I firmly believe that having a golf course presented in "optimun playing conditions" is:
1. Defined differently by each golf course owner/membership, not GCA.
2. Much more difficult that what most think. It takes alot of time, effort, energy ( an in many cases, MONEY) to have a plant that is healthy, lean, tolerant, fast and firm. It takes a lot of training and is a process that does not happen over night. More than any place I have worked at in the past, I have realized how important soils and their proper nutrients play a role in having that turf. Of course, as course built on sand (Seminole) is going to dry out faster and play firmer than a course built on old farm land. (Pine Tree)
When I first arrived here, we experienced TERRIBLE soil conditions with pH levels below 4.5. Regardless of who you are and where you've work, you're not going to be able to grow turfgrass when soil pH levels are that poor. Soil ammending has been the #1 thing that we've delt with since my arrival. We core aerified 3 times this summer, and vertidrained another 3 times. Along with 5 LIME applications in a year, we have finally seen our pH levels get a range that the grass is actually thriving.
A course like Sunningdale, with its sandier soils, is always going to play "optimum" as opposed to a course built in loamy soils of Minnesota or the corn fields of Iowa, to name a few.
It takes A LOT more man power, hoses and quick couplers to have firm, fast and dry surfaces when the soil isn't right and you are trying to dry things down, make roots drive down and creating a healthier plant.
I am not offended and most on this website, particularly Ran, understand much of what it takes to have nice playing conditions.