Funny Alister MacKenzie Anecdote

Reprinted from The Spirit of St. Andrews:

“During the championship at Hoylake, I was returning to Liverpool by train in a railway carriage with a number of golfers who were discussing Hoylake and other greens.

None of them knew who I was, and one of them turned and said “We have some of those infernal MacKenzie greens on our course.”  I remarked, “Was Dr. MacKenzie responsible for them?”  He replied, “Well they are called ‘MacKenzie Greens,’ so he must have made them.”  I asked him what was the name of his course, and he mentioned a course near Liverpool.  Much to the amusement of the other occupants of the carriage, I remarked, “I happen to be Dr. MacKenzie.  I have never seen or even heard of your basted course, so how can I be responsible for your greens I don’t know.”