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Prestwick St Nicholas Golf Club, South Ayrshire. (1851 - 1892)
The club was founded in 1851.
In its formative years, the club shared the course of the Prestwick Golf Club.
In 1877 they moved to their own new course where they stayed until 1892 when they moved to their present location. The ladies’ section took over the old course in 1893.
Report on a meeting held in July 1859.
Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald Saturday 16 July 1859. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Tom Morris Testimonial in February 1861.
Fife Herald Thursday 14 February 1861. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
The report below gives information on the move to the new course in 1877. It also mentions that their original intention was to lay out a course adjacent to the Prestwick Golf Club links.
From Bell’s Life in London and Sporting Chronicle Saturday 21 July 1877. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
There was a good turnout of members for the Eglinton Medal and for a prize given by Captain Meikle, played on Saturday 28 January 1888. The course was in fine condition despite the overnight frost. Result; Mr J Hunter won both prizes with a score of 78 scratch. The following tied for the handicap medal; Captain Meikle, 95-10-85, J Bowden, 109-24-85; Bailie Willcock, 115-30-85.
Below is the result of a one sided match played on Saturday 24 March 1888 against the Dumfries Club. The course was in fantastic condition, the greens particularly noteworthy.
| Prestwick St Nicholas | Dumfries | ||
| John Hunter | 2 | G Fernie | 0 |
| W Hunter | 3 | W M Blake | 0 |
| J Wallace | 5 | R Wright | 0 |
| J Andrew | 3 | J Leitch | 0 |
| James Gibson | 1 | Dr Rowand | 0 |
| John Gibson | 9 | R Steele | 0 |
| John Ferguson | 8 | J Morrison | 0 |
| Captain Meikle | 3 | Captain J Reid | 0 |
| W T Morton | 2 | J Dickie | 0 |
| M Smith | 5 | J Todd | 0 |
| Ex Preceptor Wilson | 6 | R P Murray | 0 |
| T McLaren | 8 | J Cumming | 0 |
| A M Turner | 2 | L Starkey | 0 |
| D Ferguson | 8 | C W Thomson | 0 |
| 66 | 0 |
A series of foursome matches followed which included a match between the famous Willie Fernie of Troon and W M Blake against Percy Wilson and W Hunter (3), the latter pair winning by 2 up.
Result of the 18-hole Kilmarnock Trophy played on Saturday 7 April 1888; A M Turner, 98-18-80. Other scores; J Howat, 88, J Bowden, 89, Capt Meikle, 90 and J Taylor, 90.
Result of a match played on the Prestwick St Nicholas course against Glasgow on Saturday 16 June 1888. It was reported that “The putting greens were in beautiful order, and the general opinion of the strangers was that they had never seen finer greens”
| St Nicholas | Glasgow | ||
| P Wilson | 0 | D Bone | 1 |
| John Andrew | 0 | W Milne | 4 |
| James Andrew | 3 | J Laing | 0 |
| John Hunter | 1 | R H Ferguson | 0 |
| J Ferguson | 7 | R Turnbull | 0 |
| J Mair | 0 | A Morrison | 5 |
| W Norton | 0 | R Wood | 2 |
| Rev J Rae | 0 | J Storrar | 5 |
| J Wallace | 0 | W E Bond | 1 |
| A M Turner | 0 | D Robertson | 2 |
| A Muir | 0 | Dr Colville | 3 |
| J Howat | 10 | A Neilie | 0 |
| M Smith | 0 | J Hutton | 1 |
| A Turnbull | 2 | J Hood | 0 |
| Bailie Wilson | 0 | D Ferguson | 6 |
| R Pyper | 0 | A Macdonald | 1 |
| 23 | 31 |
From the Golfing Annual 1888/89; Instituted 1851; Entrance fee 10s and subscriptions £1; Number of members 115; Captain, James Meikle; Committee – W Morton, David Guthrie, David Young, James Andrew, James Gibson, J Bain, J McLaren, H D Willock, Andrew Turnbull and Matthew Smith; Secretary – David Caldwell, 5 Queen’s Terrace, Ayr. The club prizes are; Eglinton Gold Medal (scratch); Kilmarnock Trophy (handicap); Ayr Trophy (handicap); Armour Medal (handicap); Smith Medal (handicap). Prize winners in 1888; John Hunter, Percy Wilson, W J Morton and J Oliver. The lowest scratch score in a club competition is 77 made by John Hunter. Visitors to Prestwick are admitted as members at the following rates; 7s/6d for one month, 12s/6d for two months and 15s for three months. Members of other clubs, by entering their name in the Visitors’ Book, are entitled to a day’s play.
Below is the announcement of the move to the new (present) course in 1892.
The following is from the Dundee Advertiser Monday 9 May 1892. “Opening of the New Course at Prestwick – The golf linksof Prestwick St Nicholas Golf Club, which lie along the shore between Prestwick and Ayr, was opened on Saturday for play in presence of a large attendance of the members and their friends. The ceremony of formally opening the links was performed by Mr A J Larke, captain of the club. Prior to driving off the first ball, Mr Larke was, on behalf of the Club, presented with a silver mounted club, and in the course of some remarks said that the Club had been instituted in 1851 by Lord Eglinton, who was the first patron. Then the number of members had been 24, with an income of 12 shillings per annum; now the number was 330, and the annual income was over £700. The members thereafter engaged in a competition for prizes.”
From the Scottish Referee Friday 30 September 1892. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
The Google Map below shows the location of the new St Nicholas course in 1877. It later became the Preswick St Nicholas Ladies’ course.