Which course hosted the first 12 Open Championships?

Which course hosted the first 12 Open Championships? Prestwick Golf Club hosted the first 12 Open Championships.

Prestwick, in Ayrshire on Scotland's west coast, staged the inaugural Open in 1860 and remained the championship's sole venue through 1870. There was no Open in 1871 because Young Tom Morris had won the Challenge Belt outright after three consecutive victories, leaving no trophy available for the next contest.

The championship returned to Prestwick in 1872, making that event the twelfth Open. From 1873, hosting began to rotate among Prestwick, the Old Course at St Andrews, and Musselburgh Links. This means “first 12” refers to the first twelve editions of the tournament, not twelve uninterrupted calendar years.

Prestwick ultimately hosted 24 Opens, the last in 1925. That championship was troubled by severe crowd-control problems: thousands of spectators crowded the course and interfered with play. Prestwick was subsequently removed from the rota, but its role as The Open's founding venue remains central to golf history.