Pete - again, Rustic may or may not be the best example.
Think SO firm and fast that the fairways are running 10+ on the stimp, and the ground is like rock. Lots of UK links get that way, as you know - in fact we're gonna see a great example starting in a few hours, from what we read.
In those conditions, hell you might as well putt - that works very much as well as hybrid/4iron, whatever. You just need to get the ball rolling. Of course it does take practice and it ain't easy - and the best players (ie pros) will want to get the ball a little airborne at first - thus the use of clubs with at least a little loft. But the point is with nothing in the way, it's patently silly to get the ball off the ground much at all - it's a high-risk shot with very little reward.
So when conditions are like this, for 99% of the world's golfers, putter does remain the best play. Oh, they don't get up and down all the time - the point isn't at all to say it's easy - the point is more that saying these conditions "promote creativity" is just plain wrong. Creativity only becomes relevant when something breaks up the firm running shot - either grass a wee bit longer, a bunker in the way, sleepers, whatever.
TH