When it comes to the golf consumer, what they get is media-marketing driven, just like any of the consumers of hamburger that JK cites. It is only when you get down to the niche specialty consumer, the descerning ones that take the extra time and effort to seek out something better, that you get the existence of a product made with quality and care, and craftsmanship. Everyone who is an enthusiastic consumer of various products has their favorite niche and/or local brand. Such as craft-brewhouse beers, local or regional famous hamburgers, or hidden gem golf courses.
I agree yet disagree with Nunzio to the extent that they get what they deserve when they are marketted to in a mass media way via golf advertizing for the latest and greatest high end CCFAD or ultra exclusive private club with astronomical intitiation fees and such. But it seems to me that the marketting is anything but for "bland" golf courses. The marketting is for elaborate, eye-candy, costly enclaves of lavish or lush environs. That is big $$ that the marketting efforts are fishing for. They can't market 'bland'. They have to have calendar shot signature holes to market.
It is only the descerning golfer, the ones that take the time to learn about play and spriit of the game and its history, not acquire the accutremonts of the lifestyle of the game, that the few in numbers niche golfer pursues. Bandon is an aberration. It has its lavish aspects, with great golf. It is a trophy for the acquisition oriented crowd, yet a destination of descernability for the niche serious golfer. But across the broad spectrum of golf; how many golf destinations or mecca's exist for the serious golfer as opposed to the multitude of 'signature' trophy - highly marketted little golf substance venues?
We get what the mass media focused marketting picks out and defines for us as a general group of golfers, and the more descerning must seek out and in many cases find obscure facilities that meet their more refined tastes.
At least that is the way I see it...