I play those dogtracks you talk about all the time. They are closest to my home and affordable. Not the best golf but still golf. Sometimes I play them well and sometimes not but golf all the same. Do I enjoy playing a well conditioned, "NAME" course, yes but I don't enjoy paying for it just because of the name. I have played Devlin, Weiskopf, Palmer, Nicklaus, Dye, Ross etc.... many others.....and The enjoyment often comes from how I'm hitting the ball more so than how the course is layed out, etc....although I've played some awsome courses poorly but still had fun, hey its still golf.
Are these the greatest courses in the world, probably not, fun to play, yea.
I guess my point in the question is, do former professional golfers turned architects or designers, make good courses, those that would be enjoyable or fun to play. Or are their course unrealisticly impossible for the average golfer.
I've never played Murifield Village, I've walked it many times and I must say it looks very challenging. Would it be fun to play, I'd like to try it and see, I might not play well but my point is, would that be because its not made for the average golfer. That course was constructed for pro golf.
I think it would still be fun to play though.