What design do you demand from a golf course?
Research suggests MacKenzie got it right in 1920
Nearly a century may have passed since the visionary course designer and former surgeon and teacher, Dr. Alister MacKenzie laid down his 13 rules on how to create a golf course in 1920. But following a survey of dozens of the world's finest course architects, little seems to have changed, a decade into the 21st century.
This has come as quite a surprise to the authors of a new research document 'Principles of Design in the 21st Century' - Sport Psychology Ltd which deals in the psychology of design of equipment and sports venues and Golden Golf Courses which focusses on the evaluation and psychological impact of golf courses.
They had expected to see a different pattern of results because of the development of earth- moving equipment unavailable in the early part of the 20th century. However, perhaps because of cash restraints in the current global economy, most architects indicated that they focus more on using the gifts that Mother Nature provides rather than plough through existing landscapes.
Authors of the research expected to see a rejection of MacKenzie's rule that states that there should be a minimum of walking between greens and tees because of the prevalence of buggies in the US and Canada compared to the UK and Europe but most still aspired to the original principle that these distances should be kept to a minimum.
The rule that came in for the biggest criticism stated that 'there should be a sufficient number of heroic carries”. And while authorities are maybe looking extend holes at Augusta National and the 17th at St Andrews, the modern breed of architects seem to want to place much greater emphasis on strategy to maintain the challenge and the enjoyment of the game for golfers at all levels.
There was also a significant focus on the importance of safety within course design that may not have been ranked so highly for previous generations, presumably because of the inferior equipment and the shorter distances the golf ball was travelling.
It may now be many years since Dr MacKenzie, born in Wakefield of Scottish parents, last cast his eyes across a landscape as a vision of golfing heaven formed in his mind but his spirit can rest easy. The modern golf architect seems to have his principles very much at heart.
Modern architects' feedback on MacKenzie's 13 Rules
1. The course should have beautiful surroundings
Ranked equal 6th by participants who completed the survey with many architects indicating that surroundings were of little importance. While it's possible to build a brilliant course in an urban area most golfers agree there's something magical about a course set in a stunning landscape. The psychological
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I reckon Dr MacKenzie got it mostly right in the 1920s but in my opinion condition is everything. If the greens are poor I don't really want to play there again and I also want the course - and the greens in particular - to be challenging in terms of speed and undulation.
Views from the course are important to me but if not available, I want some holes to be demanding and photogenic. I like a course to be tactical (not just long for length's sake) and with the occasional option off the tee. Courses with heavy or unkempt rough don't appeal and can make a round tiresome because of the pace of play.
List your top five preferences for a great course and why.
Posted: 31/03/2011 at 14:30
Love mckenzie courses as well. 1 challenging design with something to think about every shot. 2 condition 3 greens that make you putt well or be punished ala mckenzie. 4 setting (links preferable) 5 nice car park (struggling for number 5)
Posted: 31/03/2011 at 15:00
1. Nice setting 2. Good range of beers 3. Flat or gently sloped greens 4. Springy turf where the ball always seems to sit up 5. As a carrier a reasonably flat terrain is appreciated 6. Did I mention a good range of beers
Posted: 31/03/2011 at 15:18
My Ideal Golf course would be ~ 1. Totally Level Tee boxes that offer a good view of the fairway and hazards in front (No blind drives) Rivetted or Sleeper faced Traps, Plenty of Water hazards and ponds. 2. Large undulating, But well protected, Receptive greens that offer lots of interesting pin positions. 3. A nice mix of Par 3, 4 and 5's, Ideally 6 of each (Ala The Shire), But min 4 each of par 3's and 5's. 4. Good drainage in the winter, Rough cut back in the Summer. 5. A nice cosy clubhouse to enjoy a decent pint or tot of Irish after my round. Not asking too much is it?
Posted: 31/03/2011 at 15:57
I like a golf course that offers different options to different standards of golfers from the tee. sure its allvery well bunkering for a scratch player but if that means the 18 handicapper can they play short of the bunker, play over the bunker and then play to the green without further hindrance then its not much of a challenge. I like a golf course that offers me the chance to play challenging shots from fair lies, rather than easy shots from crap lies. A short course that requires you to think your way around is allways more enjoyable than a long course that you can blast away with driver every hole. Greens should have subtle, but readable undulations rather than buried elephants and should be consistently paced throughout the course. A good variation in the par 3's is allways nice....no fun in pulling out the 7 iron on every par 3....a good mix from 180yds down to 120yards is allways nice. Not too many blind tee shots or approaches to greens. Barmaid must have nice tits and a pleasant smile.
Posted: 31/03/2011 at 16:24
1) You stand on the tee and say "wow! thats pretty!" 2) You stand on the tee and think, "Blimey, what club should I hit?" 3) Good greens! Interesting shapes, slopes and consistent speed. 4) Good quality conditioning of the rest! Tees, bunkers, fairways and hazzards 5) A variety of holes.
