This week sees the start of the Open Championship in at Royal Portrush Golf Club in Northern Ireland. All golfers know that the most famous prize in golf is the Claret Jug presented each year to the winner of The Open Championship.

It’s not the original prize, when the Golf Championship began at Prestwick in 1860 the winner was presented with a Challenge Belt, made of leather and with a silver buckle and emblems. However, in 1870 after Tom Morris Junior had won the Championship for the third consecutive time, he became the owner of the belt, and a new prize had to be found.

In 1871 The Royal and Ancient Golf Club agreed to contribute a “sum not exceeding £15 from the funds of the club” towards a new trophy that was to be a silver claret jug, instead of another belt. The Prestwick Golf Club and the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers contributed £10 each towards what is officially known as the Golf Champion Trophy.

The Claret Jug was made by Mackay Cunningham & Company, a Scottish firm of goldsmiths and silversmiths based in Edinburgh. It is 20 3/4 Inches tall and is made of 92.5% sterling silver and is hallmarked 1873. The first Open Champion to receive the trophy that year was Tom Kidd, but his name was not the first to be engraved on it, that honour went to Tom Morris Junior as he was the winner the previous year in 1872.

While we don’t make a Claret Jug, we do have a number of silver gifts that make great prizes or gifts for golfers. The Silver Key Ring Golf Ball doesn’t cost much more than the original Claret Jug and would be appreciated by any keen golfer, and we can engrave it with a name or message. We can also send you a Silver Golf Marker and a very attractive pair of Silver Golf Bag Cufflinks that can also be engraved with initials.

Finally, for winter golfers who may need warming up halfway through their round, or need commiseration at the end of the game, our handmade Sterling Silver Hip Flask 4oz is the perfect gift, although you’ll need to fill it with the appropriate spirit before they reach the first hole.