The surviving Salt Pan Houses have been described as "certainly the most complete upstanding remains of the (saltboiling) industry on the west coast of Scotland". In fact, they appear to be the most complete to survive in Scotland. The Prestwick burgh/records of the 12th February 1480 uses the term "salt pan hous" which suggests the existence of the industry loacally by that time.

Tom Morris, employed by Prestwick Golf Club as keeper of the Green, meets with like-minded artisan players of Prestwick Golf Club to form the Prestwick Mechanics Club.

The meeting took place in the Red Lion Inn and the clubs were stored just across the road beside “Old Tom’s” house in Mr Hutchison’s shop, today occupied by Boots the Chemist.

The Mechanics Club name was to last only 7 years.  In July 1858 and at the age of only 22, Charlie Hunter, the Club Captain, chaired a meeting at which members agreed unanimously to change the name to Prestwick St Nicholas, having ancient associations with the Burgh.

We think the original logo may have been the one seen here, still active in 1893 and representing (sic) a club within the Prestwick Club, which to this day retains the crossed clubs as its logo.

Prestwick St Nicholas Golf Club was growing at such a rate that there was no available space for the members of both clubs to take refreshments at the Red Lion.

Members were given space on the Links to build their own small meeting place, called The Lunch House.

The Lunch House with a plaque describing its history, can be seen today behind the 16th tee at Prestwick Golf Club, a fitting reminder of the shared history of the two clubs.

The club moved from Prestwick Golf club to find a new course.  The location of Monktonmiln Farm, in the grounds of the Fairfield Estate was chosen but, for whatever reason, members played one medal there and then set off in search of another location for the course.

The club continues to search for Home Course and moves to a 12 hole layout lying between Mansefield Road and Bellevue Road Prestwick, known then as Prestwick Moor and now as The Oval or St Ninian’s Public Park.

The new clubhouse at The Oval, as it is known today, was officially opened.  It can still be seen near the top end of Grangemuir Road and is owned by Prestwick Cricket Club, remaining in use as a Club by its current membership.

The money required to build the clubhouse and create the course was raised by an issue of debentures, prices at £5 each.

The first forty were issued to a Ms Kate Garvie of Ayr, whose father was a coal merchant.  The second set of forty were sold to her sister.

The original certificate can be seen displayed in the Club’s Tom Morris Room.

The new clubhouse opens at our current location at Grangemuir Road, in the style of a villa should the finances of the club dictate a selling off of this asset in the future.  Luckily this never came to pass.

The formation of The Ladies St Nicholas GC, instrumental in the establishment of the Ladies Scottish Golf Union.

The Council take back the Ladies St Nicholas course, laid out by Charlie Hunter and the Ladies move back to the Grangemuir Road Clubhouse and course.

In May an aircraft from RNAS Gannet undertakes a photographic flypast of the coast at Prestwick and records the Clubhouse some 53 years after it was opened by Captain A J Larke in May 1882. Two World Wars and more, such a short period of time has seen so many changes to the club and its members.

The first detailed collection of the club's historical roots, its fundamental role in the development of golf world-wide and a recording of the details which helped create the club in 1851 were brought together by member William Galbraith.

In Following the success of the Galbraith book, it was recognised that the club required an update record of its history and achievements.

To this end the 1851 – 2006 was created and published in 2007, adding a wealth of information to the already detailed list of facts which the archive holds.