# Prestwick Golf club



## Liverbirdie (Jun 22, 2013)

I always felt that Â£130 for a round here was very expensive, especially as it hasnâ€™t had the open here since 1925, and it was just coining it in based on that history. Well if you go there, arrive 2 hours early and drink in that history, as it is worth some of that price when you see some of the pictures, memorabilia and early history of the game. This club was the birthplace of the open.

Again a warm welcome by all at the club, a small pro-shop but with some good mementoes as well, and lots of pictures to buy.  Again, no stroke saver thrown in (come on), but they do take a picture of you outside the clubhouse, which is given to you after your round, which was a nice touch.

In our 3 day overall comp, I was still 6 points behind the leader, who had 36 and 38 point scores around Glasgow and western gailes, surely he couldnâ€™t be caught. He was in my group for the first time though.

If this was a night out on the ale, it would be like starting on the jagerbombs - Surely not, a 345 yard opener, with only 3 greenside bunkers to negotiate.

 1st â€“ Railway, the 11.40 to Troon was in as we shook on the tee in the light drizzle. That wall up the right is close, no real bale out to the left, thatâ€™s a thin bottleneck just before the bunkers. I should carry this 170 yards of rough, and land it on the seemingly 25 yard square of fairway though. All that with not much wind., when we teed off. A real daunting first hole, if there is a left to right wind and you fade a ball, go in pick up the telegraph in the fantastic old bar, phone the golf insurance people, get the three balls your about to lose and itâ€™ll also help you to pay off the Prestwick rail commuters, that you will no doubt hit.

Double bogey start for me, yer big jelly! No commuters were harmed in the filming of this scene.

3[SUP]rd[/SUP] â€“ Wow. A 477 yard dogleg par 5 with a beach in the way, with railway sleepers in it, oh yes a hill as well. Erm and marshland. OOB also. Crocodilâ€¦â€¦the only thing itâ€™s missing, TBH.

There is a tempting gap in between the bunkers and the beach for a long driver, but a lay up with a 200 yard shot being the other option (I took this). It then leaves you with a blind shot over a hill to a fairway with 100 yards of little mounds on it, with not many flat lies. Believe me a par feels like a birdie, so birdie for me (well par).

4[SUP]th[/SUP] â€“ OOB all down the right and not much of a gap between the large fairway bunkers, unless a nice fade is produced. Take on the right hand bunker at your peril, although the big hitters may carry it. The green is also tight to the OOB on the right.

5[SUP]th[/SUP] â€“ Members hole/gimmick hole. Himalayas is an apt name for this par 3, SI 5. I volunteered going up to watch the blind approach shots on this 181/206/231 yard hole. None out of 7 of us hit it. Base camp was the fringe of the green for me, luckily missing one of the 6 bunkers with my rescue 3 hybrid. If you par this, you are a prince among men. Iâ€™m a pauper, with a 4. I felt it was a memberâ€™s hole, Scouser a gimmick hole.

7[SUP]th[/SUP] SI 1 â€“ Up thâ€™ill, 10 bunkers to negotiate and a sloping green to boot. A fine line is required to keep it on the short stuff. It still needs good putts to get a par also, 3 putt for me meant a bogey 5.

8[SUP]th[/SUP] â€“ Down the hill, but the crest make the line a bit of guesswork, but rewards a good drive with a nice run also. The hill runs out , flattens and then leaves a slightly back to front sloping green, which encourages the low running shot for an approach, albeit a long one.

9[SUP]th[/SUP] â€“ A 415 yard (yellows) fading,fading,fading hole played into the prevailing wind seemingly always just around the corner. It needs two very good, accurate hits to find this in regulation. Only 11 bunkers on this hole, nimps!!

Comp update, still 4 points behind my mate. 16 s/ford on the front 9, 5 over gross medal. Itâ€™s rained for 9 holes, no sign of a respite at the mo.

10[SUP]th[/SUP] â€“ A good crosswind pushed everyoneâ€™s drive right into heavy rough. If in doubt, aim left as a generous fairway, but donâ€™t underestimate that cross wind. The green sits perched atop the hole, and has some very big breaks. All four of us 3 putted.

12[SUP]th[/SUP] â€“ Par 5, 9 out of 10 bunkers are all down the left. Ok then, Iâ€™ll hit the ball onto the right hand bank and lose it then, as itâ€™s into the wind. Divvy. Reload. This needs 2 good hits and then still needed a 5 iron in, as all into the wind. The green is in a slight bowl. Walked off with an 8.

13th â€“ I thought this was a par 5, but it is only for the maidens. I still played it in my head as a 5 though. It shares a double fairway with the 16[SUP]th[/SUP], but thereâ€™s still trouble about. Find the fairway and it with leave you a good long iron /hybrid in, although the left hand side of the green has a sharp fall away. Half the green is 8 foot above you, if you find the lower left half of this green. 2 putts later I had a birdie (oh no you didnâ€™t) it was a par. Bugger. It still felt good though.

15[SUP]th[/SUP] â€“ Beware, send someone up ahead. A rising fairway that challenges you to come and have a go, if you think your hard enough. It crests an incline which then sharply falls away into bunkers,run offs, rough, trolls and goblins hideouts. The best looking shot on the tee was lost. My big girls blouse rescue wood found a bunker. Cue the best 8 iron shot in Christendom, that flew 130 to just through the green. Pity I chipped and 2 putted for bogey, after that. Only 322 yards from the yellows, but a treacherous hole.

Comp update â€“ now 1 point down, 3 holes to go.

