Still feeling the resonance of Augusta's country? These are three golf courses in the UK, designed by the same man: Dr. Alister Mackenzie.
As April showers enter May sunshine, many of us are ready to hit the fairway and green. But of course ITT is not just weather with this impact.
The Master’s appearance in the second week of April is always a not-so-slight hint, and it’s time to start playing seriously, even a few weeks after Rory McIlroy slipped his arm into the green jacket, we still felt it.
We all know that taking our dream course, Augusta National, is more than 99.9999% of us.
But Dr. Alister Mackenzie, who helped the great Bobby Jones design the Masters course, has left his mark throughout the UK, which is probably what you expect from the Yorkshire people of Scottish roots.
Golf course architects don’t like to admit that they have fingerprints – they want to suggest that they always create something new – but they have the principles of design and a love for a certain way of playing the game.
This means that their courses are generally recognizable in visual and performance style, even though the background is very different.
So if we can't play Augusta Country, we can see how Mackenzie introduces other courses that can be taken. These are the three best in the UK.
Mortown Golf Club, Yorkshire
As Yorkshireman, Mackenzie put down many Leeds classes such as Alwoodley, Horsforth, Hortingley, Headingley, Garsforth and Sand Moor, which is no surprise.
But it is Leeds’s Moretown venue that is still the best among them. It hosted the 1929 Ryder Cup (the first time Britain was on British land) and many European Tour events.
Incredibly, you can still play it and see Walter Hagen's locker and stare at many souvenirs over the years.
It doesn't look like Augusta at first glance, but when turning, some holes swept down the fairway, and precise methods are required throughout the round.
What you are getting is a test on the ideal golf ball (Heathland) created by the master.
The summer green costs £200.
Cavendish Golf Club, Derbyshire
The Derbyshire gem opened in 1925 and even said to have inspired the Augusta Country itself, Mackenzie created it for seven years after leaving his own mark on Cavendish.
In 2016, architect Jonathan Gaunt compared two layouts and said that despite their many aspects of “chalk and cheese”, he also recognized similar wide fairways, fast vegetables and meandering water features.
He concluded: “Most of what golfers like about Augusta can be found in Cavendish.”
The mid-week summer green fee is £55.
Duff House Royal Golf Club, Aberdeenshire
Located in Aberdeenshire, it is a park track but close to the Diffron River and the North Sea.
This is a redesign from Mackenzie, but it proudly boasts many green vegetables similar to Augusta. Sky Sports commentator Ewen Murray is also an honorary member here.
The summer green costs £70.
Read more: Machrie in Scotland – The Top 100 Courses You Must Know About Hidden Worlds
