About
As a boy, he had already laid out a miniature golf course on land next to his family home at Hill House on top of Gullane Hill in Scotland.
Philip Mackenzie Ross was a Scottish golf course architect born in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1890. He gained recognition for designing and remodeling golf courses throughout Europe, notably in France, Spain, Portugal, and the United Kingdom. After World War I, Ross pursued a career in golf course architecture, initially working as an assistant to the notable Tom Simpson before establishing his own practice in the 1930s. One of his most respected works is the Southerness Golf Club in southwest Scotland, completed in 1949, which is considered the last true links course built in Scotland. Ross is also renowned for rebuilding the Ailsa course at Turnberry in 1951 after World War II.
He was highly regarded for his strategic and sympathetic design philosophy, emphasizing the natural topography and characteristics of the land. In 1971, Ross was elected the first president of the British Association of Golf Course Architects. Although not as prolific as some contemporaries, his work left a lasting influence on golf course design, demonstrating a keen ability to maximize the potential of diverse sites. He passed away in 1974, leaving a legacy of thoughtful and impactful golf course architecture.
