Prestwick Golf Club

What can we say about Prestwick that hasn't already been said?

The famous Ayrshire links was designed and built in 1851 by Old Tom Morris, who became the club's first Keeper of the Green. It was here that the first 12 Open Championship were held.

Prestwick would go on to host 24 editions of golf's oldest major before 1925, when it was removed from the Open rota due to the links' cramped nature not being able to accommodate increasing crowds.

But take nothing away from the course itself, which features such a variety of quality holes that it is a joy to play for any level of golfer.

The 1st, with its blind tee shot and railway line that hugs the right-hand side, is one of the finest - and scariest - openers you'll ever play, the par-5, stroke index 1 third is famous for its deep bunker, while the par-3 fifth demands a tee shot that carries a huge sand dune. And we're not even a third of the way into the round!

The standout hole, though, is surely the 17th. Legendary golf writer Bernard Darwin once described 'Alps' as "the most spectacular blind hole in all the world". Indeed, it is a hole that has been replicated several times around the globe.

If you have even the remotest interest in golf history, or architecture, or simply playing golf courses that offer something a bit different, then Prestwick is an absolute must-play.