Tom
When you say....
"Maybe it was a lot more than golf and architecture too--it was the moment!"
...I think you describe falling in love......
And, love is a very personal thing, which is why we all have different home "courses," for different reasons.
From what everyone (including Gene) has told me about Sand Hills, I can see why he has fallen in love with the place. Of course, this doesn't mean, I assume, that he doesn't still shackup with NGLA and Cypress from time to time too, and might even give wee Mallow a good romp in the hay if and when he got to see her.........