J Drew Rogers

Course Rankings

MacKenzie Meets Augusta One Last Time (The Big Finish)

Having nearly completed the back nine tour, MacKenzie was regaining his humor, at least somewhat, and seemed to be tiring a bit as they finished at #16. To #17 now, where MacKenzie spouted, “That wonderfully formed pine is gone, I assume you had it removed at some point, Mr. Payne?” “Absolutely not, sir.  That tree […]

MacKenzie Meets Augusta One Last Time (Front Nine Tour)

I had a dream last night. Well, I’m pretty sure it was a dream… Here’s the gist: Alister MacKenzie is not dead. He’s been hiding away in a Tibetan monastery since 1934, the date of what we had presumed to be his death. So deep and powerful has been his inward reflection all these years, […]

MacKenzie Meets Augusta One Last Time (Back Nine Tour)

When we last paused, Dr. MacKenzie was on his way to the 10th tee.  The spirit amongst the group was strained at best as the architect’s criticisms continued to mount. As the group shuffled down the hill from the tee, MacKenzie referred to the relocated green and uttered, “Now this looks more like Maxwell!” Indeed, […]

Is There a Silver Bullet in Golf Course Architecture?

  As you might imagine, architects get pressed quite often to profess our opinions about what makes one golf course better than another.   And while I think that is more an individual preference (or left to magazines), there are some courses that stand out among the rest.  But why?  Is it their great beauty?  Is […]

Making Some Sense of Course Rankings (?)

I have to blunt here…. to me, all the course ratings and rankings out there today have become rather insipid and an exhaustive re-statement of the impossible.  But perhaps, there is another side of these listings to be considered? It cannot be argued that, in our business, it’s great if your course garners some attention […]

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