Jon - The very basic ABCs require that our soils drain well and the USGA and other have come up with percolation rates that qualify and percolation rates that dont, equally what percolates at X today may percolate at X+ in a years time, or under 50,000 rounds, 100,000 rounds. The USGA have stipulated many other aspects that are "BEST", some of their best's may be marginal, but grain shape, hardness are important and the amounts of finer materials found in the mix is important. If you buy a rootzone of 80% Silica sand, 20% milled peat, that is pretty much the best, you cant get better, so by definition everything else becomes lesser. Our 80-20 contains minimal fines or clays or silts, as soon as you use native soils you run that risk. There will be areas where great soils will naturally occur, the great linksland areas of today are likely to be protected, new links courses are extremely rare.
The problem with native soil is the silts and clays and just a small % can be catastrophe. Whilst I think the USGA method is best, I think the USGA rootzone is the key, so I would build a green without grits and gravels, but I would never mix a native soil that did not pass the lab tests. I am not against cheap and cheerfulls in there right situ, but for serious golf courses they are ways to save money, but dont do it with the greens mix.