Patrick,
I like this topic and think about it often. I feel that a lot of golfers (and you can read about it plenty on GCA) want "fun" golf courses. 6500 yards, super wide fairways, and rugged bunkers. I get it. Also, I feel like people in the past prided themselves in having a tough, championship golf course. In the last 10 - 20 years, I can't think of anything notable courses built that were a great, tough golf course. A Pine Valley, Oakmont, or Olympic. We love some of these brute classics, but is anybody designing them today? Would they be frowned upon? I don't know. I think we need the balance of fun courses and championship golf courses. That's what make this game so great.....DIVERSITY. I want to go play Rustic Canyon (one of my favorites), have a blast, and post a good number. But, I also want to go up to Pasatiempo and Olympic (two of my favorites) to test my game out and see how it really stands. I wouldn't call the last 50 years for wimps, more like fun....but I am only 32 and missed a big chunk of that time.
Tim