If you're right, Mike, it will be those who have worked away in anonymity at one of the big signature firms, grumbling under their breaths about "the Old Man", worrying that they weren't keeping up with changing tastes, complaining that the industry was passing them by, wishing they had final say on the routing, and dreaming about the day when the could actually design their own courses just the way they wanted to, who might be the very ones who get that very chance... and who manage to deliver!
Life is strange, isn't it? No road so straight that it doesn't have a turn in it someplace.
Peter,
Probably another topic to itself! I recently told the story that I had read the HHW article in Golf Digest, (which sounded amazingly like a gca.com post from recently) about mass production, forgetting the value of Ross and his chipping areas, etc. I proposed chocolate drops and grass bunkers on a course, was rejected by KN, and it sort of was the final straw in me going out on my own, not that I wasn't going to anyway. In another instance, I designed a "non-traditional" Killian and Nugent green, knowing I was leaving soon anyway, (Yay, free shot at trying something on someone else's reputation!). Instead of traditional backing mounds, I place one back further and the horizon lines crossed quite attractively. Killian liked it, client liked it, I was pretty smitten with my creation, at least on the tee. When Ken got up there, and saw where the mound was, he said "we don't do that" even though he liked it.
At that point, I vowed I would never be the 60 year old architect who churned out the same style no matter what.
More recently, got a call from a sales guy who had been an architect. He was let go, and lamenting that they knew that sharper edges were in style, but firm owner just couldn't bring himself to do it, and biz was declining.
As to routing itself, every firm has those free sales routings, new courses designed but never built, etc. We all get some routing training, although the ultimate test is if they get built and do well. There are some things you just don't know will work until you actually build them, or try to. But, in nearly every firm, you can tell which young guys have a knack for it. I used to give my new guys 6 months, and in that time, I gave them some shots at routing to gauge them. I could tell pretty quickly if they understood it.
Actually, having a few of my guys working on a few routings right now. Some typical problems - nice pattern, sometimes they waste way too much land (KN got on me for that as well, many years ago), others stick too close to rules, etc. In the end, being good or great at routing is about trying lots of ideas fast. I never let my guys do first routings that took over an hour or so. I preferred they try 3 different clubhouse locations, theories, start at different points on the land, etc. Do them quick to see what has potential. Some guys lay out one hole like its 16 at Cypress or something, and sit back and admire it for hours, nearly paralyzed at what to do next to save that favorite hole. (Sorry, lapping back to that other thread)
Just some random routing thoughts. I have been lucky here in the last few weeks, having a chance to do more routing than in a good few years!