Thanks for that link Jim.
Clarification: I'm not saying CBM/SR/CB didnt use those templates well. Nor did I say that the courses they made werent good. I've studied many of the pictures and read many books/articles and I have no doubt the courses they made are good if not great if not amazing. I can think of only a couple of courses I'd rather play right now than NGLA.
Again, my intent is not to criticize template courses, I have not developed an opinion yet. My intent is to try and figure all of this out the best I can.
On to your link; its been a while since I've read that essay, I love that essay. Here are a couple more things from that essay I found relevant:
"The minimalist's objective is to route as many holes as possible whose main features already exist in the landscape, and accent their strategies without overkilling the number of hazards. Sometimes, though, the best solution for the course as a whole may require major earthmoving on a handful of holes to connect the others. That's minimalism, too. And the key to success in those instances is to move enough earth to make the artificial work appear natural, not to move as little as possible."
These questions remain:
Does imposing templates on the land coincide with "rout(ing) as many holes as possible whose main features already exist in the landscape?"
Restated, does approaching a piece of land with the holes already pre-determined, whether they exist naturally or not, still count as "minimalism."
I read the above paragraph as saying this:
Show up with no pre-conceived/template holes, see what the land gives you, build the rest of the holes around the holes that are already "on the ground" and make them look like the ones that were already "on the ground."
Maybe I am misinterpreting it, but that is how I read it. I could very easily be wrong, and I'd be the first to admit it.
My little knowledge of "Old MacDonald" leads me to believe that it will be a combination of the above. Yes they showed up with some CBM templates, but several of those holes were already out there, without any earthmoving required (i.e. natural redan, eden, etc.). So 8-9 CBM holes (not that CBM "created" those holes but those were templates he used) were already on the ground and TD and his crew are going to "create" the other 9-10 and make them all blend "harmoniously" and those of use without any "inside" knowledge will go out there, have the time of our lives and not ever know which ones he "built" and which ones he "found."
Is that minimalism, is that post-classical or is that Tom Doak-ism (a mix of CBM and Dr M)? I dont know. I'd like someone to help me figure it out though.