After his time in South Africa, MacKenzie worked as a medical doctor in Leeds, where he would dedicate some of his spare time creating models of greens and bunkers – such was his passion for golf course architecture. During this time he would also take any opportunity to visit courses across the land, of which the Old Course at St Andrews was his favourite - a course that would influence his design philosophy and style to a great extent. MacKenzie’s first design opportunity came at a club he served as green committee chairman at the Alwoodley Golf Club. Under the guide of Harry Colt - one of the great architects of all time - he would assist in the redesign of the 18-hole facility. The good doctor made such an impression on Colt that at the end of the First World War he was given a position at his practice.
The time spent working with Colt and partner Charles Alison - another highly respected golf architect at the time - was invaluable. However, it was only once MacKenzie started out on his own in the 1920s did his stock grow and in time he too would take on legendary status. Certainly MacKenzie was not tied down to any place of work; instead he sought out assignments in countries as diverse as Australia, New Zealand and even Argentina to go with what work he had in the United Kingdom and Ireland. One such post was that of consulting architect at the honored links at St Andrews.
He would finally settle in California in the mid 1920s. One of his reasons for doing so, legend has it, was that he had always wanted to live in a climate where he could practice golf in his pajamas before breakfast.
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