Brian Gracely:
It's true that PVGC was probably eventually (1913) "planned" with a particular "balance" in mind. However, it was definitely "constructed" with that "balance" in mind.
If one reads through the chronology of what's left from the time of the creation of the course which took almost 10 years to finish it goes something like this;
1/ The idea of the course was Crump's which he obviously shared with a few of his friends and golfing companions. The initial idea behind the course was as a place to play winter golf as it was at least ten degrees warmer in that area than in Philly.
2/ Crump searched the general area of PV for a time and eventually settled on the property which now is PV telling his friends in the autumn of 1912, "I think I landed on something pretty fine". Tillinghast writes in the January 1913 issue of "The American Cricketeer" that'd he been sworn to secrecy about the place for perhaps a year.
3/ Crump begins to clear the site and analyze it for holes with a group of friends.
4/ In March of 1913 Howard Perrin writes a "club solicitation" letter explaining that for $1,000 each 18 men can design a hole each (presumably this meant each man would contribute that amount to construct a single hole).
5/ In the spring of 1913 Tillinghast apparently describes the first four holes, and perhaps a rough outline of the front nine and #10 and #18.
6/ Crump sends for Harry Colt who arrives in May/June and spends a week or two on site routing the course and offering a hole by hole drawing booklet. Colt leaves PVGC never to return and perhaps never to return to America again.
7/ Construction begins in earnest in 1913 and 1914 with what Simon Carr, Crump's best friend, described (1914) as a "requisite" (to Colt?) that the golf course should be of "classical character" and of sufficient length to accomodate certain shot requirements (to provide "a variety of long short and medium approach shots") and probably on certain holes in a form of "course balance" (Carr later described in detail where Crump wanted those various type holes to be). The original course design was 6700 yards and par was slightly indeterminant.
8/ Crump works on the construction of the course for the next 3-4 years testing the design with his foreman/pro/greenkeeper Jim Govan (a scratch player) by constant "shot testing". In 1914 the course has 11 holes basically constructed (front nine and #10 and #18) and in 1915 14 holes constructed (#11, #16, #17). Holes #12-15 although apparently mostly designed around the time of Crump's death were not constructed until after Crump's death in Jan 1918 and were not finished until 1922.
9/ The 1921 Advisory Committee was formed to finish and improve the course and various holes. Hugh Alison produced a hole by hole recommendation basically working off two hole by hole "remembrances" from Crump's two closest friends, Simon Carr and W.P. Smith of the details of the course as they understood Crump intended them to be. The 1921 Advisory Committee approved the majority of Alison's recommendations and by 1922 the course was finished and completely open for play.
10/ Later Perry Maxwell altered Crump's left #8 and left #9 green and in the 1980s Tom Fazio added the right #8 green.
Crump apparently wanted a particular course "balance" (particular shot requirements on particular holes), he apparently explained this to Colt, who produced a design to that effect and in the ensuing four years Crump constantly tinkered with the holes with Govan to acheive that end. The irony is that some of what is still PVGC Crump considered 'temporary' which he planned to go back and fix later! When asked by some when he'd finally finish the course Crump's famous answer was "NEVER"!