Ben,
Sounds like you have most of the answers so I won’t get into a long debate with you, however, my point about if it’s not broke you didn’t look hard enough fix it anyway is that it is easier to leave things as is especially if you are working on an existing design and if you don’t think there is a problem where as with a new course you have an empty pallet and you don’t have to follow conventional “non broke” design concepts. You can if you want be more creative and take chances doing something new and different.
I’m not sure where you are coming from about lack of knowledge about construction and maintenance practices??? I sure don’t know as much as my contractors and superintendents who I often work with in a design/build approach but I know a lot. The idea is to surround yourself with a team that has a variety of talents and different expertise. I have also often said if you have for example seven people on your team and they all think a like and have the same expertise, you have six too many people on your team. The best teams have players with different knowledge/skill sets and a leader who helps pull them all together.
As far as not doing the right things, I beg to differ. I got called once because a club wanted to put in wall to wall cart paths on numerous holes because when it rained the holes became unplayable for carts. Turns out the course had become a catch basin for the surrounding community that had grown up around it. Instead of adding cart paths we suggested fixing the drainage which we did and we never laid any new paths which I don’t like in the first place. I have an engineering degree so I have some clue about the importance of drainage, etc.
You said you don’t care for the ASGCA. Maybe you should think about what you and your younger colleagues could offer an organization like that vs what it can do for you. Just a thought.
To get back to the initial post, when so very few new courses are opening it presents a real challenge to attract and keep talent. Like it or not that is a fact.