Where does Augusta National rank among best Alister MacKenzie courses?

Alister MacKenzie designed many of the best courses in the world, including Augusta National Golf Club’s course, site of the Masters. His best work stretches from England to Australia, and he had a deep connection with California, where he lived at Pasatiempo from 1929 until his death in 1934. 

But which are his best courses? 

We can look at two of the Golfweek’s Best lists to see how all the courses that bear his name stack up. Starting with the Golfweek’s Best 2024 ranking of classic courses in the U.S., then moving to examine the 2024 list for top 100 international courses outside the U.S., we can see how our hundreds of raters measure MacKenzie’s courses. Golfweek’s Best uses the averaged ratings of individual raters to rank courses, based on a 10-point scale. Only a handful of courses in the world surpass a 9-point average.  

Most of these courses are original efforts by MacKenzie, but some were done in collaboration with other architects. Other courses have been modified, renovated or restored to some notable degree. Included below, where appropriate, are other architects who are credited for work on those courses. 

15. Palmetto

• Average rating: 7.04
• Ranking: Tied No. 106 classic courses in U.S.
• Location: Aiken, S.C.
• Other designer: Herbert Leeds

14. Royal Adelaide

• Average rating: 7.29
• Ranking: No. 85 international courses
• Location: Seaton, South Australia, Australia
• Other designer: H.L. Rymill

13. Meadow Club

• Average rating: 7.31
• Ranking: Tied No. 71 classic courses in U.S.
• Location: Fairfax, Calif.
• Other designer: Robert Hunter

12. Victoria Golf Club

• Average rating: 7.43
• Ranking: Tied No. 68 international courses
• Location: Cheltenham, Victoria, Australia
• Other designers: William Meader, Oscar Damman

11. Alwoodley

• Average rating: 7.46
• Ranking: Tied No. 64 international courses
• Location: Leeds, England

10. New South Wales Golf Club

• Average rating: 7.74
• Ranking: No. 36 international courses
• Location: La Perouse, New South Wales, Australia

9. Valley Club of Montecito

• Average rating: 7.80
• Ranking: No. 38 classic courses in U.S.
• Location: Santa Barbara, Calif.
• Other designer: Robert Hunter

8. Pasatiempo

• Average rating: 7.82
• Ranking: No. 36 classic courses in U.S.
• Location: Santa Cruz, Calif.

7. California Golf Club

• Average rating: 7.91
• Ranking: Tied No. 27 classic courses in U.S.
• Location: South San Francisco, Calif.
• Other designers: A. Vernon Macan, Kyle Phillips

6. Lahinch (Old)

• Average rating: 7.94
• Ranking: No. 26 international courses
• Location: Lahinch, Ireland
• Other designers: Old Tom Morris, Charles Gibson, Martin Hawtree 

5. Kingston Heath

• Average rating: 8.08
• Ranking: Tied No. 18 international courses
• Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
• Other designer: Dan Souter

4. Crystal Downs

• Average rating: 8.51
• Ranking: Tied No. 13 classic courses in U.S.
• Location: Frankfort, Mich.
• Other designer: Perry Maxwell

3. Royal Melbourne (West)

• Average rating: 8.70
• Ranking: No. 4 international courses
• Location: Black Rock, Victoria, Australia

2. Augusta National

• Average rating: 9.5
• Ranking: No. 3 classic courses in U.S.
• Location: Augusta, Ga.
• Other designer: Bobby Jones

1. Cypress Point

• Average rating: 9.62
• Ranking: No. 1 classic courses in U.S.
• Location: Pebble Beach, Calif.