Here's a news flash - architects and superintendents are real people, too! As such, they come in all temperaments....
In 45 new course designs, and about twice that many renovations/consultations, etc. my overwhelming experience has been a good to great relationship with the superintendent.
I have run into only a few cases over the years where the super wasn't on board with trying to build the best renovation possible.
Back in my Chicago days, I remember one who was dead set against Bent fairways. The bent we forced on him (More or less) was dead in a month, almost "proof" in his mind that it was the wrong choice. It was, but not of grass, of superintendents. Just as there may be better choices among architects for the courses at Bandon, or for sympathetic renovations etc. than others, clubs and course can make wrong choices for superintendents.
Usually, its going for a young, less expensive one on a tough job. Or one with a "muni" mentality for a high dollar course. Or, the reverse! In a few cases, superintendents don't have a "customer first" mentality, which is always necessary, but have a "technical" mentality.
I agree with Mike and Jim that young superintendents are more prone to look at the job from a technical side than an older guy who has maintained courses without the newer, fancier mowers and irrigation systems. All in all, most supers get "super" results with a tremendous lack of resources. A few get subpar results despite having virtually all the tools necessary.
Of course, you could say the same about architects, and often do!
Regarding that green slope, I have proposed similar slopes (like a Biaritz green) and had some supers just shoot it down as "not possible to mow, not possible to irrigate" and others who send out a guy last thing every afternoon to hand water the "offending slope" without a second thought, despite its inconveniece. In general, though, I think we architects need to realize that if it isn't reasonable to maintain, it will get changed some day, when the economy is not good, and the super will be asked for the fifth time in five years to make another budget cut.
Hell, that my be later this year, the way things are going with the economy!