| Roland MacKenzie | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Personal information | |
| Full name | Roland Redus MacKenzie |
| Born | March 13, 1907 Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Died | November 19, 1988 (aged 81) Owings Mills, Maryland, U.S. |
| Sporting nationality |  United States |
| Career | |
| Status | Amateur, briefly professional |
Roland MacKenzie (1907-1988) was an American amateur golfer whose career included three selections to Walker Cup teams and five times qualifying for the U.S. Amateur, earning him a reputation as one of America's finest golfers. [1] [2]
Born on March 13, 1907, in the District of Columbia, MacKenzie graduated from Western High School in Washington, D.C., and Brown University, Class of 1929, in Providence, Rhode Island. [1] [2] He took up golf in 1921 at the age of 14, and by 1924 had won three invitational tourneys and qualified for the U.S. Amateur held at Merion Golf Club, in Ardmore, Pennsylvania. [1] In the 1924 U.S. Amateur at Merion, his first national exposure, at age 17, he qualified for the 32-man match-play bracket, and drew George Von Elm as his partner. [3]
In 1925, MacKenzie won the qualifying medal in the U.S. Amateur held at Oakmont Country Club in suburban Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with a course-record 71 and 74 for 145, two ahead of Bobby Jones and Jesse Guilford. [1] [3] [4]
In 1926, at age 19, while just a freshman at Brown, he was named to the 1926 Walker Cup team with Jesse Guilford, Francis Ouimet, Watts Gunn, Jess Sweetser, Bobby Jones, George Von Elm, and Robert Gardner in the competition held at the Old Course at St Andrews in Scotland. [2] [5] In a preliminary round, MacKenzie defeated one of the most skillful putters in Scotland, William John Guild, 3 and 2, eliciting praise from the press:
"The Walker team men tonight are congratulating their youngest colleague. From the first tee, he sent thunderous shots straight down the fairways. His ball led Guild's 40 to 50 yards through the match. MacKenzie's play, particularly his style and grace, which the spectators repeatedly compared to that of Bobby Jones, and his powerful low drives, frequently evoked applause." [1] [2]
His record as the youngest player selected for Walker Cup play stood for 5 decades. [1] [2] [3] [5]
MacKenzie's best showing in the U.S. Amateur was in 1927, advancing to the semi-finals before losing to Chick Evans in a 37-hole battle. [1]
In 1928, he was again named to the Walker Cup team for the match held at the Chicago Golf Club in Wheaton, Illinois, with Charles Evans Jr., Francis Ouimet, Watts Gunn, Jess Sweetser, Harrison R. Johnston, and George Von Elm. [5] His last appearance on the Walker Cup team was in the 1930 match, held at the Royal St George's Golf Club in Sandwich, England, with Harrison R. Johnston, George J. Voigt, George Von Elm, Donald K. Moe, Oscar Willing, and Francis Ouimet. [5] In his three years on the Walker Cup team, MacKenzie compiled a 5–1 record. [1]
In 1931 he went to California and worked as an assistant movie director, counting Howard Hughes, Will Rogers, and Bing Crosby among his golfing friends. [3] In the mid-1930s, he briefly turned professional and worked as golf pro at the Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Maryland, the Broadmoor Golf Club in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and the Ponte Vedra Club in Florida. [2] [3]
Over the years, MacKenzie compiled a record that included Middle Atlantic Amateur titles 23 years apart (a tournament record), eight appearances in the U.S. Amateur between 1923 and 1948, membership on three Walker Cup teams, 1926, 1928 and 1930, and four Maryland State Golf Association father-and-son tournaments, playing with a son or a stepson. [2] [3] In 1965, he won the Maryland State Golf Association's seniors tournament. [2]
He was at various times the club champion at the Elkridge Club, the Baltimore Country Club and the Green Spring Valley Hunt Club. [2] He was a member or past-member of the Gulf Stream Club in Delray Beach, Florida, the Country Club of North Carolina, and the Pinehurst Country Club. [2] Two of his farm properties were developed as golf courses, "Oak Lea Farm" in Silver Spring, Maryland, as Argyle Country Club, and “Shamrock Farms” in Pinehurst, North Carolina, as Foxfire Resort & Country Club. [2] [3] [6]
MacKenzie died at the age of 81 on Saturday, November 19, 1988, at his home in Owings Mills, Maryland. [2] [3]
In 1975 MacKenzie was inducted into the Brown University Hall of Fame, [1] [2] and in 1983 he was inducted into the Middle Atlantic Golf Association Hall of Fame. [2] [7]
Robert Tyre Jones Jr. was an American amateur golfer who was one of the most influential figures in the history of the sport; he was also a lawyer by profession. Jones founded and helped design the Augusta National Golf Club, and co-founded the Masters Tournament. The innovations that he introduced at the Masters have been copied by virtually every professional golf tournament in the world.
