Golf course architect Alister MacKenzie found his interest in course designs while working as a surgeon in the Boer War. The English-born MacKenzie noticed how the Boers in South Africa camouflaged their surroundings with both natural and artificial cover, and after the war, he began applying those same principles to golf course design. 

MacKenzie went on to design more than 50 golf courses on four continents before his death in 1934, and his designs have stood the test of time. He remains one of the sport’s most respected golf course architects, and playing one of his courses is a reminder of just how brilliant his design vision — with its penchant for leveraging existing natural beauty — was. If your bucket list includes checking off as many MacKenzie-designed courses as you can, here are three to start with: 

Northwood Golf Club, Monte Rio, California

This stunning course may only have nine holes, but it has landed on many “Best Of” lists, thanks to MacKenzie’s knack for leveraging nature as the centerpiece of his design. Set among the massive California Redwood trees, it creates a golfing experience that is nothing short of magical. He used naturally contoured fairways to create a challenging and memorable course that measures 2,893 yards.

MacKenzie designed many of the holes close to the towering trees, but since it was originally created in 1928, those trees have continued growing. That makes the fairways even tighter today than the designer first envisioned. Adding to the challenge are his signature intimidating bunkers and rather small undulating greens. 

Two of the most talked-about holes are the second hole, a 382-yard challenge with a punchbowl green that rests in a hollow at the top of a hill, and the final hole. To finish the round, the 9th hole offers a tough par five, with a back-to-front slope that provides a final test of skill in one of the most beautiful settings imaginable. 

707-865-1116, northwoodgolf.com

Palmetto Golf Club, Aiken, South Carolina

Palmetto Golf Club has the distinction of being the oldest, continually operated 18-hole golf course in the Southeast, and is the second-oldest in the U.S., with the Chicago Golf Club being the only club with more years under its belt. Palmetto was originally constructed in 1892, but it received MacKenzie’s touch in 1932, when he was hired to convert the course from sand to grass. He also lengthened the course, and for the next four decades, other golf course architects continued to make minor changes, such as tree and bunker work. However, in 2003, Palmetto brought in Tom Doak — an expert on MacKenzie’s work — to restore many of the original design characteristics. 

Today, members play on a course with the reworked bunkers and expanded greens —which is the way MacKenzie originally created them. The greens get much of the attention on the course, and they offer a variety of challenges. From the slippery slopes to raised surfaces that welcome many approaches — but have a slim margin of error — the greens also showcase MacKenzie’s skill at creating camouflage. The false fronts can give off different appearances depending on the angle from which they are played, which makes the holes more challenging than one might expect. 

Several short holes help make the game more interesting, and each one is unforgiving and demands near-perfect execution, which only makes it easier to commit to returning and conquering what couldn’t be accomplished in previous rounds. 

The walking course is hilly but compact and shows MacKenzie’s imaginative approach; this course itself grabs your attention with the very first green … and never lets it go. 

803-649-2951, palmettogolfclub.net

Pasatiempo Golf Course, Santa Cruz, California

Although MacKenzie designed such renowned courses as Georgia’s Augusta National and California’s Cypress Point, his favorite layout was at Pasatiempo. (He even built his American home to border the sixth fairway.) Once again, he played upon the strengths of nature to create a spectacular and breathtaking course; many of the holes provide a view of nearby Monterey Bay. 

Pasatiempo has been named one of Golf Digest’s Top 3 Courses You Can Play in California, and the other two — Pebble Beach and Spyglass Hill — are less than an hour’s drive away, which makes this the perfect golfing weekend destination. The semi-private club has certain times available to the public, allowing them to play on the same greens that have hosted such greats as Ken Venturi and Tiger Woods.

While Pasatiempo was designed to be walkable, and the tees are relatively close to the previous green, be aware that the hilly terrain may be challenging for some. Those who are up for it, however, will be rewarded: those higher elevations offer incredible views that extend all the way to the ocean, while the lower elevations provide an endless view of trees, bunkers and wildlife. 

Even though this 18-hole course isn’t particularly long, it creates its challenges with unusually shaped greens — often at awkward angles — and equally atypically shaped bunkers. Add in the mounding and elevation changes around the greens, and you’ll understand why golfers say that every hole on this course is worth the visit. 

831-459-9155, pasatiempo.com