Would anybody notice? Yes, there are some people who would. But I don't believe Pinehurst No. 2 would ever be rated nearly as highly as it is today, if, say, Jerry Matthews was touched by the hand of God and built it tomorrow.
Now, do not misunderstand me. Pinehurst No. 2 is one of a dozen golf courses in the world that gets a "10" in The Confidential Guide, and I haven't changed my mind there. I think it's completely unique, and that is why I rate it so highly.
But I don't think No. 2 is for everyone. I think there are a lot of raters who don't really like it that much, and are simply afraid to rate it as low as they really feel, for fear they won't be taken seriously anymore. [I know of one or two ex-GOLF Magazine panelists who felt that way ... they didn't rate it in the top 50, but they didn't put it out of the top 200 which is what they really thought.] There are some people who think it's all the same ... who cannot see the variation of the theme from one green complex to the next.
My proof is this: that there are hardly any architects out there trying to build anything like Pinehurst No. 2. All the guys my age are trying to build "Pine Valley on steroids," with 200 sexy bunkers. When was the last time you saw a modern course with bunkers as subtle as Pinehurst No. 2?
They aren't building them because they are convinced that no one would notice.