Posted: 31/03/2011 at 16:33
1) You stand on the tee and say "wow! thats pretty!" 2) You stand on the tee and think, "Blimey, what club should I hit?" 3) Good greens! Interesting shapes, slopes and consistent speed. 4) Good quality conditioning of the rest! Tees, bunkers, fairways and hazzards 5) A variety of holes.
Reckon that's a pretty good summary of what i look for too
Posted: 31/03/2011 at 16:47
Barmaid must have nice tits and a pleasant smile.
That was gonna be my No 6! 
Posted: 31/03/2011 at 16:52
1. Great greens: smooth, firm, fast but take a well hit ball from the fairway 2. No mickey mouse lay ups - e.g. short par 5's made longer because you have to hit an iron off the tee 3. A range of teeing off options between 5800 and 7000 yards- let everyone play the course from the length that they enjoy all year round 4. No par 3's over 175 yards 5. On the longer holes, a requirement to hit a mixture of fades and draws off the tee.
Posted: 31/03/2011 at 17:11
1. Safe. None of these stupid up and down holes seperated by a row of saplings where every hacker in Chistendom is slicing they shots onto the hole you are playing. Good seperation of holes is a must. 2. Condition. Ropey tees and fairways are playable, poor greens arent. Anywhere with poor greens is not worth playing. 3. Pleasant terrain. No mountain goat courses, mud baths, huge walks between greens and tees. 4. Sensible design. A mix of holes in length and type. Bunkering to catch you rather than for decor. No long Par 3's. Four Par 5s. 5. A Spike Bar.
Posted: 31/03/2011 at 17:17
1. Tees, greens and bunkers must be in top condition. 2. Variety. Parralell holes up and down, up and down are terrible. Give me raised tees, raised greens. Straight holes, dog legs in both directions. 3. Par 3s over 190 yds are a joke and lack imagination. 4 . 4 par fives. At least 2 that are reachable with your best drive. 5. A couple of really tough par 4s. 6. Big greens that are well protected. Miss the green and get punished severely. Hit the green but far from the hole and stare at a 3 putt.
Posted: 31/03/2011 at 20:42
As the Author of the Survey I have enjoyed reading all the views and comments here. On reflection I am extremely sorry not to have included a question to all the leading golf architects on Ossie's rule "Barmaid must have nice t*** and a pleasant smile". Though I would probably be struck off the Psychologist Register for asking, it would have been fun to see what the responses would have been......maybe next year?
Seriously Creosote's comment about safety does seem to be the thing that is foremost in the designer's minds these days- having worked in Casualty (and that is showing my age - none of this Accident and Emergency nonsense in those days) in Glasgow Royal Infirmary I have seen the damage a golf ball can do..it's not pretty
Posted: 01/04/2011 at 12:02
I think that some of the voters must have misinterpreted "heroic carries" as "huge carries". Our course has three par 3's with carries across a burn on the front edge. Carries vary from 120yds - 150yds. We also have a par 4 where the tee shot is over a very deep and intimidating ravine but in reality the carry is only about 140yds. All look heroic and make the holes look harder thab they really are. The course in question was designed by the good doctor himself.
Posted: 01/04/2011 at 13:59
Great feedback everyone - a very well worth exercise so far.
It always amazes me about the predictability and often snobbishness about courses rated in this or that top 100. I'd like to see a top 20 of 'under-rated courses' so maybe that's a subject for another day.
No.1 for me would be Woodenbridge in County Wicklow.
Posted: 01/04/2011 at 14:03
I like to see more 'risk and reward' short par 4s, around the 240 to 270 yard range. With some strategic and imaginatively placed bunkers, rough, OOB etc, you can have a hole that most players hope to birdy, but can also wreck a card.
Posted: 01/04/2011 at 16:25
I'd like to see a top 20 of 'under-rated courses' so maybe that's a subject for another day.
No.1 for me would be Woodenbridge in County Wicklow. West Cornwall. Woops, sorry - it's not another day yet...
Posted: 01/04/2011 at 22:10
The design of the course and the condition of it are two different variables. Ideally we would all like to play a course which is in good condition with fast greens which hold a good shot. A course does not have to be full of long par fours and fives. Indeed, arguably the best hole on my course is a superb par four of just 311 yards. My top five features of a UK golf course design as follows: 1. A course that will last the test of time and regardless of how far the ball goes (yes, it can be done for many holes with some thought). 2. A variety of strategic holes which requires shaped shots from the tee to green. 3. Risk and reward holes must feature with appropriate hazards. 4. A course and greens that drain well in wet weather. 5. A variety of tees to allow the course to be played from 6,000 - 7,000 yards.
Posted: 03/04/2011 at 10:31
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