Mike Keiser has dubbed the monied, willing-to-travel golfing crowd the "retail golfers". That's a bit of demographic genius, IMHO. When I use the term "hobbyists" hereabouts, I'm referring to those of us who have accumulated a certain degree of knowledge on the subject of golf and golf course architecture, without being professionals in either endeavor. Not that there's any shortage of opinions in this crowd, but the desire to be somewhat more comfortable with the language and the business of these two pursuits is something that almost all of us share. It's sort of like learning how to talk about wine, how to develop the knowledge and then to articulate the likes and dislikes with language.
So, with that lame definition out of the way, let me address the question posed by Bogey.
On the plus side of the ledger:
1. It's a knowledgeable crowd that is somewhat conversant with private club management, resort development and the rudiments of golf course architecture and history.
2. This group is not particularly focused on par.
3. This group tends to embrace quirk, minimalism and respects those professionals who embrace same.
4. It is a passionate group that likes to fan flames of their own creation, which can be mildly beneficial to certain aspects of the game itself, to the business of golf course development and club membership.
On the negative side of the ledger:
1. We "know" a hell of a lot less than we think we know.
2. Many are prone to "group think".
3. With some exceptions, this group doesn't have the sort of wealth in numbers that can have any negligible influence on the success or failure of anything other than a rater outing.
4. The flames of passion can just as quickly turn against a former object of affection.
So, in a sentence, I'd say that the impact of the hobbyist crowd on Memberships and Architecture is, well, minimal. Couldn't resist!