It seems as though golf course architecture is certainly not the only consideration, even for this group. While traveling, it's always fun to imagine how life in various areas would be. For my wife and I, a nice course is certainly part of the equation, but as others have noted, there is much more to consider.
Areas like Pebble were too costly for housing and golf. Bandon would be unbeatable for golf, but that three club wind every day could grow tiresome. Pace of play is almost as important as architecture. If I were given free afternoon tee times at Pebble, and it took 5 1/2 hours per round, the value isn't as great. We had looked into South Carolina, in the Litchfield Beach area, and came close to pursuing ownership there, but couldn't pull the trigger. Summer humidity can be intimidating to someone who lives in the desert Southwest, plus it just wouldn't feel right to complain about USC on football Saturdays, and have people think you are talking about the Gamecocks!
Areas outside of Phoenix have made the most sense to us. When you get to 5000 ft. elevation, the temperatures become quite comfortable for the vast majority of the year. It then becomes a matter of inserting the available golf opportunities, along with nearby shopping, eating, social and medical options into the computer within us, and choosing the best fit.