A Lost Mackenzie in London - Now with Photo!

[Neil_Crafter]

Tom
Its a pretty poor effort at tree planting that's for sure.
And that's the clubhouse beyond.

[Mark Bourgeois]

How does a course affiliated with a club like this, designed by a world-famous architect, slip through the cracks?!

It's great that El Boqeron got the pub, but these finds are all El Boqerons, if only the Mac maps would turn up.

Mark

[Thomas MacWood]

Maybe they are attempting to hide whatever is in that fenced in area....it almost looks like POW camp. Prisoners can be distracting when you are trying to sink an important putt.  

[Neil_Crafter]

Tom
The fenced in area contains the tennis courts, see the aerial view, so I guess that's what they were trying to screen, not the POWs! Can you see Steve McQueen jumping the fence on his motorbike?

[Thomas MacWood]

Tennis players and prisoners of war...whats the difference?

[David Stamm]

Just received this photograph today from the RAF Museum, of what looks like the 18th or 9th green adjacent to the clubhouse. Not much doubt its a Mackenzie, so just thought I'd share this.

Great find Neil! Yes, no doubt that's AM's work!

[Neil_Crafter]

Mark
In its own way its an El Boqueron but the LFC is one up on it as this one actually got built! Perhaps this story lacks the Latin sizzle but is still fascinating in its own way with the great aviator meeting the great architect. I'm not sure Mark how it slipped through the cracks but it sure did. Without the Times Archive (and hence the internet) I would not have found it. Having Mackenzie's list of courses (partial) from his advert was a significant help too. How many more of these are there? I'm not sure. Northwick Park is another lost course on Mackenzie's list of London courses and I have been able to find out where it was. What I don't know though is whether it was an original design by him or a remodelling. That will be the tough part as the club no longer exists either. Mackenzie's LFC course is now under a police college and his Northwick Park course is now a technical college and a hospital.

David
Thanks for the kind words - and yes I got a thrill of recognition/confirmation when I saw the photograph in the mail yesterday.

Neil

[Matthew Mollica]

Congratulations on this and all the other wonderful finds Neil.

It must be very difficult, and at times a tedious task, of following leads and hoping they result in something good. I'm sure I speak for others when I say a big thanks for the historical trawling and leg work you're doing. It's been great reading up every new find of yours. Keep up the great work.

When do we see a final draft of the published book ?   

Matthew

[Neil_Crafter]

Thanks Matthew
No its not tedious, in fact it is extremely enjoyable and if I didn't have a job and a mortgage I'd love to do it all day everyday. We have gone beyond scratching the surface but there's a good deal more excavating to be done before any of this might see the light of day in book form - although I have picked the title!
Neil

[Mark Chaplin]

Having hit many thousands of balls on the sports fields of Hendon Police College during my training I must be the only person here to have "played" this course!!

[Neil_Crafter]

Well done Mark! What was it like?

[Paul_Daley]

Neil: you've long been an amazing researcher; I take my hat off to you! With your detective-like mind, I'm sure there'll be more "finds" in store. Keep up the great work.

[Philip Spogard]

Neil,

I just want to congratulate you on the good research work and hugely enjoyable post.

It is very interesting reading!

Philip

[Mark Chaplin]

Neil,

Flat. Would have been interesting around the skidpan although a touch slippery!!

Mark

[Mark Bourgeois]

Neil

I don't know if this figures or not, but the timing of this course was during the partnership with Colt. He must have been less than happy with Mac getting a commission in his back yard -- or would that be his front yard?

Possible I guess Colt farmed this one to him.  Either way, wonder how the partnership dynamics played out on this one and whether it contributed to the eventual dissolution.

Also wonder whether this somehow contributed to the relative anonymity of the course.

Mark

[Neil_Crafter]

Philip and Paul - thanks for the kind words and its nice to know this sort of stuff is appreciated.

Mark C, I guess if the land was suitable for an airfield it would not have much contour to it. Certainly the land looks flat from the old photo of the course.

Mark B, 1919-20 was the prime time of the partnership so this Mackenzie project in London (and other London projects of the same timeframe) might lead one to think that there was no specific geographic split to divide Colt's territory from Mackenzie's and Alison's. Can't imagine old Harry was too thrilled nevertheless. Would be nice to find out how Mackenzie came to get this job. Think its lost in the mists of time though.

Neil

[Mark_Rowlinson]

I'm not out to have an argument, but we tend to expect airfields as being flat, but they built one on Turnberry, and flat courses can be good (for example Royal Antwerp).