David - in response to your questions:
1. Tom is there any way you can be more specific? For example, I agree that the homebody likely has one style he likes, but is there anything more specific you can say about what that style may be?
No. It's going to be different for each person. One homebody might love a minimalist style such as displayed at Rustic Canyon, another might like the flamboyant style such as shown at Lost Canyons. I could see homebodies never wanting to leave BOTH of those places. The style doesn't determine this, but rather the individual's interest in it - the way I look at it anyway. I fully expect you to disagree!
2. Are there some styles which the homebody might gravitate toward?
No, not as I see it. This is in the mind of the individual. I have a very good feeling how you want this to go - find an interesting course that keeps one thinking, like Rustic Canyon, and it becomes very easy to be a homebody - but that's for one way of thinking only. Different people like different things in golf courses, and some might want more forced carries, more chances for heroic shots, hell flatter greens, whatever, than what's shown at Rustic. Different strokes for different folks - it's not the architecture that determines this, but the individual - again, as I see it and again, I fully expect you to disagree!
3. Are there some which the galavanter might gravitate toward?
In general, no - he's gonna want to just play the game PERIOD, at many different places. Variety and playing the game are gonna be what jazz him, rather than studying one single course. But each person is likely also to have a favorite style he enjoys more than others, so he might seek out courses of that style more than he does others. But he's not very likely to only play those style courses exclusively.
4. As for the rest, reads like PC mumbo jumbo to me.
It was intended to be general, as per your initial question. If you wanted this to be about you and Rustic Canyon, as per a later post, you ought to have come out and just said so in the first place!
5. Why should the homebody care if his misses the adventure of seeing a bunch of "inferior" courses.
He wouldn't - and I don't think I said he would. I said each side might think the other is nuts - not in the best language, but that's what I meant!
6. How are you so sure that neither one will be right or wrong?
Because this is a game after all, and opinions after all, and how one treats it all personally cannot possibly be right or wrong - not in this context.
7. Why would it be difficult for the two sides to communicate?
We're seeing why right now, aren't we? I just believe they come from such totally different approaches to the game, it's difficult for one to really understand the other's take. Oh, they can hopefully see the logic of it, but they can't "feel" it, if that makes any sense. That makes any communications between them inherently hostile - they have to get over the basic fundamental hostility first before they can have any meaningful conversation. Each side is so convinced his is logical and correct and the other's is crazy... which shouldn't be the case, there really should be no right or wrong, but this is an emotional, personal matter and thus logic doesn't always win the day.
Great topic in any case, and please understand the smileys are intentional. This is good fun.
BTW, I never answered your question because I didn't see it yesterday before I started my response... but obviously put me down for 10 rounds at 10 different great ones. Also, on vacations I always play many different courses rather than the same one over and over - that is if different courses are available to me. Some times all that's there is one or two courses... But in Maui, while I sure did enjoy Kapalua Plantation and feel it is the best course there, even if the money genie granted me the ability to AFFORD playing that course multiple times, if I had time for 5 rounds I wouldn't play more than 2 there. I'd want to play the courses at Wailea, the great one at Makena, a few others... because variety is more important and more fun for me than learning more about Plantation. How's that for an on-point example for ya?
I'm not looking for a home, either... I swear to God, even if they made me a member at Cypress tomorrow, oh, I'd play a LOT of golf there without a doubt, but you don't think I'd want to venture down the road a bit for a game with Bob at his club? Check out Pebble or Spyglass or Pasa from time to time? I'd guess that if I had a home like that - one of the absolute greats - even then it would go half my rounds there, half at other places.
Different strokes for different folks. It remains a big beautiful world of golf, with room for all viewpoints.
TH