Well, I love GCA too and certainly have my own opinions.... but beyond that, I'm not really interested in ratings, rankings, or prestige all that much.
I suppose that is because my golf life has been fairly modest. I learned how to play at a muni, was a fairly mediocre player on a mediocre high school golf team, and have only won one tournament in my entire life playing off of what was probably an inflated handicap. I've never been the best player even in my own family.
I am married with young kids now and don't make a whole lot of money, so I only maybe play about 8-10 rounds a year these days. I buy name brand clubs but usually one or two models removed from the latest. I play 90% of my golf at Doak 2s or less... maybe twice a year I'll venture out to a place like Plum Creek or Riverdale.
I've been fortunate to get on a couple of nice private clubs and former tournament hosts courtesy of an older sibling who has had some assistant pro jobs at these places, but generally that only might happen once a season.
So I don't get very many chances to get out and play the great courses of the world very often, but when I do I obviously savor the moments the best that I can. But I also play golf rarely enough now that just being out there is usually enough for me... there is absolutely no better cure for stress or depression on earth. It's my personal vice, my source of well-being, my escape from reality.... my drug of choice, really.
I suppose because of that I have much lower standards than most posters here will have, simply because I'm limited. But I find that almost any course will do as long as it is designed and maintained to a reasonable level... even something most would consider bland and unmemorable is still okay as long as there is nothing stupid or gimmicky. I'm certainly no expert here, but I know what I like and also what I don't.
And sure, I'll admit myself and my usual partners (same older sibling as well as my father) sometimes play loose with the rules... but we play fast, we have a good time, and we treat each other right. Long ago I gave up delusions of ever being a great player, but I still have aspirations of shooting in the 60s one day.
I watch golf almost religiously for many of the same reasons.... it lowers my blood pressure and allows me to zen out and forget about life for awhile. I actually quite enjoy LPGA events almost as much as men's events.... I feel like my game is more relatable to theirs.
As far as architecture goes.... I once aspired to work in the GCA field at one time, but that never really went beyond college. I made some questionable educational choices and was intimidated quite a bit by the construction side of it. I've managed to find a really nice outlet in doing courses for computer games.