Based on Scott Macpherson's thread, I started thinking that perhaps we could usefully look at design on two levels, the macro and the micro (for lack of better terms, and those aren't very good terms for what I'm trying to say).
But: Imagine that Ben Hogan came back to life and joined forces with Donald Ross (also come back to life). Let's say that Ross really needed a job, the economy and new course construction being really slow, and so had agreed to co-design a course with Hogan, whose agent had gotten him a big fee just for lending his name to the project. And imagine that Hogan showed up on site just one time, and took only a quick walk around before turning to Ross and saying (in that imperious way of his):
"Okay, do whatever the hell you want -- BUT just make damn sure that any of those bastards who hook the ball get penalized badly, at least one stroke, every single time they make a mistake to the left side. And give me some room to work the ball off the tee, to get into the best spots to attack the greens, and you'd better reward me if I can pull it off; I don't want any of those lazy sumbitches who show up hung-over on the first tee to get away with not thinking their way around a course as well as I can. But don't give me any of those bullsh-t crowned/upside down bowl greens of yours; you can use all the bunkers and water you want, but make sure I can get the ball to the pins every single time, either coming in low and skipping it to the back or flying it high and stopping it right on the front. And make it a really really long golf course -- none of these slobs can hit a 1 iron like I can, and I want them having to hit that damn club into the greens at least 5 times a round! And fill this course with sidehill lies as much as you can, but don't give me any big walks uphill or downhill, my busted legs can't take those any more."
Now imagine that Ross took that all in and agreed to all of it and did the best Hogan-described course he possible could, using all his skills and imagination to route the course the best way possible -- in keeping with Hogan's directions -- and finding green sites in the most interesting possible places -- again, so they were in keeping with Hogan's wishes, and making sure the course was very very long (and hardly suitable for the average golfer, whose games Hogan either understood nor respected) and that most of the (very penal) trouble was on the left side, and finally using all his experience to make sure the course flowed well and drained well. And imagine that the result was a challenging test for the best golfers in the world (more challenging to some than to others) and that it was even quite a beautiful and interesting golf course. Imagine all that, and then let's discuss WHO designed the golf course.
Might it not be said that the macro (Hogan's input) had at least as much (and maybe more) to do with what the golf course was and turned out to be and what it embodied than did the micro (Ross' input) -- even though Hogan would have spent 6 hours on site while Ross ended up spending six months?
Not sure I agree even with myself, but thought it was worth suggesting.
Peter