Matt Ward:
My favorite Fazio courses include Wade Hampton, World Woods, Shadow Creek, Lake Nona, and Jupiter Hills. I also think very highly of Mountain Top. I know that Jupiter Hills is credited to George Fazio, but from what I've heard, Tom had a good deal of involvement in that course.
Not sure that I'd place WH in the top tier right now because I don't believe it's held up in terms of shotmaking and challenge - - it just can't compete against Butler, Hudson National and the others in those areas, and the other rating factors that make WH a great place to play can't easily overcome these gaps. I do believe that it belongs in the top tier of Fazio courses, and can't help but believe that Fazio spent a whole lot more of his time personally working this course versus what he's been doing elsewhere over the past 10-15 years. I'd like to withhold judgment on the bigger picture until after the course has been lengthened, as coming into some of those greens with mid-irons as was originally intended is a much different animal from the 8 and 9-irons that I used last time I played. I'll likely never see it tuned fast and firm with tighter fairways, meaningful rough, and fun cups, but I suspect that under peak conditions it would deserve a high standing.
I've played World Woods twice, the first time maybe 15 years ago and the second time two years ago. It was a much stronger course the first time, and one that I'd regard more highly than I would now. For example, the short par-4 on the back (#15?) was just out of range with a driver the first time, but an easy 3-wood recently. #4, which I regarded as a great par-5 the first time (bombed a drive and then 3-wood to the green) became pretty routine (driver, hybrid) even though it played into the wind. The doglegs were more easily cut-able; #18 was driver and PW the second time, versus driver to the corner and then mid-iron.
I played Lake Nona right after it opened, when there was only a trailer there for the golf shop. It was as beautiful and natural a course as you'd ever want to see, especially for a Florida course. It sat wonderfully on the land, had a solid variety of interesting holes, was plenty challenging while still being fair, and had some features I'd never seen before but thought very pleasing (like a transition bunker that flowed seamlessly into a water hazard, something I'd never seen before. I suspect that distance changes have reduced much of the challenge and hence pushed down Nona's ranking.
Shadow Creek is just a wonder to me. Had it been located in the Carolinas or someplace else appropriate to its look, I'd think it was a good course but certainly not great. But when you have to keep reminding yourself that not one blade of grass naturally belongs there, that the flowering weed in the stream was placed there, or that the tree on the little hill tilting with the wind was actually planted at that angle, you can't help but appreciate the place. A great golf course it might not be, but an incredible playing experience it certainly is.
On general terms, I prefer playing Fazio's older work, and believe it much less automatically identifiable as a TF course than I do his newer stuff. I believe that his greens complexes were more subtle and sophisticated, the courses more varied in their playing demands, and there was more creativity and thought built into the mix. While his newer stuff continues to push the envelope in looks, and when asked he builds in plenty of challenge, it just doesn't entice me to want to go back to the first tee after finishing my round.