Born in West Yorkshire to Scottish parents, it’s no wonder that Alister MacKenzie was a member of numerous golf clubs from an early age. A man of many talents and skills,, he trained as a doctor at Cambridge University, followed by a lengthy period as a wartime surgeon in Africa during the Second Boer War.
Never an accomplished golfer, MacKenzie went beyond his 60th year before managing to improve his ball striking, enabling to card scores in the seventies and low eighties.
One of MacKenzie’s earliest designs was Alwoodley Golf Club, where he served in a number of roles including secretary and captain. Due to his inexperience at the time, the club committee sent for Harry Colt to provide a second opinion on the quality of the design.
Mr. Colt obliged and made the trip, finding many similarities between his own designs and MacKenzie’s at Alwoodly. He noticed undulating greens, free form bunkers and contouring were all extensions of his own ideas.
After World War I, MacKenzie pursued his career as a golf course designer, teaming up with Harry Colt and Charles Alison to form Colt, MacKenzie & Alison, but went solo after four years. He also charted the Old Course at St Andrews and by 1915, found himself a member of the R&A. A map he created in 1924 still hangs in the Royal and Ancient clubhouse to this day.
His legacy lives on with such golf clubs as Lahinch, Royal Melbourne and Cypress Point on his CV, but the crown jewel is surely Augusta National Golf Club, the annual host of The Masters.
Sadly, just two months before the first Masters Tournament, Alister MacKenzie passed away in Santa Cruz, California. An golf course design manuscript was found after his death and posthumously published, titled ‘The Spirit of St Andrews’.
