Alister MacKenzie

In 1870, Alister MacKenzie was born in Yorkshire, England, to his parents of Scottish descent. After graduating from Cambridge University with degrees in chemistry, natural science, and medicine, MacKenzie began his career as a doctor. Shortly after joining his father’s medical practice, MacKenzie was called away to serve in the second Boer War. During his time serving in South Africa, he became enthralled by the Boers’ use of camouflage, a skill that he would later master in his architecture.

Upon his return from service, MacKenzie made his way into the growing golf industry. In 1907, he became a founding member of Alwoodley Golf Club in West Yorkshire, where he laid out the course himself. MacKenzie’s fellow green committee members had their hesitations about his design, and called in established architect Harry Colt to solicit his advice. Colt raved about MacKenzie’s work, and was impressed with his ability to incorporate the effects of new golf ball technology into his design

In 1914, MacKenzie’s budding architectural career was interrupted by World War I. After his service in the war, MacKenzie fully entrenched himself in the golf architecture business, forming a partnership with Harry Colt and Charles Hugh Alison. The trio worked together for just four years (1919-1923) before MacKenzie decided to go his own way. In 1926, MacKenzie traveled down under, advising many clubs in Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, and New Zealand. His design of the West Course at Royal Melbourne (conceived in 1926, completed in 1931) is particularly notable.

His work in the United States, however, is probably best known. During his time stateside, MacKenzie formed partnerships with two talented American architects, Perry Maxwell and Robert Hunter. Maxwell collaborated with MacKenzie on Midwestern designs such as Crystal Downs (1929) and the University of Michigan Golf Course (1929), while Hunter brought his expertise to the West Coast, assisting with Cypress Point (1928) and Pasatiempo (1929), among others. 

MacKenzie’s final master stroke is widely known: his design of Augusta National Golf Club. Alongside amateur golf legend Bobby Jones, MacKenzie created what would eventually become his most recognizable course. However, in 1934, just a few months before the first edition of the Augusta National Invitational Tournament-now known as the Masters-MacKenzie suddenly passed away from a heart attack at the age of 63.