Melvyn,
One thing I agree with you on is that our forefathers were better men then I....Heck, even some of the women were better men than I, if you count pure toughness! I say that every time I go to Denver and start driving up the foothills and know they hiked, rode horses, or wagons, etc. Living in the American West was certainly not for little sissy men.
That said, it has been a long slog to our current state of convenience culture, with a seemingly new invention every minute making our lives easier. And, if you think about it, all the old time generations continuously worked to make golf easier. But, that has gone on since Day 2 of human life, no? And in golf it has gone on since the second round of golf, too.
There was an uproar when Old Tom took out the heather fw at TOC in favor of turf, as "making it too easy" but most recognized that short turf made golf a bit more like what it "should be" - a blend of mostly skill and some endurance (walking). BTW, wouldn't caddies - with golf from the start - indicate that most felt there was a need to reduce the strain on golfers to best allow them to display their skill?
Most sports naturally calibrate the balance of fine muscle movement/coordination with physical demands over time. Some, like golf, aren't as strenuous as soccer, but require correspondingly more finesse. It's a big world, and no need to make golf something it is not.
Again, think about it - would you as a player be better or worse lining up that big putt to pooped to putt, or as relatively fresh or moderately tired at the end of the day? What about putting or chipping would be better for anyone if done nearly spent? How would the game be better?
I have read of no architect or ruling body that thought golf should be slog. The closest I can recall is the 36 hole final days at the US Open until the 1964 Open damn near killed the eventual champ.
In short, you think the ruling bodies, golfers and competitors across all generations are all wrong. However, it was earlier generations that started the gradual increase in convenience of golf, and yet you make them out to be something else entirely, no?
It is just human nature to try to make ones life easier than it used to be, and golf is no exception. No need to add horse jumps and triathalons to golf, as I don't think it would improve it.
As always, just MHO.