Thanks so much for the comments, everyone. I must say, it's a real pleasure to be introduced to this board with such interesting bits of information.
Lynn:
I moved to Los Angeles in 1993 and did most of my Griffith Park golf probably between then and about 2000, probably most of it nearer to '93. I grew up and remain a public golf guy, so those were two of the courses that made sense for a newcomer to LA. I haven't seen that particular book of Geoff's, but I certainly know of him and his work -- in fact, I have the good fortune to call Rustic Canyon my home course, so I'm a pretty happy guy. Anyway, speaking of 5 hour rounds, I'd say that my main reason for ditching the joys of Wilson and Harding was probably what a zoo it tended to be out there when you went out as a single and wait-listed it, so I mainly switched to playing Santa Anita before Rustic got built.
Very interesting comments about Wilson's fourth, third and 11th -- and yes, I was pretty sure that bizarre par 5 on Harding with the pond (if memory serves, it's the 7th) didn't look like that in the old days.
Bill:
Yeah, I'm sure I don't want Tom going berserk on me about La Cumbre (a course about which I really know nothing at all). But I really do understand why he gets so upset about Ojai. I remember the first time I played it and got to the so-called "lost holes" (now numbers 16 and 17). Without knowing the gory details about the par 3 (Thomas's old 3rd), it was just so obvious that the new hole was a cheap sort-of copy, just because it feels like you left the golf course and were suddenly transported to some weird generic hole from 1988. Just looks and feels all wrong.
And by the way, for people who have never played the Ojai Valley Inn -- as screwed up as it is, I'd really recommend that if you're in the area you go and play it. Because the place does have that classic feel in fits and starts throughout the round, and it's just a nice place to be. There's a real charm out there, in particular when you play the holes on the old back nine that crisscross the barrancas. You just have to kind of sigh quietly when you get to all the stuff that's obviously reworked (which is pretty much all over the place).
Forrest:
Good luck on doing that work on 15 at Wilson. Hope you have the chance. And on a separate note -- I enjoyed your work at Olivas Links (that's yours, isn't it?). Plus, my father lives at Coyote Lakes in Arizona, which I believe is also a course you did. And I must say, it's a neat little place, in particular given what I assume must have been some tight restrictions on what you could do.
Sam:
Please, call me Ross -- you're just way too polite! Nice stories from your high school days about Harding. And it's funny -- that's just the kind of info I was looking for, since it's obvious that 11 and 12 there have just been butchered from whatever was originally intended. It's so interesting how these things come across when you play these kinds of places -- because, for example, it seems apparent to me that the green on 10 must be somewhat like the way it was in the old days, just because it seems like such a cool greensite. But then the next two are just nuts. I need to have a look at Thomas's book, but I haven't run across a copy yet.
Thanks all. Appreciate the thoughtful input. Perhaps we'll run into each other at some point. Cheers.