16[SUP]th[/SUP] â€“ A 285 yard par 4. It shares the fairway with the 13[SUP]th[/SUP], but only for people who hold their manhood cheap, as a bale out option. It has a bunker on it called Willie Campbellâ€™s grave, who took four to get out of it whilst leading the 1887 open, to finish with an 8 on this hole, and so lose it to Willie park junior.  I walked past Willieâ€™s grave, kept going for another 50 yards to the fringe of the green, hit two putts to walk off with a birdie. Sorry, Willie this comp is much more important. Woohoo!

Comp update 1 point up, 2 to play.

17[SUP]th[/SUP] â€“ This is not a gimmick hole, itâ€™s a fire breathing dragon in a bad mood, with razors for claws, sharp teeth, whose other half has just been killed by the famous Turk, St. George. Itâ€™s also menopausal.

Find the fairway 250plus yard up and you may have a chance. For those whoâ€™ve played S & A itâ€™s like the 16[SUP]th[/SUP] but in reverse.

The blind approach has to go over a massive hillock, with 3 guide posts on it (so thatâ€™s what that thing was giving information on the tee box was about). For most this would need a 180-200  yard steep climbing hybrid. It then needs to avoid a bunker named sahara, which looks like it has the Gobi attached to it. Even then the downslope is littered with snagging rough. Just for good measure it has a green following the acute slope of the land. On the strokesaver it looks benign, it isnâ€™t.

They should have a board in the clubhouse for people who par this hole. Anyone who birdies it would beat Kim Jung il in matchplay.

18[SUP]th[/SUP] â€“ not much to write about this, except I parred it to win by 3 points. Please permit me a Huzzah! Thanks.

This course overall isnâ€™t the best Iâ€™ve played, and Â£130 is a bit steep. However, with the history in the clubhouse, and possibly 3 of the best golf holes Iâ€™ve ever played on it, it was nearly worth it. If you donâ€™t like blind shots,donâ€™t go. If you can appreciate them, beat a path to itâ€™s door. If youâ€™re a member of the (Ayr)ian race and can play it for half the price, why are you reading this load of tosh. Book it now.

Over the 3 days, I set a target of 90 points, as the putter is cold at the moment, but 100 points over these 3 courses, without previously playing any of them, was above my expectations. I've played 3 cracking courses, but at the same time I think playing Dundonald links last year, in a way was more "fun".

These messages were brought to you by Sudocreme "the bum cream of champions". 

Pictures as follows:-

1. Me before the round with a list of Champions.
2. 16th tee looking out at "Willie's grave".
3 Still approaching the 16th fairway.
4. "Sahara" bunker, short and right of the 17th green.
5. 16th green, eagle putt to be had - birdie only achieved.
6. 17th green.
7. 18th green in the background, not the greatest of finishing holes,
8. Parachute drop by Hercules transporter of new balls for Scouser!!!!
9. Members dining room.
10. Roll of honour - am I now on it after coming from 6 down to win by 3 points?:thup:

Sorry there is no pictures from the early holes, but it was peeing it down.


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## Farneyman (Jun 22, 2013)

Great report and somewhere I will be playing later in the summer for the first time, and a lot cheaper


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## Liverbirdie (Jun 22, 2013)

Farneyman said:



			Great report and somewhere I will be playing later in the summer for the first time, and a lot cheaper 

Click to expand...

Thanks, are you a member of the Ayrian race then? Please dont tell me how little.....


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## Iaing (Jun 22, 2013)

I've played it three times and never paid for it yet.
You're assessment's probably fair for someone playing it for the first time, but boy is it good fun which gets better each time you play it.
It's probably the only course that I'd be willing to pay a shed load of cash to be a member of (fat chance!).

A couple of years back there was an invitation thingy before the Open where a few ex Open champions came to Prestwick for an exhibition match, playing with members who had paid for the privilege of playing with them. My old dad and I went to watch them.
On the first tee Sandy Lyle knocked three balls over the railway line. He didn't hit a fourth, leading to a comedian in the small gallery to shout "have you run out of balls Sandy?":rofl:


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## Liverbirdie (Jun 23, 2013)

Iaing said:



			I've played it three times and never paid for it yet.
You're assessment's probably fair for someone playing it for the first time, but boy is it good fun which gets better each time you play it.
It's probably the only course that I'd be willing to pay a shed load of cash to be a member of (fat chance!).

A couple of years back there was an invitation thingy before the Open where a few ex Open champions came to Prestwick for an exhibition match, playing with members who had paid for the privilege of playing with them. My old dad and I went to watch them.
On the first tee Sandy Lyle knocked three balls over the railway line. He didn't hit a fourth, leading to a comedian in the small gallery to shout "have you run out of balls Sandy?":rofl:
		
Click to expand...

 Love it. Yes, I would love to play it again. Paying full whack again would be hard though. Maybe in a few years, when Scotland is in the Euro and it's crashed. :whoo:


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## mcbroon (Jul 2, 2013)

Great write up.  I played Prestwick a few years back and after firing a reasonable 5 iron straight down the 1st fairway, proceeded to put 3 balls into the railway line 

I agree with your assessment of the 5th - it's the only hole that I think lets it down.  17 is a brilliant, bonkers hole.  I ended up in that bunker.  Got out in one, though.

Did you drive the 18th?


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## Liverbirdie (Jul 2, 2013)

mcbroon said:



			Great write up.  I played Prestwick a few years back and after firing a reasonable 5 iron straight down the 1st fairway, proceeded to put 3 balls into the railway line 

I agree with your assessment of the 5th - it's the only hole that I think lets it down.  17 is a brilliant, bonkers hole.  I ended up in that bunker.  Got out in one, though.

Did you drive the 18th?
		
Click to expand...

Thanks. 17th - I hope you had a water carrier with you, boy that is one large bunker.

No, it was wind against and I pushed it into the boondi on the right. I nearly up-and-downed it for birdie, but missed by an inch and tapped in for par.


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