MacKenzie Features For Ideal Golf Course - Teignmouth Golf Club
We're proud to say that Teignmouth Golf Club was designed by Dr Alister MacKenzie, read more to find out what features make a Mackenzie course stand out.
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called upon the world famous Dr. Alister MacKenzie from Leeds to design an 18 hole course. The construction work was done by Mr. C. A. MacKenzie also from Leeds who was Alister's brother.
- Arranged in two loops of nine holes (to create different wind conditions throughout the round)
- This is true at Teignmouth and also offers the flexibility of two starting points
- Have a mix of long par fours, drive and pitch holes and at least four par threes (to create infinite variety in the type of shots called for during a round)
- This is very much the case at Teignmouth with its demanding six par threes
- The greens and fairways should be undulating, without steep hills for the golfer to climb
- Although high up above the sea nearby, the terrain is fairly flat at Teignmouth and is sometimes referred to as a moorland links
- There should be a minimum of blind approach shots
- There are none at Teignmouth
- The emphasis should be placed on natural beauty, not on artificial features
- The course at Teignmouth is very natural and the surrounding views stunning
- There should always be an alternative route for the weaker player, yet a sufficient test for the plus-handicap player (this feeling influenced course layouts when penal designs were king)
- This holds true at Teignmouth, particularly in a stiff breeze!
- There should be a complete absence of the annoyance caused by searching for lost balls
- Deep rough, heather and gorse will be encountered at Teignmouth but only if your shot is sufficiently wayward to deserve it
- Course conditioning must remain consistently outstanding
- Teignmouth has a growing reputation for excellent condition throughout the year
MacKenzie’s International Legacy
MacKenzie’s maxims were realised at a host of courses throughout the 1920s, culminating with his 1928 design of California’s Cypress Point Club and Pasatiempo. A year later after Bobby Jones had played both these courses, Jones was then convinced Alister MacKenzie was the man to build his dream course – the Augusta National Golf Club, Home of the Masters, which embodies MacKenzie’s precepts.
Among MacKenzie’s many admiring architects, and influenced by him, is Steve Smyers who said
“The thing that stands out for me is his spectacular bunkering. In both aesthetics and positioning, he was a master – absolutely brilliant. He used few bunkers, but he positioned them in such a way that they were in the line of play and in the line of sight, so they could scare and excite you, and thrill you with the risk/reward possibilities, but always he left a route that would let you play around them. MacKenzie tried to create excitement in a round, but he always provided options for every class of golfer and always gave you a chance to recover after a missed shot.”
Dr MacKenzie, remembered affectionately as a robust man, affable and tactful yet forthright, had a clear view not only on the designs of golf courses, but on the game itself. He belittled those who played in the “card and pencil” spirit as opposed to embracing golf with the “spirit of adventure.”