The first thing you will notice on this post about Prestwick Golf Club is the lack of course photos. And the reason for that is part of the story.
Our time at Prestwick began with lunch in the upstairs Cardinal Lounge. The lounge is full of memorabilia, most notably scorecards of the first Open Championships. Following a great lunch we spent considerable time in the clubhouse, which is basically a Open Championship museum. Items such as the challenge belt, photos of Old and Young Tom Morris, early course details, etc. We basically had to be rushed to the first tee as to not miss our tee time.
Waiting for us on the first tee, just a few steps from the clubhouse, were 4 fine caddies and very dark grey skies! As we were nearly late for our tee time, there was no time for pictures!
The first hole is not long, but is definitely a test of your swing and your mind. The right of the fairway is lined by a wall and OB and the left by heavy rough. By the time we reached the 1st green, and all four of us got there without much trouble, the rain had started. It was only a light rain at this point, and the general thought among our group was that it would end quickly as typically happens in Scotland.
The second hole is a straightforward par 3 of roughly 150 yards (plus or minus 100 yards depending on the wind!). The green is one of the original 12 designed by Old Tom Morris in 1851, although it was not originally the 2nd green. The hole demands an accurate tee shot, as the green is guarded by four bunkers that can easily ruin a scorecard. By the time we were finishing the 2nd hole, the rain was now steady and the skies darkened.
Next up is the par 5 3rd hole, Cardinal. Cardinal is virtually untouched from its original design with its centerpiece Cardinal Bunker and undulating fairway. The famous bunker, large enough for a beach party of all your closest friends and family, sits roughly 250 yards from the tee and protects the elevated fairway. The beauty in this hole is the options available from the tee box. The large hitters can cut the dog leg and drive the green, the rest of us hackers must wrestle with the Cardinal and whether to lay up or carry it. Anything in the bunker is at least a stroke penalty as the high burn forces a lofted club. Once in the upper fairway, the undulations can present challenging ball positions for a short second shot.
It is at this point that my memory of Prestwick is consumed with the weather. From the 4th tee to the 4th green, the rain continued and the wind picked up making for very difficult conditions, and they were about to get worse. Standing on the 4th green, getting absolutely pummeled by rain and wind, we hurriedly made our putts (actually, we probably just called good and picked up) and took cover under a small hut adjacent the 5th tee box. I had never seen rain this hard in Ireland or Scotland! After a few minutes of staying out of the elements, it was clear the storm was here to stay.
I can tell you that the 5th tee box at Prestwick is not the best place to be in a downpour. This par 3 is named Himalaya for good reason and requires a blind tee shot over a huge dune. It was raining so hard it was difficult to see your ball sitting on the tee, and the wind was strong enough to bring the rain in sideways so it could hit you in the face and trickle down your neck and underneath your rain jacket. Not a single one of us put our tee shot on the green! The best shot of the group was a well struck ball in the wrong direction due to a misunderstanding between player and caddy. My run of pars was over and it would be well into the back nine before I saw another par.
From the 5th to the 10th hole, I really could not tell you anything about the course. I kept my head down and slogged through the rain trying to pretend it was fun, all the while thinking “it has to stop soon”. It didn’t stop! I remember the 10th hole, most due to a comment from my caddie, Chris after our tee shots. Now…Chris was quite a character. He looked similar to the “bitter beer face” man from the Natural Lite commercials, and he had a comment / joke / story for every swing and every situation. He was vastly entertaining, especially during the heaviest of rain when all we wanted to do was run to the car. Back to the 10th hole…so we all hit our tee shots into the fairway of this long uphill par 4. Chris quickly says, “I haven’t seen 4 balls that close together since Brokeback Mountain.”
What I can tell you about the stretch of holes 7 – 12 is sand, sand and more sand. There are over 50 bunkers on those six holes, and we were in many of them!
After those six hole, standing on the 13th tee is a great feeling as there is not a bunker in site! But then your caddy tells you there is a hidden bunker, and not just any bunker, one named “Willie Campbell’s Grave”. Odds are you will not end up in this bunker, but if you do, good luck! The 13th fairway is another with huge undulations, presenting a most likely difficult stance for your 2nd shot.
Number 16 is another fantastic hole. Playing under 300 yards, it provides longer hitters the opportunity (or curse) to have a go at the green. Anything short and right of the green ends up in the Cardinal Bunker, and Willie Campbell’s Grave protects the left from those who choose to lay up.
Number 17, Alps, is the oldest existing hole, not on the course, but in golf. It is the original 2nd hole and lives upto the “quirky” label often given Prestwick. The hole is under 400 yards, but requires an extremely accurate tee shot and a blind 2nd shot. In the fairway lay several mounds and undulations that can kick a seemingly good drive errant. The large green is protected in the front by the aptly named Sahara bunker.
The finishing hole is a very short (under 300 yards) par 4 playing directly at the clubhouse. A good drive here sets you up for a 2 putt birdie and a great finish to a fun round!
The rain did let up slightly at some point on the 2nd nine holes, but it did not stop! By the end of the round we were soaked. We didn’t bother changing or drying off or even removing our rain gear, we just piled in the car and drove back to our B&B.
I look forward to a return trip to Prestwick and the opportunity to play it in better weather. Even with our bad weather, the course is a must play. The history is second to none and the course, while unique, is fun and challenging.
Course Rating
History: 5 / 5
Course: 3 / 5
Experience: 2 / 5
Total: 10 / 15