Dr Alister MacKenzie’s Scottish Legacy
Bruntsfield Links Golfing Society, Edinburgh
As golf fans around the world turn their eyes to Augusta National for The Masters, there’s no better time to reflect on the genius of Dr Alister MacKenzie, the visionary behind some of the most revered golf courses in the world. Known for his naturalistic approach to course design, strategic brilliance, and artistic flair, MacKenzie left his mark on numerous courses around the globe. While his work at Augusta is rightly celebrated, it’s worth remembering that his influence can also be found much closer to home, in the rugged, storied landscapes of Scotland.
Scotland, the home of golf, inspired and shaped MacKenzie’s philosophies. In turn, he helped shape the game here too. This Masters week, let’s take a journey to five Scottish golf courses touched by the hand of MacKenzie: Blairgowrie Golf Club, Hazlehead’s Mackenzie Championship Course, Duff House Royal, the Portland Course at Royal Troon, and Bruntsfield Links. Each offers a unique glimpse into his design legacy, and a compelling reason to tee it up in Scotland this season.
Blairgowrie Golf Club – The Rosemount Course
Nestled in the heart of Perthshire, Blairgowrie Golf Club is home to the Rosemount Course, one of the most beautiful inland layouts in Scotland and a shining example of MacKenzie’s talent. He collaborated with James Braid to design the original Rosemount course in the 1920s, and his fingerprints are unmistakable.
Here, MacKenzie created a layout that blends seamlessly into the natural terrain, with subtle undulations, tree-lined fairways, and green complexes that demand imagination and precision. Rosemount isn’t about brute force, it’s about strategy, angles, and feel. The bunkering is classic MacKenzie: artfully placed to influence shot choices rather than simply punish poor execution.
The Rosemount has hosted numerous top events, including the 2014 Junior Ryder Cup and the Scottish Amateur Championship. Yet it remains welcoming, playable, and peaceful, the kind of course you could play every day and never tire of. It’s a true inland gem and a testament to MacKenzie’s belief that a course should challenge the best players while still being enjoyable for the average golfer.
Hazlehead Golf Club – Mackenzie Championship Course
Further north in Aberdeen lies one of MacKenzie’s lesser-known gems: the Mackenzie Championship Course at Hazlehead Golf Club. Designed in 1927, this public course is one of the few municipal layouts in the world with MacKenzie’s name attached, and that makes it particularly special.
While it may lack the grandeur of Augusta or Cypress Point, the Mackenzie Course has a rugged, old-school charm. It weaves through mature woodland and makes full use of the natural topography, with elevated tees, rolling fairways, and cunning green sites that reflect MacKenzie’s flair for drama and deception.
In recent years, efforts have been made to restore elements of MacKenzie’s original design, including the strategic bunkering and shaping that had become muted over time. The result is a course that offers challenge and character in equal measure.
For golfers seeking an affordable way to walk in MacKenzie’s footsteps, Hazlehead is a revelation. It’s also a reminder of how public golf can and should be: accessible, authentic, and architecturally significant.
Hazlehead MacKenzie Championship Course, Aberdeenshire
Duff House Royal Golf Club – MacKenzie’s Coastal Canvas
Over on the Moray Firth coast in Banff, Duff House Royal is a picturesque parkland course set beside the River Deveron. It’s hard to imagine a more peaceful setting — yet beneath the tranquillity lies a layout shaped by one of golf’s great minds.
MacKenzie redesigned the course in the 1920s, incorporating his principles of strategy, playability, and aesthetic appeal. Duff House Royal is relatively flat, but MacKenzie used clever angles, green contours, and deceptive bunkering to create a compelling challenge. The greens are subtly contoured and often guarded by bunkers that look innocuous but come into play with alarming frequency.
The course is unique in that it boasts royal status, granted by King Edward VIII in 1925, and MacKenzie’s layout has stood the test of time. It’s a gentle walk, with views of the historic Duff House providing a regal backdrop. But don’t be fooled, it demands thoughtful play and rewards the creative golfer.
