As you would expect from a layout on the coastline of Scotland, the course at Prestwick St Nicholas is very much of the links variety. The sea breeze will come into play throughout your round, while you’re trying to avoid gorse bushes, the Irish Sea, and of course, a railway line at times. It is certainly not the longest course in the world, measuring only a tad over 6,000 yards from the tips, but this par 69 has a few tricks up its sleeve that you need to watch out for.
Although the opening hole is less than 340 yards, don’t be fooled into thinking it is too easy... Anything right off the tee will find itself rolling towards the sea, while anything left will be in the gorse. A straight tee shot is imperative down the 1st. The 2nd is the first of the par 3s at St Nicholas. It is 172 yards, and it is all carry over trouble and to a raised green. Anything missing this green will finish below the putting surface. The 3rd is one of the easiest holes on the course. At only 285 yards, some might fancy their chance, but most will find the fairway before then knocking a short iron or wedge on to the green.
You’re now into a run of seven consecutive par 4s – three of which are more than 400 yards in length. Two of those come in back-to-back holes at 4 and 5. The 4th takes you inland and towards the railway line that is the eastern boundary of the property, while the 5th then runs the opposite direction. Both play as slight dog-legs to the right, and avoiding the trouble off the tee is crucial. 6 is also a dog-leg right, but more of a severe turn than you have encountered on the previous two holes. It plays alongside houses to begin with, before you turn to face the Irish Sea in all its glory for your approach. It is a short hole, but certainly one that can go badly wrong.
The longest hole on the front nine is the par 4 7th – at more than 450 yards from the tips. It plays as a dog-leg right around a lake, but the water should not come into play. The further left your tee shot goes, the longer your approach will be. Two bunkers guard the green. The water hazard does come into play on 8, which also turns right, around the hazard. It is much shorter, at just 350 yards, so work out how far you want to hit your tee shot to stay short of the trouble. Depending on where your tee shot comes to rest, the approach to this shallow green may be hit over the water. The closing hole on the front nine continues to run of dog-leg par 4s. Again, you turn to the right on the 9th, with sand being the problem on this medium-length hole.
Two par 3s and a par 5 kick off the back nine. The short holes come at 10 and 12, with the former playing around 160 yards. The green is guarded by three pot bunkers. The 12th is the shortest challenge on the course at just 140 yards, but with the Irish Sea to your right, a road behind the green, and five pot bunkers surrounding the left side of the surface, there is plenty of trouble – even with a short iron in hand. In between those lies the only par 5 at Prestwick St Nicholas – the 505-yard 11th. Some will fancy their chances of getting home in two, but with the hole hugging the coastline, and with the beach to its right, most will play this as a three-shotter.
The back nine also features a run of par 4s, this time with five in a row. The longest of those is also the first of that run, coming at the 13th. It is more than 450 yards, but it does have a generous fairway so you can try and take as much of that off with the driver. There is sand in play on your approach, with a bunker on either side of the surface. The railway line comes into play down 14, running along the right side of this par 4. Again, the fairway is relatively generous, as long as you can avoid the fairway bunkers on either side. 15 is a drivable par 4, at just 275 yards. However, accuracy is key as gorse and sand line the hole. 16 has a split fairway, but should not be too difficult, while the penultimate hole is a slight dog-leg right and just a touch over 300 yards, making it a good birdie chance late on.
The final hole at Prestwick St Nicholas is the longest of the par 3s, and a proper test to finish your round. It plays more than 220 yards from the back tees, and although it is to a large green, there is still plenty of trouble around. There is gorse to the left and at the back, along with a bunker sitting front left of the surface. Even if you find the green, there is every chance you might three-putt for bogey. It is a cracking finishing hole!
