This thread, way back in 2007, was the genesis/driver for my first ever -- and, sadly, to this day, still only -- golf trip 'abroad', i.e. in this case, the 4-5 hour drive to meet Joe and look at what he'd managed to do with the golf course.
It was well worth it: Joe is a top flight person, and the course was indeed as healthy (in the best, golfing sense of the word) as pictured. And, as a bonus I got to play The Mines, which -- besides a fun and very good golf course -- was a stand alone graduate class in the principles and features of good golf course architecture.
If I remember correctly, the soil/site Joe had to work with was far from ideal, and so there was a lesson in what Joe managed to do: i.e. when necessity and desire and know-how come together with the right goals and understanding as well as with time and with freedom, an excellent and sustainable maintenance meld is achievable, in almost every single case/on every single golf course.
But: all those elements have to be there in order for it to happen.