If you’re heading to the northeast, make sure to add Duff House Royal to your list. It’s one of MacKenzie’s hidden treasures, and a delightful blend of heritage, strategy, and scenery.
Duff House Royal, Aberdeenshire
Royal Troon – The Portland Course
While the Old Course at Royal Troon is world-renowned, especially as an Open Championship venue, the Portland Course offers a different kind of challenge, with a MacKenzie connection that’s too often overlooked.
Originally laid out by Willie Fernie, the Portland was later redesigned by Dr Alister MacKenzie in the 1920s, who introduced new bunkering schemes and strategic elements. The result is a course that complements the championship links next door while offering a more forgiving and varied experience for members and visitors alike.
The Portland is shorter than the Old Course, but tighter off the tee and often more intricate. MacKenzie’s influence is evident in the clever green surrounds and bunker positioning, features that encourage shot-making and course management.
In recent years, the Portland has grown in stature, especially among those who value design over distance. It’s a reminder that Royal Troon is more than just the Open, it’s a club with layers, history, and a quiet MacKenzie masterpiece waiting to be explored.
Royal Troon Portland Course, Ayrshire
Bruntsfield Links Golfing Society – A Capital Classic
Rounding out our journey is one of Edinburgh’s great golfing institutions: the Bruntsfield Links Golfing Society. Founded in 1761, it’s the fourth oldest golf club in the world, steeped in history and tradition. While the club moved from the original Bruntsfield Links in the city centre to its current Barnton location in the late 19th century, it has continually evolved, with input from several legendary architects, including MacKenzie.
Dr Alister MacKenzie was called upon in the early 20th century to rework parts of the layout, introducing his distinctive bunkering and strategic sensibilities. Later refinements by Fred Hawtree and, more recently, Tom Mackenzie (no relation) have built upon that legacy.
Today, Bruntsfield offers a parkland experience that feels timeless — a rolling, mature layout with wonderful views and a welcoming atmosphere. It’s a course that respects its heritage while offering a quality of design that appeals to the modern golfer.
MacKenzie’s role at Bruntsfield is part of a broader tapestry of great designers — yet his impact is felt, particularly in the way the course challenges players to think, adapt, and embrace risk and reward.
Bruntsfield Links Golfing Society, Edinburgh
As we marvel at Augusta National’s azaleas and lightning-fast greens this week, it’s worth remembering that MacKenzie’s design brilliance didn’t begin, or end, in Georgia. His work in Scotland helped shape a generation of golfers and influenced the evolution of course architecture on both sides of the Atlantic.
What makes MacKenzie’s courses so enduring? It’s not just the strategy or the aesthetics, it’s the soul. His courses invite creativity, encourage boldness, and reward those who think their way around. Whether you’re navigating the subtle greens of Blairgowrie, the wooded corridors of Hazlehead, or the serenity of Duff House Royal, you’re experiencing golf as MacKenzie believed it should be played.
This spring, as the world celebrates The Masters, why not plan your own MacKenzie pilgrimage, not to Georgia, but to Scotland? You’ll find beauty, challenge, and a deeper connection to one of the game’s greatest minds, all in the land where golf began.
Plan Your MacKenzie Trail in Scotland
Blairgowrie Golf Club (Rosemount Course) – theblairgowriegolfclub.co.uk
Hazlehead Golf Club (MacKenzie Championship Course) – sportaberdeen.co.uk
Duff House Royal Golf Club – duffhouseroyal.com
Royal Troon Golf Club (Portland Course) – royaltroon.co.uk
Bruntsfield Links Golfing Society –bruntsfieldlinks.co.uk
Whether you’re a student of architecture or simply a lover of great golf, MacKenzie’s Scottish creations offer a rich and rewarding journey. As Augusta reminds us every April, great design endures. And in Scotland, it thrives.