Brian,
In regards to C.B. Macdonald, you wrote, "Yes, he changed the profession and the way of thinking of design but what else did he really, really do?".
I agree that Colt was more prolific, was an equally talented architect and that his influence is measured on a global scale - and that probably qualifies him as arguably the best of his era. However, C.B. Macdonald's work at NGLA went against the grain, and shifted the tide of architecture. That is very, very signifigant, and should not be discounted. In the world of architecture, he initiated a new age of design, and that age is exemplified by NGLA.
TK
Colt was not only more prolific he was more an architect than CB Macdonald was. Yes, CB created a masterpiece but what else has he done..?
...and I, similar to Adam would like to know how he shifted the tide? What tide...the tide of the dark ages of design that had moved from the British isles to America?
Colt had already made drastic changes to the way of thinking in laying golf courses by this time, he was the first of his kind not to be a playing professional.
Don't forget he had laid out Rye by 1901, in fact it was finished in 1895.
In July 1901 he as appointed Secretary of Sunningdale and started to make dramatic changes to Willie Park's design.
Even at Alwoodely where Colt was the architect and MacKenzie construction supervisor, MacKenzie's greens were re-built because they were too severe...
The point with Colt, is not how many decent golf courses the company produced but how many genius golf courses he designed. The influence on us European architects is FAR FAR greater than CB Macdonald.
CB Macdonald may have influenced a move away from the dark ages of design in America but he has not influenced as many architects outside of America as Colt has...don't forget...nearly all of the holes CB created at NGLA are copies of the 'originals' that we already have in the British Isles.
I love the following quote from Mr Fred Hawtree cited from Colt and Co. -
"The course displays his mastery of the essential quality of layout, the solid foundation without which no amount of elaboration can succeed. His work thus lies closer to modern ecological thinking than much that is undertaken today. There is indeed a danger that any further spread of the drastic re-contouring of vast acerages in the slavish pursuit of links-like design on alien inland terrain will provide unaswerable ammunition for the ecological lobby...No matter what less inspired practioners may have done to his major layouts subsequently, each one remains a fascinating example of how eighteen could be interwoven with that particular piece of land."
The man was a genius...CB who?
Brian