but he was always quick on the Kümmel (thick, sticky German liqueur) when I came in! Thanks, David!
Besides the Claret Jug, they’ve got a replica of Young Tom’s belt which you can visit in the clubhouse.
