Tom Huckaby:
Most seem to constantly miss the over-all philosophy of my Maintennce Meld, and what it's intended to accomplish course to course. It is not a "one size fits all" philosophy like the American maintenance philosophy of the last half century where ALL courses in the States were supposed to be maintained in one homogenized way---eg generally green and lush and softish. My IMM is definitely specific to the type of course one has, and that can call for differing maintenance practices to highlight differing design intents.
On many classic and links type courses it is a combination of firm and fast "through the green" and green surfaces that are imaginatively fast enough and firm to the point of only a "light dent" to a really well struck lofted aerial shot from the fairway. The latter is to promote something of a lack of reliabilty to aerial shots all day long from particularly good players who are just looking to stick the ball.
On the other hand, with some modern primarily aerial design intent course and architecture that (the IMM) needs to be adjusted to provide for firm and fast "through the green" but green surfaces that are fast but soft enough to promote the total reliability of well executed aerial shots---eg to allow the ball to check and suck back on the greens, if necessary and if intended. Don't forget, that component has always been part of most of the modern playability on modern aerial game designed courses.
But not so, or not only so, on the classic ones. Generally, they're designed inherently differently and call for other types of options and shot choices. The one thing I never want to see on a classic course looking for the IMM is to see the ball hit the green and stop dead or suck back----obviously weather permitting, that is.