I would not describe the overall feel of my November 2011 visit to The Dunes as place with the "smell of death," but rather their was a feel to the place that I would describe as smelling with the stench of mediocrity. Sort of akin to that of your typical local muni which get overlooked by everyone but the golfers in the neighborhood.
In fact I found much parallels with the local muni. The overall conditioning of the course was of the level of regular muni, very playable, but not worthy of inspiring a sole glowing comment. The greens fees were certainly like those of a muni. If I recall, I paid around $27 bucks including a bucket of balls. The amount of staff on the property was sparse, two clubhouse attendants, a starter, a single cart girl and one ranger. The golfers on the premise were all local duffers and quite of portion of those retirees.
Having said all that, once you start your golf round at the Dunes, the comparisons to your local muni end. From the first tee forward you have sweeping vistas, very appreciable elevation changes, challenging greens with much slope and movement, unique holes (No. 10 which has the remnants of multiple bomb out craters. No. 18 which tempts you with lots of direct line danger), four of the nicest par threes in Central Florida, and an overall abundance of holes with multiple strategic options to attack the greens. If there was a flaw in the design, I would concur with a GCA'er which identified the duplicity of right to left and left to right fairways with angled sand dunes fly overs. But overall, the Dunes was a stellar golfing experience which calls me to play it over and over. Too bad I don't live close enough.
My hope is that one day in the nearby future someone with an appreciation of the course and the means to return the course to a respectable level of prominence will step in to reclaim the Dunes to its rightfully place atop golf courses in Central Florida.