RJ,
As someone who has had fantastic, albeit somewhat limited, experiences on the lands beyond the ponds, I too have pondered similar questions.
Oz has an uncanny knack for Californation (Something like that!). There, many of clubs become a bit more accomodative during their fall and winter seasons and a bit more restrictive in spring/summer (my experience). Conditioning, like California, is solely based on the degree of temperence of the period's weather. (no rain...brown fairways and hard, but green greens) Targets become secondary first and primary as a end result. If the weather is wet....the roughs and fairways get color and the greens certainly softer....In general, low maintainence (again, just like a good surfer girl). That seems to be the extent of creeping and creepy Americanization.
Thank goodness the English influence of walking, brisk pace and sturdy match play sensibilities still rule the Sandbelt and other Aussie environs. All in all, sheer magnificant golf that lends me to believe that if the country owes it's history to an English penal colony....I want to be the corrupt CEO who gets sentenced to an eternity from NSW through Royal Adelaide!
Across the other pond, GB & I are a bit more susceptible to the onslaught of some forms of rogue American-style capitalization. The elements of the game for pace, play and human motoring remain well defensed by the stout and historic preference for tradition. I've not seen a single club/course that suffers from Pebbleitis or Disneyification.
The interesting thing is that locals, like down under and unlike their brethern here in the States, play for the sake of playing and not always to keep or enter a score. We should learn that truth one of these days.
Club exclusivity remains apparent from course-to-course but unlike the States, one can play a Muirfield or Royal County Down (at the right time with the right letter and hcp.) Try that at Shinnecock, Cypress or Pine Valley. Frankly though, Americans do it to keep from being overrun by lowlifes and other dregs, cretins and tools...while the Brits and Irish recognize that cash flow is cash flow and why not make it cheaper for the real members. The club aura feels like the traditional old school Northeast tracks, but hospitality and accessreplace gates and guards.
Conditioning is still left to Mother Nature and it is her job to tell the golfers what to expect. At nearly any course on the Isles' weather is something the ancient golfing gods made unique and nowhere to be found on any course book or cart display. The only soft targets on any regular basis are a golfer's gut at the local nearby pub.
Lets just hope none of this ever changes too dramatically! I for one am happy the Concorde was recently retired and no plans are afoot for anything faster to replace it.