Donald Steel is one of the most accomplished and admired golf architects in the world and the only golf architect that has been allowed to tinker with the century-old Jubilee Course at St. Andrews in Scotland since 1893 Open Champion, Willie Auchterlonie, increased its length back in 1946! Six courses either designed or redesigned by Donald have hosted major tournaments on the PGA European Tour or the Ladies Professional European Tour.

Donald started his distinguished career as a golf architect in 1965, when he joined the firm of Cotton (C.K.), Pennink, Lawrie and Partners. He founded his own firm, Donald Steel and Co, in 1987 and has since built 70 new courses in more than 20 countries, including four in the US - Cherokee Plantation, in Yemassee, SC; Carnegie Abbey, in Newport, RI, The Vineyard, on Martha's Vineyard and The Highland Course At Primland near Meadows of Dan,VA.

Other Donald Steel designs include: Redtail (Canada), Vila Sol and Aroeira (Portugal), Efteling (Holland), The Carnegie Links at Skibo Castle (Scotland), the Strathtyrum at St Andrews (Scotland), Harleyford and Brocket Hall (England), The Abaco Club at Winding Bay (The Bahamas) and Rajawella (Sri Lanka).

Donald was the first Hon. Secretary of the British Institute of Golf Course Architects from 1971-85 and has held the offices of Chairman and President. He is also the author or editor of several books on golf including The Classic Links of Great Britain and Ireland and he served as golf correspondent of London's Sunday Telegraph for 30 years.

In 1993, Donald was elected the eighth President of the Association of Golf Writers. He is the first person to have combined careers in writing and golf course architecture and is the only person to have been President of both the BIGCA and AGW. He is also the only person to have advised EVERY course or club in the UK that has staged the British Open Championship.

An accomplished golfer in his own right, Donald took part in the Open championship at St. Andrews in 1970 and has played competitively in many countries.

In Volume 111 of the History of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club, the book notes: "Donald Steel's playing and working life has seldom strayed far from St. Andrews - the university in which his father was a medical graduate. He was also commissioned by the St. Andrews Links Trust to carry out extensive redesigns of the Jubilee and Eden courses, to design the Strathtyrum and Balgove and provide the master plan for most of the new and revised facilities so familiar today. He has been a member of the Royal and Ancient since 1962."

Donald Steel is currently President of the English Golf Union.