Pat,
What say we put this bickering behind us and agree that on some matters two golfers must agree to disagree, while respecting the other's opinion and right to feel strongly about a course or topic he is passionate about?
I think this topic has taken you, me and a few others into negative waters that the good ship GCA was not designed to navigate. The good thing is that we are all passionate about great golf courses, but this is not the way to express it, I think you'll agree.
Please accept my genuine regret for any distress my criticism has caused you. I certainly posted my review without malicious intentions, but I now realise I also did so without appreciating that after 20 years of work, there is so much of you in that course that you'd naturally feel a personal sting.
As far as the personal attacks, the claims and counter claims, let's take a step back and accept each other at our word. I certainly do so. I take you at your word and calling you a liar in my post was not right. My apologies. Differences are differences, but I am sure the people our friends know us as are different people to the ones you and I have come to know in each other through this back-and-forth.
As far as rankings... well, I spend far too much time worrying about them for someone who's not convinced they really count for much! TEC may not be GB&I top 20 in my book, but it's no more my place to talk down Golf World and its panel of raters than it would be for any of them to tell me my list of favourites/bests is "wrong".
I wish you well, congratulate you on turning a dream most of us harbour into a successful venture and finish by insisting that should you find yourself in my neck of the woods, that we share at least a pint and preferably a round of golf.
cheers and best wishes,
Scott