Prestwick Golf Club was founded in 1851 in the Red Lion Inn, where visitors and members still make the pilgrimage for a pint or two, and remains one of the most important destinations in world golf.
As the home of The Open, Prestwick Golf Club is of international significance. The Cardinal Dining Room builds on this heritage through the intelligent transformation of the attic dining room from a dark, acoustically challenging experience to one of focused conviviality as visitors and members alike stare out over the links through the new statement window all accessed by a sculpted timber and steel staircase.
After its conception, Old Tom Morris designed the original 12 hole course with the clubhouse being constructed for £758.00.
While the bones of the original clubhouse remain evident, particularly on the ground floor, the building has inevitably accumulated layers of alteration over time—typical of structures shaped by successive committees and evolving needs. Denizen Works were approached to revitalise the entrance and first floor of the clubhouse creating a destination bar and dining room reached by a sculptural staircase all of which reflect the heritage and style of the clubhouse.
Views are focused around a new panoramic window realised by joining together two dormer windows creating a dramatic interior with only subtle intervention to the much-loved exterior. This has opened up uninterrupted views for members and visitors alike across the first tee, the 18th green, and onward to Arran beyond.
From the course, the external changes are minimal; internally, however, the transformation is substantial. New spaces have been created and enhanced without increasing the building’s footprint, resulting in a first-class experience throughout.
Upon entering the ground floor, visitors previously encountered a staircase divided into three flights, lending the space a domestic rather than clubhouse scale. The new staircase now sweeps elegantly through the existing void, combining steel and steamed maple in a harmonious composition that creates a refined progression from ground to first floor.
At the top of the stair, the dining room and its picture window beyond are first revealed through a glazed screen framed in dark-stained timber. From here, guests are drawn into the new bar, richly detailed with dark timber finishes and warm fabric panelling.
After being welcomed by the friendly staff and enjoying a drink, guests are led into the 3.6-metre-high dining room. Here, attention may be drawn to the carefully curated memorabilia, though only after taking in the striking 5.4-metre-wide landscape window, whose expansive view has a remarkable way of suspending time.
The styling throughout has been carefully considered to complement the Victorian character of the original ground floor, creating a seamless sequence of spaces that will continue to attract members and visitors for many years to come.
