Ralph "Lefty" Mace

Ralph "Lefty" Mace remains a relatively obscure figure in golf architecture history, with limited documentation of his career and design philosophy. What is known is that he was active during an era when many military installations developed their own golf facilities, often with local designers or military engineers leading the work.

His documented design work includes Fort Sill Golf Club in Oklahoma, a course serving the military community at Fort Sill. Military course design during this period typically emphasized playability and efficient maintenance within budgetary constraints, producing straightforward layouts suited to the available terrain and resources.

Beyond Fort Sill, details about Mace's broader portfolio, training, or career timeline remain elusive. His nickname "Lefty" suggests a left-handed golfer or designer, though the origin is not definitively recorded. He represents one of many regional designers whose contributions to American golf, while perhaps modest in scale, helped establish recreational facilities for specific communities.

Sources: Course Vaults course links only.