Country Life Issue 917 is a British institution. The journal has catered to the elite for more than 120 years, with early issues containing information about outdoor pursuits, including golf.
Lido Competition
Horace Hutchinson and Bernard Darwin contributed an article named “On The Green” as well as organizing the Lido competition. In Country Life Issue 917, Herbert Fowler, Horace Hutchinson, and Bernard Darwin awarded Alister MacKenzie the first place prize. The award was kindly donated by none other than C.B. MacDonald. Despite the fact Alister Mackenzie had already undertaken design in Yorkshire, England, he hadn’t attained international acclaim. With Herbert Fowler and Bernard Darwin’s approval, the stage was set for Alister MacKenzie to take the spotlight. Additionally, CB MacDonald was perhaps the most powerful and influential figures in golf stateside at the time. Winning the top prize no doubt bolstered Mackenzie’s reputation around the world and gave him a platform for further work.
The Winning Design
In Country Life Issue 917, Alister MacKenzie relates the hole was designed with no fixed line to the hole. This design allowed for a variety of routes, in all weather conditions. Perhaps the most interesting route is the sixth variant. With a four-shot approach and one putt bogey, the high handicap player could post a score that could compete with a scratch player who risked it all and failed to put it off.
