Jim,
I read your last post as you having a few things mixed up. And no, you exagerate. It was all just business.
After getting the property in 1905, it also had to take Alvord some time to survey, hire Olmstead, plan, market, get the process of development going, with all that entails.
I actually get the impression that CBM, who concieved the idea for the ideal course around then, approached Alvord in 1905 and they sort of had a general agreement on land, because there was plenty of it, and it would take more than a year to develop out. I have to believe that after purchasing 2100 acres, they would want to get some cash flow going with a large parcel quick land sale that didn't compete with their own plans, and would even enhance it. The practice of a developer buying a large parcel, and then selling off a distant chunk for immediate cash flow is still common.
How do you say he let his land sit a year? I think he did general studies of the whole area in 1905, went to Britain, and came back and narrowed it down in June 1906 when he returned, as the newspaper article says. (Unless you interpret "last spring" as written in Dec 1906 to be, say, March 1905?)
He offered to buy some land along Cold Springs Bay in June 1906, based on earlier discussions, but was told that plans were too far along, real estate was heating up, etc. Not held over a barrel, because I am sure they wanted NGLA as the premier course, right in their back yard. If values had gone up, I think it was a nice offer to still sell at $200 per acre a year later, as long as they worked together mutually for benefit - using unplatted land, preserving access, etc.
I know that waiting a year and going to GBI seems a bit odd, but again, he wanted to study the holes first, and there were over 2000 acres of very slow selling (when he left) land, and miles of water frontage. Given it would take ten years even today to develop that much land, he had little risk in losing out, not to mention maybe Montauk and southern CT would still be options.
This article just confirms CBM's cryptic remarks about wanting the land only if it could be obtained reasonably. There was at least some doubt in his mind in June 1906 that it would be possible. I think both parties wanted NGLA there, if it could be worked out.