Colin
I recall someone in that discussion writing the routing is a given for golfer. That is how I tend to look at it. I don't know anything about routing a course, but I know what I like. I tend to be impressed when archies get the most out of the dominant features. Its especially cool when a feature is used multiple times. Some examples might be Cavendish's railway embankment (and the rise of land to it) and incidentally the use of the stone wall; Southfield's use of the great ground around a creek; or more generally how the hilly terrain at Kington is tackled in such as way as to make the course very playable with compelling shots and not too arduous a walk. This doesn't mean the routings are the best on offer, but if a schmoe like me can recognize utilization of features the routings can't be all bad.
Ciao