Synopses & Reviews
Alister MacKenzie was one of golf's greatest architects. He designed his courses so that players of all skill levels could enjoy the game while still creating fantastic challenges for the most experienced players. Several of MacKenzie's courses, such as Augusta National, Cypress Point, and Pasatiempo, remain in the top 100 today. In his "lost" 1933 manuscript, published for the first time in 1995 and now finally available in paperback, MacKenzie leads you through the evolution of golf--from St. Andrews to the modern-day golf course--and shares his insight on great golf holes, the swing, technology and equipment, putting tips, the USGA, the Royal & Ancient, and more. With fascinating stories about Bobby Jones, Walter Hagen, Gene Sarazen, and many others, The Spirit of St. Andrews gives valuable lessons for all golfers as well as an intimate portrait of Alister MacKenzie, a true legend of the game.
Synopsis
Augusta National. Cypress Point. Pasatiempo. Royal Melbourne. Alister MacKenzie, the consulting architect for St. Andrews and creator of many classic courses, succeeded as no other architect has in providing fair and strategic golf courses without violating the natural beauty of the sites. His Golf Architecture, published in 1920, set the standard for course design. But it is in The Spirit of St. Andrews that this iconoclastic genius and his groundbreaking approach to golf come fully to life.
Written in 1933 and discovered 60 years later, The Spirit of St. Andrews garnered widespread attention when it was published in 1995 in hardcover. In his delightfully original style, MacKenzie reflects on the evolution of golf and the art of designing a course, and shares his opinions on great golf holes, great swings, and great players, including Walter Hagen, Gene Sarazen, and Bobby Jones. Like MacKenzie's courses, this classic is for golfers of every level.
About the Author
Alister MacKenzie was born in England. He practiced medicine and served as a civil surgeon in the Boer War, beginning his career in golf-course design shortly after returning home. He died in 1934.