Dan Murphy and Steve Carroll explore the links between Dr Alister MacKenzie's first course design, Alwoodley, and his most famous, Augusta National

It’s surely the cathedral of courses. That church of azaleas at Augusta National has the eyes of the world focused on it this week as the Masters once again gets our seasons under way.

It was designed, of course, by Dr Alister MacKenzie, whose incredible body of work also includes those paradise must-play venues of Cypress Point, Pasatiempo, and Royal Melbourne.

But do you know his first course was much closer to home for us in the UK? In West Yorkshire, no less.

The original can be found in Leeds, at Alwoodley Golf Club – a fabulous heathland that’s a fixture of both NCG’S Top 100 England and GB&I lists.

The NCG Top 100s Podcast: Alwoodley Golf Club and Augusta National

What sets this layout apart and can we find any echoes of Alwoodley in MacKenzie’s masterpiece in Georgia?

To discuss this wonderful course, and to explore those Augusta links, Dan Murphy and Steve Carroll chatted with Alwoodley course manager Matthew Brighton and consulting architect Clyde Johnson in the first episode of our new series of the NCG Top 100s Podcast.

Listen in the player below, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Visit the NCG Top 100s homepage for all this and much, much more.

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Dan Murphy

Dan loves links golf, which doesn't mean he is very good at it. He is a four-handicapper at Alwoodley. A qualified journalist and senior editor with 25 years’ experience, he was the long-time editor of NCG. His passion is golf courses and he is the founding editor of NCG Top 100s course rankings. He loves nothing more than discovering and highlighting courses that are worthy of greater recognition.

Handicap: 4

Steve Carroll

A journalist for 23 years, Steve has been immersed in club golf for almost as long. A former captain and committee member, he has passed the Level 3 Rules of Golf exam with distinction having attended the national Tournament Administrators and Referee's Seminar. He has officiated at a host of high-profile tournaments, including Open Regional Qualifying and the PGA Fourball Championship. A member of NCG's Top 100s panel, Steve has a particular love of links golf and is frantically trying to restore his single-figure handicap. Steve is currently playing: Driver: TaylorMade Stealth 2 3-Wood: TaylorMade Stealth 2 Hybrids: TaylorMade Stealth 2 Irons: TaylorMade Stealth 5-A Wedge Wedges: TaylorMade Hi-Toe 54 and 58 Putter: Sik Sho Ball: TaylorMade TP5

Handicap: 11.3

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