INFORMATION ON ALISTER MACKENZIE

Alister MacKenzie

Increasing interest in the history of golf architecture, and particularly the many courses designed by Dr Alister MacKenzie led to the formation of this Society in the UK in 1999. It currently has a membership of 45 clubs

Interest is always generated in April every year at the time of the Masters at Augusta National. This course was designed by MacKenzie and Bobby Jones in 1932, and hosted the first "Invitational Tournament" in 1934.

MacKenzie never saw the first tournament on his masterpiece, now much changed over the years. He designed the course at Pasatiempo near Santa Cruz in 1928 and it was there, where he was living in his house just off the 6th fairway, that he died in January 1934

The work of Alister MacKenzie is better known these days than during his lifetime.

The Headquarters of the USA MacKenzie Society is based at Pasatiempo. This Society, started in California by Dr Gary Nelson in 1988, now meets every year for discussion and a friendly two day Golf Tournament, when 15 Clubs from all parts of the world are involved.

The Californian Clubs are Meadow Club (1927), Cypress Point (1928), Valley Club (1928), Pasatiempo (1929), Green Hills (1929) and Claremont (1929). The other US Club is Crystal Downs from Michigan (1933).

Other International Members are St Charles (1931) from Winnipeg, Royal Melbourne (1926) from Australia, Titirangi (1926) from New Zealand and from GB and Ireland, Alwoodley (1907) from Leeds, Moortown (1909) also from Leeds, Cork (1927) from Eire, Lahinch (1927) also from Eire and The Jockey Club (1930) in Argentina.

The MacKenzie Medallion

The Medallion

An annual UK competition called "The MacKenzie Medallion" is now hosted by a member club of The Alister MacKenzie Society of GB and Ireland.

This was started at Alwoodley in 1999 and has also been hosted by Cavendish 2000, Bingley St Ives 2001, Reddish Vale 2002, Sand Moor 2003, Walsall 2004, Teignmouth 2005, Hadley Wood 2006, Alwoodley 2007 and Darlington 2008

More details can be found here

The Partners Salver

The Partners Salver

This is a match ,usually held annually, between teams from the MacKenzie Society and the Colt Association. The winner receives the Partners Salver

The Challenge Cup

The Challenge Cup

This is another match between teams from the MacKenzie Society and the Colt Association. For this match the current 'champions' play each other, at Stoke Park during the Colt Cup week in June each year

The Alister MacKenzie Society

There are still many different spellings written for both Alister and MacKenzie !!

However the accepted version is seen on these pages, and this is now approved by the R and A.

There is much evidence in the early records at Alwoodley of the use of MacKenzie, all in lower case.

There is no doubt that on deciding to live in California with his second wife Hilda, MacKenzie adopted a grander style with K in the upper case, and this is now the accepted version.

He also liked to be known by his title of Dr. Perhaps this shows some evidence of his marketing approach in the United States !!