Douglas Golf Club was originally designed in 1909 by golfing great Harry Vardon along with Club Professional John McNamara. A six time British Open Champion and pioneer of the famous Vardon Grip, Harry Vardon was also an esteemed course architect. His designs set the foundation for a fantastic golf course. In his own words Vardon said “after walking over the land of the proposed course, I saw a splendid golf course could be laid out.”

The course was extended and altered in 1924 by celebrated course architect, Dr Alister MacKenzie. Still to this day Alister MacKenzie is respected as one of the leading architects of golf course design. Many have imitated his style over the last one hundred years but it is said nobody has ever matched his natural flair for the golfing environment. Among his impressive list of golf course designs are Augusta National, Cypress Point, Royal Troon, Lahinch Golf Club and Royal Melbourne. The ‘Irish Field’ reported on 1 May 1926 that “MacKenzie has so altered the confirmation of the ground about the greens in Douglas as to give the whole course a very pleasing appearance… it bears at every turn the impress of his golfing genius.”