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The Secret of St. Andrews podcast is for golf enthusiasts, history buffs and patriots.
Our story begins at the Eden Hole—the 11th at St. Andrews—where a young Bobby Jones faced one of the most humbling moments of his career. In 1921, during his first Open Championship, Jones became ensnared in the Hill Bunker. After four failed attempts to escape, frustration consumed him. He tore up his scorecard and stormed off the course, vowing never to return.
It was a moment of defeat that could have defined his relationship with St. Andrews forever. But St. Andrews has a way of calling golfers back—and for Bobby Jones, it would become the place that shaped his legacy.
Six years later, Bobby Jones returned to the Old Course. This time, he was no longer the frustrated amateur, but a seasoned champion. At the 1927 Open Championship, Jones dominated the field, winning by six strokes and cementing his place in golf history. The town embraced him as one of their own, and Jones fell deeply in love with St. Andrews.
Years later, Jones would write that he considered St. Andrews “the finest course I have ever played.” The strategic brilliance of its design captivated him: the wide fairways, natural hazards, and undulating greens rewarded creativity and punished carelessness.
When Bobby Jones retired from competitive golf in 1930, he set out to create his dream course in Augusta, Georgia. To bring this vision to life, he enlisted Alister MacKenzie—a man who shared his reverence for the Old Course at St. Andrews. MacKenzie once said that no course could surpass the Old Course in its strategic complexity and timeless appeal.
Together, Jones and MacKenzie sought to incorporate those principles into Augusta National.
To truly understand the magic of Augusta National, we must first explore the remarkable life of its architect, Dr. Alister MacKenzie. Born in 1870 in Yorkshire, England to Scottish parents, MacKenzie initially pursued a career in medicine. He graduated from Cambridge University with degrees in chemistry, medicine, and natural sciences before serving as a surgeon during the Boer War.
It was there that he first encountered the Boers’ ingenious use of camouflage—techniques that blended man-made structures seamlessly into natural surroundings. Fascinated by this concept, MacKenzie later became a camouflage expert during World War I, where his work focused on using landscapes to conceal military defenses.
This experience profoundly influenced his approach to golf course design. He believed that man-made features should appear as though they had always been part of the land—a philosophy he carried into every course he created.
After the war, MacKenzie left medicine to pursue his passion for golf architecture. His designs emphasized strategic play, natural beauty, and blending courses into their environments. By the time Bobby Jones approached him in 1931 to design Augusta National, MacKenzie had already created masterpieces like Cypress Point and Royal Melbourne.
But how did Bobby Jones meet Alister MacKenzie? The exact details remain a mystery. Some speculate they first crossed paths at St. Andrews during one of Jones’ visits in the late 1920s. What we do know is that Jones admired MacKenzie’s work and shared his design philosophy.
In 1927, MacKenzie sent Jones a signed copy of his book Golf Architecture, which outlined his 13 design principles—principles that resonated deeply with Jones.
Jones and MacKenzie officially joined forces in July 1931 after meeting at New York’s Vanderbilt Hotel to discuss plans for Augusta National. Their shared vision was clear: to create a course inspired by the strategic brilliance of St. Andrews, adapted to Georgia’s rolling hills and lush terrain.
MacKenzie’s wartime expertise in camouflage played a critical role at Augusta. He used subtle undulations and natural contours to disguise bunkers and hazards—creating an illusion of simplicity that belied the course’s complexity. For example, the bunkers at Augusta appear as natural extensions of the landscape rather than artificial obstacles—a hallmark of MacKenzie’s genius.
This approach mirrored the Old Course at St. Andrews, where hazards like pot bunkers seem to emerge organically from the ground. Just as St. Andrews rewards strategy and creativity, so too does Augusta National—a testament to the collaboration between Bobby Jones and Alister MacKenzie.
The Old Course served as a blueprint for Augusta National in many ways. For example, the seventh hole was originally modeled after St. Andrews’ 18th hole, with its Valley of Sin. It was designed as a short par 4 that encouraged strategic play off the tee.
However, during the 1937 Masters, Byron Nelson drove the green—a feat that prompted Augusta officials to move the green 20 yards back and add bunkers to ensure it required two shots to reach. Interestingly, while Augusta’s seventh evolved into a longer par 4 over time, St. Andrews’ 18th remains a drivable par 4 to this day—an enduring nod to its original design.
The 14th hole at Augusta also reflects elements of St. Andrews, with its undulating greens that demand precision and creativity around the putting surface.
Jones and MacKenzie believed that golf should be a game of strategy, not punishment—a philosophy they carried from St. Andrews into Augusta National.
In 1958, Bobby Jones returned to St. Andrews for one final honor. He was awarded the Freedom of the Borough of St. Andrews, an accolade granted only to those who have made an extraordinary impact on the town.
Despite battling illness and walking with leg braces, Jones spoke from the heart:
“I could take out of my life everything except my experiences in St. Andrews and still have a rich, full life.”
As he left Younger Hall that day, thousands gathered to serenade him with “Will Ye No Come Back Again?”—a heartfelt farewell to their adopted son.
The connection between Bobby Jones, Alister MacKenzie, Augusta National, and St. Andrews runs deep—a testament to their shared love for golf’s artistry and traditions.
Today, Augusta National stands as an homage to their vision—a course inspired by the Old Course at St. Andrews, but uniquely its own. And as golfers walk down Magnolia Lane or stand on the Swilcan Bridge at St. Andrews’ 18th hole, they step into history—a history shaped by two men who understood that golf is not just a game, but a celebration of strategy and beauty.