Yes, playing Royal Melbourne Composite earlier this year. At issue were the second shots. A golfer having an excellent day off the tee is "privileged" to take a shot of great challenge, such as a wood or hybrid up a hill to a flag protected by a deep bunker, lightning greens, and a false front -- a miss may produce as much as a two-shot penalty; alternately he may choose a conservative route.
Given the complete absence of water and penal rough, plus a terrain that is not flat but not particularly demanding physically, the pressure is of a mental nature, cumulative, and ultimately very fatiguing.
Most expect a great drive to open up an easier second shot; RM-C promises only the unlocking of a second shot not available after poor drives. Unlike other privileges, these carry an implied charge against the debit side of the golfer's scorecard ledger.
In general and additionally, I would think short grass around greens produces potential fatigue, as more options, and therefore tougher decisions, are called for.
Mark
Methinks you protest too much, however your basic point is fair. For the amateur visitor, RM asks for too much local knowledge for immediate gratification. I guess if you can bomb the ball 300+ through the air, you can fly over the issues that we must deal with... but I don't know another course where, even when playing with a good member, and listening to him, one can be so stymied by being 5 yards left or right of the ideal line.
My only good round around the West, BTW was my first when I struck the ball quite nicely and frankly, just got lucky all the way round!
Lloyd, yes that's a very good observation about the narrowness of the "privilege" corridors.
Even so, to be in one of those corridors is still to receive the challenge, isn't it? The shot I guess is easier in the corridor than out, but it's not necessarily easy -- at least not for this chopper!
There are many many holes that embody this, I think; off the top of my head to start off the rounds there are the second shots on RMW 2 & 4 and on RME 1 & 2. 2 & 4 RMW demand well-struck tee shots on bold lines -- and for that achievement you are privileged to try a shot I can pull off only about half the time, with failures producing horrible results. (Even missing those deep bunkers on both, i.e., going long, is a heartburn-inducing affair.)
For that matter, the same principle -- I guess this really is down to just aggressive vs. conservative route, there's nothing really new here, just not designed so well too often -- applies on the par 3s and the 10th RMW, too. The point of the tees is to give the golfer an "unearned" pass of sorts and advance him directly to the Corridor of Privilege for the approach shot -- good luck to those who will attack a front-right flag on 7 RMW!
We will have to ask the likes of Philip G what it's like to bomb 300+ drives...although I will say, reading Tim Gavrich's comments on Scotland, I feel a sense of sympathy for those whose games are so good they are unable to experience the joy of how a great classical course challenges the golfer on a day when he is playing his best game.
Mark