St Andrews Golf Tours
- Scotland's Finest Golf Courses
St
Andrews Golf Tours Proudly Present - Old Prestwick. Old
Prestwick can be incorporated into
your Scotland Golf Vacation.
The first
Open Championship
was held at Prestwick in 1860, which was organised by
the members who subscribed 25 to purchase a red morocco
belt with silver clasps. It was won by
Willie Park
of Musselburgh with a score of 174 over 36 holes. The
Belt was won in three successive years by
Young Tom Morris
from 1868 to 1870 and thus became his property. When
Morris won for the third time, in 1870, he had a first
round score of 47 over 12 holes, a score that has never
been equalled or bettered. He started with a three at
the 578 yard first hole- in those days a par 6. His Belt
is now in the keeping of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club
of St Andrews. A replica Belt was presented to Sandy
Lyle, the winner of the 125th Anniversary Open
Championship at Royal St. Georges' Golf Club. Another
Belt is on display in the Cardinal room in the Prestwick
clubhouse. There was no Championship in 1871 and, and
thereafter, Prestwick, the Royal and Ancient Golf Club
of St Andrews, and the Honourable Company of Edinburgh
Golfers joined forces to purchase a current Claret Jug
for ?30, played for in the Open Championship.
When the Championship was revived in 1872
Young Tom won again, thus winning the Open four times in
a row- a feat no other golfer has ever matched, or
likely will. In 1914 Harry Vardon won the Open for a
record sixth time, three victories of which were at
Prestwick. You will be assured of enjoying playing on
this Hallowed Turf which is simply steeped in Golfing
History.
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