David,
I agree that they would not have liked it as heavily treed, but even treed at all is a breakthrough from what I thought the truth was even an hour ago. Trees large enough to cast a shadow from that elevation were there long before 38.
Know the intent of the course was to be very difficult, I am now lead to believe that the Fownes would prefer the penal nature of the trees at the time of H.C.'s death to what there is today.