Login / Register
Golf Course Architect · Australia
Alex Russell (1892–1961) was an Australian amateur champion golfer, soldier, grazier—and notably a golf course architect who both partnered with Alister MacKenzie on Royal Melbourne’s renowned West Course and independently designed its East Course. Born and raised in Geelong, Victoria, Russell studied engineering at Cambridge and served with distinction in World War I.
After returning home, he became a dominant amateur golfer, winning the 1924 Australian Open and numerous state titles. In 1926, he assisted MacKenzie in laying out the West Course at Royal Melbourne and supervised its construction; later, in 1932, he designed the East Course on his own.
His other notable designs include Lake Karrinyup (Perth), Yarra Yarra (Melbourne), Riversdale (Melbourne), and Paraparaumu Beach (New Zealand). After a period focusing on sheep grazing and Red Cross service during World War II, he remained influential in golf and agricultural circles until his death in 1961.
2 courses in directory
