Matt Ward,
I don't know that head to head comparisons aren't more of a preference for style.
Friar's Head, Sebonack, Shinnecock, Westhampton, Maidstone, Atlantic and NGLA are all good golf courses.
I don't think anyone can go wrong by playing them day in and day out.
I'm partial to NGLA, but, that doesn't mean that all of the other courses aren't very good, or unique in their own style.
Just because I prefer to play NGLA doesn't mean that Shinnecock suffers architecturally.
All too often preference seems to connote inferiority in the less prefered golf course and I don't think that's the case.
Despite TEPaul's argument to the contrary, I think it takes visionaries to create very good golf courses. The architects shape their vision.
CBM, Lowell Schulman, Ken Bakst and Mike Pascucci fit that bill. Without them the wonderful golf courses on the east end would never exist.