Pure supposition here, but MacKenzie had already experienced the South African weather during his time in the army - Boer War, camoflague etc (sorry John Kavanaugh - I expect this is mis-spelt too).  

If you have been to Leeds, and to South Africa, I think you will understand why he considered THE WEST COAST of the USA.  Santa Cruz has pretty good weather.  These days, many of the people of Leeds spend a lot of time in the south of France, in Spain and in Tenerife.  MacKenzie was perhaps ahead of his time.  You certainly couldn't practice your golf in your slippers and pyjamas in Leeds!

I also find it interesting that he didn't seem to spend as much time in the NE of the USA.  Perhaps the weather didn't suit him - even in Leeds you can play golf just about all year round, albeit with difficulty in January.   I must check my MacKenzie book on his movements and work in NE USA.

James B

Well where do I start, some info mentioned in some of the prior posts is not entirely correct.

The work done at Claremont in 1925-26 was NOT done by Mackenzie it was done by someone else.

Mackenzie did not get to Claremont until 1928 to do any work there, so I think that what has been mentioned before this is most likely incorrect.

Mackenzie's timeframe in CA has been incorrect for some of his work at different periods of time most notably at Claremont and Cal Club.

Behr did not work with Whiting at O Club. He was brought in to inspect the plans and quality of work that Whiting had done after some damage to the course in 1925. They would later get together and design and build Caphuchino GC.

Sam Whiting is Welsh and was born in Malvern in 1870.
He worked at Criccieth GC in North Wales, Rotherham and District GC 1904-1912, and Ilkley in Yorkshire 1912-20.
He also won the Welsh Open in 1907.

Tully

I would have to check the dates I have at home, but Mackenzie's first project in the States was the consultation he did at Melrose in Philadelphia with Maxwell in 1926.

I think there are a lot of things that led to him coming to America.  You can say what you want about the political climate, but I have a feeling the marital issues he was having and the opportunity to work in America where the market was much larger and free of competition with Harry Colt are the two things that really drove him to leave England.  No hard evidence to that end, but just my opinions from what I have read.  I think the writing about the economy and such was perhaps his opinion, but that was a secondary concern.

Tom -

Crane's first article was published in The Field in 1924. The picture of MacK and Behr at TOC was either '25 or '26. I think it was probably '26 because the Walker Cup was at TOC that year and the golf world had gathered there. I think that is where MacK first met Jones. Crane was there too which is where he and MacK met up as described in TS of SA.

Sean/all -

Repeating the question, when did MacK first come to California? He was in Australia in the fall of '26. I would guess the winter/spring of '26. No?

Bob

Surely the lure of a sparsely populated verdant California was the reason "why".

Tom -

Great stuff. Thanks.

Who is AL and ST?

Bob

Tom -

Again, thanks.

As noted, it's not clear when the MacK/Behr TOC picture was taken. The USGA dates it as 1925, but they aren't sure about that. I think it more likely that the photo is from '26 or maybe '27.

MacK and Behr must have known each other before '26, even if they hadn't met face to face. Among other possible connections, they got to know each other in the Crane fracas, starting about '24. Behr's "Permanent Architecture" (essentialy a series of essays responding to Crane) written around '24 implies that MacK was a friend. I wish, however, there was something more concrete out there.

Bob

In my research so far the connection for Mackenzie is pretty weak at Claremont for the timeframe given in AMCPC. They had part of the course closed for work in 1925 well before Mackenzie's visit and the work was overseen by a local golf pro. It is more than likely that the work was less not up to snuff and Mackenzie came in 1928 to make changes.

Regarding Macdonald Smith, he was floating around as a golf pro in the Bay area and was playing in a number of the majors that year, was oversees, and even got married. For a time people were worried about his welfare as he was not seen for a period of time. Yes, he had a long history with Claremont, but one needs to recall that Hunter was a member at Claremont before he got involved at Berkeley. It is most likely that Hunter was instrumental in having Watson come into Claremont as well in the early 1920's when they were at Berkeley.


I still have some more research to go on this end but I can say with confidence that the what I have stated above is accurate.

The timeline that TomMacWood posted is a work in progress and from some of my research some of the info(not much) is incorrect. I have a number of things that I will be adding to this timeline I just need to find the time. It will be very interesting to see where Mackenzie was and what he was up to.

Currently, I am working on an architect timeline for the Bay area and I have alot of good info that I will share in due time. It is interesting to see who was in and around the area and see who was the flavor of the month and who's work was ready to expire.


Tully

I recently purchased a book published by Rancho Santa Fe CC, to celebrate the USGA Junior Championship held there this summer. The Club was founded in 1928 and according to the book, asked MacKenzie to design the course. He was busy with the Cypress Point project at the time and recommended his good friend Max Behr. The famous photo of Behr and MacKenzie leaving the first tee at TOC is contained in the book, to establish that they already had consumated a friendship. It is credited as "coutesy of the USGA" and is dated 1924.

for our pizza and those California women


and COLD beer

Great find Tom. That pretty much nails it that the meeting MacK talks about in SofSA was in '27, not '26.

The remaining mystery is the date of the MacK/Behr photo at TOC. I too saw the Rancho Sante Fe book putting it at '24. The USGA isn't sure. I suspect it is later. But that's nothing more than an informed hunch.

I think this is worth looking into because I think Behr was a sort of intellectual mentor to MacK, Hunter and others. Notwithstanding problems with some of Behr's prose style.  

However odd Behr may have been (and he was plenty odd), he was way ahead of the pack when it came to thinking through the issues raised by advocates of penal architecture. He invented the term "penal", was the first to make a distinction between penal v. strategic archtiecture. He understood earlier than anyone the threat posed by proponents of penal golf courses. He saw that they had a real tiger by the tail if they wanted to debate the issues with people as articulate as Crane and some others.  

Bob

Sean

How far back is your reference to the old "border"? My information dates back to 1924 so that may pre date the current border.

That is a good point on the bloodline.

Tully