Anthony:
I have a bias in that debate. Scoring was about the same for the two days ... a different player broke the course record on each course. I think the scores at Kauri Cliffs were 66-70-71-73 (vs par 72) and at Cape Kidnappers it was 65-66-71-74 (vs par 71).
Tom Paul:
What did I learn?
First, that all four are very nice young men -- I was surprised how young they all seemed to me.
Second, that Anthony Kim's best unposted round at High Pointe from his summer up in Michigan was 61 -- six shots better than anybody else has ever done.
Third, that you CAN fool the best players and keep them off balance with subtle stuff -- they really had trouble scoring on the front nine because they were taking big numbers out of play, but then once one player started making some putts their competitive sides kicked in and they just made mincemeat out of the finishing holes, which are tough for everyone else. If they all had a week at Cape Kidnappers in calm conditions, I'm sure they would annihilate the course. (However, when the wind came up the day after in the pro-am, only one of the four played the course as well as they did in competition.)
Fourth, that Adam Scott is 30 yards longer off the tee than the other three, except when Anthony Kim really catches one. Adam left himself with 98 yards to the green on the 17th, which is 470 yards uphill. He did have a SLIGHT helping breeze.
Fifth, that driver is the straightest club in their bags. None of the four even thought about hitting a different club on the par-5 15th, which is 40 yards wide and death to both sides, even though they all knew they would play it as a three-shot hole so driver didn't matter much.
Sixth, that none of them try to work the ball off the tee, at all. They just hit it hard and straight. I think Paul Cowley is right, that designing holes which curve in the landing area would give them fits.
Last, that in the end, the guy with the fewest putts wins.