This is the text of Colin Cotter's email to me - Colin is a former Troon caddy. I sent Colin a copy of Mackenzie's article about Sarazen and the new course at Troon.
On 10/07/2008, at 2:41 AM, Colin Cotter wrote:
Hope this is going to the right person. GCA will not let me register, but as a long-time caddy at Troon (22 years), and with a keen interest in its history, I found your post fascinating. Firstly I have never read anything until now that linked Mackenzie to Troon, except that bizarrely, a number of the older caddies claimed the Portland was designed by him. As I've never read that, nor heard any members mention the fact, I assumed this was a myth designed by the caddies to make the playing of the Portland more attractive to visitors, (many like to have their 2nd round on the shorter course). Turns out it was true. I'd love to know if this was passed down among generations of caddies but forgotten about by the members. I've certainly never read anything in the club histories published over the years. I do however, know many other things about the courses' architecture, so with regard to your picture, I'm certain it's of the 10th on the old course. The shot would be taken from, or near to, the present 10th championship tee. At the time, the green was not far over the ridge, but was a short par 4. After various locations it moved to its present situation in the early 60's and now measures 438 yards. The view has changed somewhat, the ridge now being whin (gorse) covered. Troon lost a lot of it's bunkers during WW2, but I believe there was still a bunker, though not on the scale shown, until the late 1970's. At that time, due to the fashion that blind shots were not ideal on an Open championship course, the bunker was removed and a V-shape gouged out to indicate the line better, though the blind shot, thankfully, remains. If I'm right, the gouge was cut between the right edge of the bunker and it's middle 'finger'. The line from the tee is over the high point on the ridge for longer hitters, to the right for shorter. No evidence remains of the sleeper face of the bunker, though I'm tempted to look for evidence.
As regards Mackenzie at Troon, and the date, this is very interesting. The Open first came to Troon in 1923, and everything I have read has suggested that James Braid designed many new bunkers, 40 or so, in advance of this. If this is the case, why was Mackenzie there? Could he have done many of the changes that have since been attributed to Braid? Thanks for the post. Please send a reply so I know this has reached the right person, and I'll send an up-to-date picture of the view as it is now, if you wish. Incidentally, I think there was a certain amount of redesign of the Portland post-war, but certain indicators suggest that much of it will still be the same as when it was designed in the 20's.
Oh, and who did you speak to at Royal Troon? Was it the archivist, whose name temporarily escapes me?