Coodham raised from the ruins

Behind the ornate and opulent façade of Coodham House in Ayrshire lies a story largely unknown but one that is close to the hearts of millions of people around the globe.

Here Captain James Ogilvy Fairlie, the creator of Prestwick Golf Course, came up the idea for the greatest golfing tournament in the world –The Open Championship.

Until recently the magnificent four-storey Victorian mansion was little more than a derelict shell but it has now been rebuilt and turned into six exclusive apartments and three additional luxury homes just minutes from old courses such as Turnberry, Royal Troon and Prestwick.

”Fairlie is credited as being the man who persuaded Old Tom Morris to design Prestwick Golf Club in 1851 and of setting up the first ever British Open Championship at the same venue nine years later,” said Malcolm Campbell, chief executive of The Links Golf Association.

“He was a leading character in the Royal & Ancient back in the early days and was a mentor to Old Tom.

”Old Tom held him in such high regard he acted as his caddy and it was Fairlie who took him down from St Andrews to Prestwick to build the golf course which led to the first Open Championship.

“He is recognised as a leading historical figure among those who delve into the roots of the game” Coodham House, with its carved pink sandstone, ornate balustrades and gleaming period sash windows overlook rolling lawns, acres of landscaped gardens and an ornamental lake, is a far cry from the brok...

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• By : Rob Allanson
• In : News
• Issue : 49
• Page : 8
• Words : 777