"Is that a BAD thing? Isn't there room in your big world of golf for a variety of styles within the same course -- if the variety PLAYS well?"
DanK:
I never said a thing about it being a BAD thing but that's a good question and something I've been thinking about for many years now.
But please don't get my "theories" mixed up with each other. Basically, my "Big World" theory is that there needs to be many different types and style of golf architecture out there because there're so many different types of people with different tastes who'll want to be playing golf. This, however, never meant those different types and styles have to be or should be on the same golf course!
But I do draw a line there, and that is if a golf course such as my own happened to evolve over the decades with a number of good architects having a hand in the architecture of the course. I say that because in a way it tells an interesting story about the evolution of golf architecture and first and foremost that's what fascinates me most about this entire subject of golf architecture. Of course that does need to be carefully evaluated as to quality. For instance, the Ross holes and the Perry Maxwell holes on my course are not of the same type or style really but they are equally good nonetheless.
On the other hand, I'm a great believer in all kinds of variety on a golf course and I'm no fan at all of formulaics and standardizations in design. I'd say I like eccentricity the best. So yes, in some way the "Big World" theory could perhaps lap into a single course somehow or how else would I be so into my other great love---eg "Flask achitecture"?
I mean look at some of Tillie's courses. You can tell that some of his holes and features were designed in the am when his head was throbbing, his flask was still full and he was argumentative and unimaginative. But you can also tell his holes and features that were designed in the pm when his flask was nearly drained and he was incredibly imaginative and incredibly smart, when he was waving his arms wildly and producing ideas loudly as he was just able to balance himself on his shooting stick. This is "flask architecture" at its absolute finest, in my opinion.
If some formulaic standardizing architect mentioned to Tillie that what he'd done throughout that day seemed out of character from am to pm I have no doubt Tillie would've knocked the jerk over with one of his akimbo arms and thrown up on the guy's shoes as he fell off his shooting stick and passed out for the evening only to return the next morning at the other end of the creative spectrum.