The Golf Course Architect

Donald Maclennan Arkley Steel

This publicity shy top-class amateur golfer has been a qualified golf architect for 25 years. He has worked on 200 projects and designed 45 new courses. He is the first golf course architect to have done major work at St. Andrews in more than 50 years. In addition to teh redesign of the Jubilee and the Eden Courses undertaken for the Links Managment Commitee, Donald Steel was chosen to design the new Strathtyrum and Balgrove Courses, part of en exciting long term plan for golf at St. Andrews.

He is currently working on projects in Portugal, Sweden, Germany, France, Canada, Belgium, England (Mill Ride at Ascot, Lord Spencer's Estate in Northampton, Portal Tarporley, Forest of Arden) Ireland and Scotland.

He has also been advising the R & A of St. Andrews on alterations to the Open and Amateur Championship Courses (Royal St. George's, Turnberry, Muirfield, Royal Birkdale, Royal Lytham St. Annes).

Donald is a former scratch golfer and England International, Berks. Bucks. and Oxon open champion, to name a few titles.

He was golf correspondent of the Sunday Telegraph from 1961 - 1990 and of Country Life since 1983, author of the Golf Course Guide to the British Isles, the Shell World Encyclopaedia of Golf ( described by Herbert Warren Wind as one of the 3 most useful golfing reference books) 2 bedside books and 3 editions of the Guinness Book of Golf. He is currently working on a Guide to the British Links.

Donald is still a keen low-handicap golfer, member of Denham, R & A, Royal Worlington and Newmarket, West Sussex, Goodwood Park, Temple, Tadmartin Heath, Pine Valley USA, Oxford and Cambridge Golfing Society, and Brunston Castle one day, perhaps? A member of the British Association of Golf Course Architects, Chairman from 1985 - 1988 and current President, Donald is assisted by Tom McKenzie, Martin Ebert and Jim Arthur.

Golf Monthly's 1988 issue states: "He is inexorably becoming recognised as Great Britain's number one golf architect"

Let us listen to his philosophy : "Golf courses are built to last hundreds of years. All the more reason, therefore, to ensure they are skilfully designed and constructed to the highest standards, particularly at a a time where the industry is susceptible to unqualified infiltrators. Emphasis on top quality, based on technical and academic knowledge, attention to detail and experience of playing the game at all levels is paramount." Having played alongside professionals, competed in major championships and as a lifetime club member, Donald has acquired a unique standing. He understands that golf courses have to be challenging and enjoyable to all classes of player, and he acts on that belief. Golf course architecture is not a case of buying a name and leaving someone else to do the work. "It involves a basic eye for land, the imagination to realise its potential and the magical ingredient that cannot be taught, the instinct to know how best to transform it into something beautiful and permanent." concludes Donald Steel.

I can only admire how subtly he used natural contours and features to guide us round our lovely valley, underlining every view with a superb backdrop of land or skyline. Who was it who said "Golf courses were built by God and men were left to discover them."? I now think there is a wee bit more to it, and I am sincerely grateful to Donald, and to God, of course!

Bob Low 1991