The Good Doctor

This year sees the 150th anniversary of the birth of one of the greats of golf course architecture. Here, Fergus Bisset considers some of Dr Alister MacKenzie’s best work in the UK and Ireland

- Dr Alister MacKenzie

A master of the skilful and subtle use of terrain to create wonderfully natural golf holes, Dr Alister MacKenzie is most famous in the golfing world as designer of Augusta National. But the Yorkshire-born Scot was responsible for architectural works at over 300 clubs in the UK, Ireland and across the globe.

One hundred and fifty years since MacKenzie’s birth, we’re taking a look at his life, his design philosophy and some of the courses in the UK and Ireland that he designed or lent his expertise to, starting with his first project for his home club of Alwoodley.

MacKenzie was born in Wakefield, Yorkshire and went to school in the town before going on to study chemistry, medicine and natural science at Cambridge University. Upon graduating, he joined his father’s medical practice, but it wasn’t long before he was called upon to serve in the second Boer War. During his time in the military, MacKenzie learned about reading terrain and the art of camouflage – skills that would play an important part in his later career as a course architect. When MacKenzie returned from southern Africa, he briefly resumed his work as a doctor. But partly because he was convinced of the health benefits golf provided to patients, his career took a very different turn.

“How frequently have I, with great difficulty, persuaded patients who were never off my doorstep to take up golf, and how rarely, if ever, have I seen them in my consulting rooms again,” he said.

In 1907, MacKenzie became a founding member of Alwoodley Golf Club in Leeds. Having already made outline sketches for a course, he was tasked with laying out 18 holes across the moorland.