George,
The check is in the fax machine!
Timely second question, because I just had a discussion with the managers of a well known resort considering a third course. They made the same comments Pat did - an architect would be concerned following two pretty good acts. I did say I would take the challenge if it was offered, though. Perhaps we are like professional golfers - probably over confident of our abilities. Of course, so do many amateur architects.....
As to your question about what you (ably standing in for amateur architects everywhere) would do wrong, it would be the routing to start, and then, as you suggest, just about everything else!
I have gone to many projects where someone involved proudly unrolls "their" routing. The biggest problem most have is understanding just how much room a fairway, green or tee complex takes, and spacing everything too close together. This is usually a result of "falling in love" with a few features, and not realizing that some of them just can't be used within the framework of a golf course. You have to pick the ones that fit best - not necessarily the best ones in all cases.
The "scale factor" will come into play in designing greens, tees and bunkers next. Without fail, the features depicted on most plans are about half size.
In terms of design elements, designing for vision (forgetting the occaisional desire for a blind shot) of design elements is a difficult chore, and one we still make mistakes on, and I think I am one of the better in the business at it.
Some examples - Pete Dye's (and mine) lake edges are straight. Why? Every inside curve dissapeard to the golfer's eye. Many Landscape Architects depict beautifully curving shorelines, which look good on paper, but not to the golfer who wants to know where the edge of the lake is.
Going uphill, its hard to make just about anything visible, and it affects hazard and green design.
if you look at clearly visible sand bunkers, you will note that they are usually built a little above the fairway, not dug in as pits. Dug out bunkers are almost always blind to the golfer.
Lastly, most first time (and even some professional architects) fail miserably when considering maintenance related aspects - like cart and pedestrian circulation and it's effects on design, shade and air movement, turning diameters for riding mowers, etc. and to name just a few "swirling thoughts" that go through an architect's mind simultaneously.
Of course, the drainage, irrigation and grassing aspects can give trouble. Even the professional architects ask for help on those in most cases.
This list is by no means complete! What I have learned through mistakes - the number of which is just too painful to contemplate
- goes on. however, there will always be an eager young associate (or any aspiring architect) who is pretty sure he has it all figured out, until he actually tries to design something!
I hope I don't sound dismissive, and I am sure the other architects will have different perspectives. Getting that experience is certainly half the fun.
Got to go now, but I hope this answers your "mulligan" question a bit better.