Bill,
I live in a rural area with access to one great course. Changing my game so I could enjoy that course day after day seemed to be a small sacrifice to make. At a course where I am a national member I'm still trying to learn how to hit a bump and run chip. Sure it pisses me off that the locals know that shot better than me, but they are dying off at a prodigious rate. I'm sorry you don't see the fun in doing the work to improve.