Francis DeSales Ouimet was an American amateur golfer who is frequently referred to as the "father of amateur golf" in the United States. He won the U.S. Open in 1913 and was the first non-Briton elected Captain of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974.
The Walker Cup is a golf trophy contested in odd-numbered years by leading male amateur golfers in two teams: United States, and Great Britain and Ireland. The official name is the Walker Cup Match. It is organised by The R&A and the United States Golf Association (USGA). In 1921 the Royal Liverpool Golf Club hosted an unofficial contest which was followed by official annual contests from 1922 through 1924. From 1925 they became biennial, held on even-number years. After World War II they switched to odd-numbered years. From 2026 it will be held in even-numbered years following the switch of the Eisenhower Trophy to odd-numbered years to avoid that event clashing with the Olympic Games. They are held alternately in the U.S., and Ireland or Britain.
The following is a partial timeline of the history of golf.
The United States Amateur Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Amateur, is the leading annual golf tournament in the United States for amateur golfers. It is organized by the United States Golf Association and is currently held each August over a 7-day period.
William Lawson Little Jr. was an American professional golfer who also had a distinguished amateur career.
Richard Sise Tufts was a notable figure in American golf in the mid-20th century.
The Country Club, located in Brookline, Massachusetts, is the oldest golf-oriented country club in the United States. It holds an important place in golf history, as it is one of the five charter clubs that founded the United States Golf Association, and has hosted numerous USGA tournaments including the 1913 U.S. Open won by then-unknown Francis Ouimet. Although the club has 1300 members, it is known for its exclusivity.
The Lambton Golf and Country Club is a private golf and tennis club in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The golf club was established by Albert William Austin in 1902. The golf club is presently members with Golf Canada, and the United States Golf Association., and has hosted a number of competitions including the Canadian Open, and the Canadian Amateur Championship.
Henry Chandler Egan was an American amateur golfer and golf course architect of the early 20th century.
Oscar Frederick "Doc" Willing was an American amateur golfer. He played in three Walker Cup matches.
Edward Harvie Ward, Jr. was an American golfer best known for his amateur career. He is best known for winning both the U.S. Amateur (twice) and the British Amateur.
St. Louis Country Club (SLCC) is a country club located in Ladue, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis. It is recognized by the United States Golf Association (USGA) as one of the first 100 Clubs in America.
George "Gix" Von Elm was an American professional golfer most noted for his amateur career. He was selected by Golf Digest as Utah's greatest amateur golfer, and in the early 1960s was named Utah Golfer of the Century.
Fred Scobie Ridley is an American amateur golfer and golf administrator who won the U.S. Amateur in 1975, was elected president of the United States Golf Association (USGA) in 2004, and then became chairman of Augusta National Golf Club in 2017.
Walter Rupert Tuckerman was an American lawyer, banker, golfer, and philanthropist. Tuckerman founded the Bank of Bethesda in Bethesda, Maryland, and served as its first president. He also led development of the Edgemoor neighborhood of Bethesda. Tuckerman was a direct descendant of Oliver Wolcott, a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence. He was also a cousin of horse rider Bayard Tuckerman, Jr., an inductee into the National Racing Hall of Fame.
Maxwell Rolston Marston was an American amateur golfer. He worked as an investment banker in Philadelphia. He was a member of the Cranford Golf Club in Cranford, New Jersey and lived on Central Avenue in the town.
The 1922 Walker Cup, the first Walker Cup Match, was a team golf match played on August 28 and 29, 1922 at the National Golf Links of America in Southampton, New York. The United States won 8 to 4. There had been heavy rain for several days before the event and course was very wet.
The 1930 Walker Cup, the 6th Walker Cup Match, was played on 15 and 16 May 1930, at Royal St George's Golf Club, Sandwich, Kent, England. The United States won by 10 matches to 2. The United States won three foursomes matches and seven of the singles matches.
The 1928 Walker Cup, the 5th Walker Cup Match, was played on August 30 and 31, 1928, at Chicago Golf Club, Wheaton, Illinois. The United States won by 11 matches to 1.