Another idea to consider, especially when you speak of course accessability in Great Britain
"The step, under the 1894 Act, of imposing a charge on anyone to play golf in St. Andrews, was unprecedented in the Town's history. But the Old Course continued to be free and open for anyone to play over its venerable turf for many years.
By 1913, however, the congestion was again becoming so acure as to be almost untolerable, with both courses becoming more crowded than ever. A third layout was the Jubilee Course and a fourth the Eden laid out on the west side of the Links. At the same time, and Act of Parliament had to be applied for to enable the local authorities to impose a charge on visitors for playing over the New and Eden, and , most revolutioinary of all, over the Old Course.
Final shattering of the age-old tradition of free golf came when the townspeople, in 1946, were charged up to a maximum of 2 pounds per year for playing golf on their own courses.
Never before, in the age-long history of the Old Course, had they paid for their golf. This measure required a new Parliamentary Order which was preceeded by a lengthy and exhaustive public inquiry at Edinburgh."
James K. Robertson, St. Andrews Home of Golf
At the time that golf was no longer free in Scotland (1946), there were already many ultra-exlusive private clubs in the U.S. which did not permit unaccompanied guests on their courses. I would argue that the reason that unaccompanied guest play is viewed differently in Europe is the infuence of St. Andrews. The poeple of St. Andrews viewed free access for them and any guest (accompanied or otherwise) to be an inherent right. It just didn't come down that way in the States.