JC,
Well, I try to avoid that!
Emil,
It is a very real question when making a final decision in gca on any given hole. For the stuff you guys are interested in - strategy, etc. there are probably very few absolute rights and wrongs, do's and don't do's, although some would argue that. In reality, as some have noted, if you do too many commonly accepted "don't do's" pretty soon you have crossed the line over to a goofy golf course. On the other hand, if you NEVER break the rules, you often run a greater risk of a dull course.
When it comes to golfer circulation (straightest, most level line will always be taken) or nature (turf needs at least 6 hours of sunlight a day, preferably in the morning) I have found that if I break the rules, the superintendent and course pay for it as the turf dies, literally, a thousand deaths. You guys would bitch about poor turf, perhaps not realizing its a function of poor design.
There is some overlap, too. If a bunker can't be placed in a specific location because it blocks traffic, that might eliminate one possible strategic type of hole. Gca is about dealing with all the factors that affect the sucess of a hole, which is what makes gca so fascinating!
Sean,
See above. Its not that I don't sympathize with the situation, but I deal in realities, not what I think golf ought to be. And yes, cart paths have turned into a major aspect of design. When 55-100% of the golfers experience the golf course this way (as per the recent thread on Jim Engh which covered this subject) it is a consideration. Perhaps not the first conideration, but an equal consideration, with the design of the hole "first among equals" since its almost always possible to design a good hole first and fit the path second.
Concealment and aesthetics are a part of that as well. It is possible to be both hidden and handy and on public courses, Fazio offers a great tutorial, making his courses worthy of study in modern design. He hides the paths, but brings them back closer in key areas for ease of access at the same time. On private courses, I think he goes too far out, as I have seen no differences in the ways private or public golfers use carts.