Thanks Tim. You're right that I haven't played an Old Tom course. After counting, I've played 13 Donald Ross courses. So yeah, if given the choice, I'd play an Old Tom over a Ross. It's not that I think Old Tom is better - as you mention, I have no experience that would lead me to that conclusion. But my playing experience doesn't include one of his courses, so if given the choice between rectifying that or playing a 14th Ross, I'd choose to get an Old Tom under my belt. Frankly, I'd be surprised if any architecture aficionado in the same position wouldn't make the same choice.
Jim, if you think it's not a mere personal assessment to say something like "I can't envision...", then we just need to agree to disagree. My own experience with Ross is bound by its limitations, and it doesn't lead me to think he'd embrace something like the Dell Hole in one of his own designs. That's just my own assessment, and I think my phrasing makes quite clear that this is just a personal assessment of mine. You don't see Ross the way I do. I'm content with that and understand that I won't change your mind, nor will you change mine.
Keith, you might be right in that listing my Ross courses played would change people's thoughts, but that's not really the point of this thread and I've threadjacked it badly enough already. I'll simply state again that I love many Ross courses - Holston Hills, Idle Hour, Pinehurst #2, White Bear (which I don't consider a Ross, but some do), Beverly, and Pine Needles are all among my personal top 25, and I think Broadmoor might have the best set of greens I've ever seen. My experience tells me to play more Ross courses, but not at the expense of Mackenzie, Maxwell, or the work of other legends I have little experience with. Maybe future courses will change my mind - I hope to have at least 59 more years of golf left after all.
On that note, it's time for me to bow out of this thread and let it get back to being about Melvyn's article.