Tom,
I didn't want to DM you directly and make it seem as if I was asking you to defend your changes. It's been a rainy day down here in Birmingham, so I was passing the time by updating my spreadsheet I use to track golf courses. And I've fallen down a bit of a CD rabbit hole. But since you asked!!...I have no other specific questions, just a few observations from the data if you'd care to comment:
By my count there were 45 different courses used when you were limiting yourself to 31 courses, and then 31 architects.Obviously the most recent 5 volume edition has expanded the #'s. And also introduced the choices of your coauthors. Again by my quick count, V1 had 6 new entries, including Prestwick which I was surprised hadn't made any of the earlier lists. V2 somewhat surprisingly only had 5 new choices. But then V3 and V5 had 14 and 16 newcomers, reflecting both the number of new courses built and the increased number of courses seen by the author(s). Newcomers in V3 which surprised me were Shinnecock and Oakmont. And in V5 I was a little surprised you stayed with Kawana for Alison.A total of 86 courses have appeared on at least one Gourmet list. Interesting (to me) that no continental European course was ever chosen. CC of Durban has been the lone African nominee. So the all time list of Gourmet's will exceed 100 once V4 is published. Some stalwarts that had made every list UNTIL the most recent version were St Enodoc, the Addington, Woodhall Spa, Riviera, Prairie Dunes, Pine Valley, Westward Ho! and NGLA. That left six courses which I believe are in every version of the CD gourmet list: Ballybunion, Casa de Campo, Crystal Downs, Merion, North Berwick and St Andrews Old Course. Interestingly, only 3 of those 6 most recently averaged higher than 9.00 on the Doak scale.
Apologies if I've screwed up any of that data.I've played 57 of the 86, and have 5 others on the short term list as soon as the coronavirus risk recedes. I'll hazard a guess that I've only played 5 or 6 of the unseen V4 list. As you've previously written, the V5 gourmets alone would require a seriously determined effort. Bordering on demented. So I think it's natural to ask - how many "gourmets" have others seen? Is anyone making a specific goal of playing all of the gourmet choice courses?
Thanks,Michael