Thanks. Always interesting to find out what different words mean to different posters. The minimalism-non minimalism debate didn't enter my mind (this time), and neither did challenging vs easy or penal vs strategic (though I guess all of those might fit the question).
I was thinking out good courses, what they had in common, and "character" came to mind -- by which I mean a kind of unique and clear and unabashed personality, a quality of "isness" that each course wears proudly.
Off the top of my head (and just to select a few out of many): Carnoustie has character, and Seminole, and Notts. and Oakmont; Plainfield has character, and so too do Pasatiempo and Dornoch; I think Harbour Town has character, and Canterbury, and Mid Pines.
It's that strong personality, the proud "isness" and individuality (of purpose, of intention, of features) that is a course's true strength, it seems to me. And it is the borrowing and/or mixing and matching of features or intentions from several of these character filled courses at the same time/on the same course that can lead to caricatures.