JES
I think I understand what you're saying, and I think you're right. But then what would you make of the Simpson quote that starts this thread? What is the nature of the 'essential attribute' he's referring to?
My two cents - I think the term 'apparent randomness' is maybe a better one than 'luck'. But also, I think that in golf (more than in any other sport), that apparent randomness is very, very close to effective randomness (i.e. luck).
e.g. From 250 yards out, is any player skillful enough to hit a little knob in the fairway in exactly the way he wants, i.e. in the exact spot and with the exact trajectory? If not, then two players can both hit exceptionally good shots, only to have one bounce off the knob to the right and into the fairway, and the other bounce off to the left, into the rough.
Those two bounces could've been predicted, but since there's almost nothing anyone can do - skill-wise -- with that prediction/information, the apparent randomness becomes quite real in practice.
Peter