I will make a few comments on the routing comparisons. They are not meant to point out which may be 'better' just differences based on a few factors/parameters. I'll let others state their positions as which is better, though IMO this is impossible since the Flynn course was never built and presuming otherwise would be worthless, since as we know the best way is not analyzing a 2D plan, but rather walking the site as Ross and any great architect did/does.
First, and I thought this was mildly interesting, both routings are split with the front 9's set to the northern portion of the land and the back 9's in the southern halves. I would have thought that given the great minds of these architects, one of them would have explored an interwoven routing considering what appears to be some very interesting topo.
Ross routing, holes 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 15, 17 and 18 use the land in a similar manner...that is to say following or playing across the contour without too much of a dramatic change in elevation at any one time, relatively speaking. Flynn does this with fewer holes, so it appears 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 16, 17 and 18, though again, without actually seeing the site and walking both routings this is very difficult to assess adequately.
Flynn has 6 holes that play NE, 4 holes that play SW, 2 holes that play SE, 3 holes that play NW, 1 hole each that plays N, E and S respectively. Ross has 5 that play NE, 5 that play SW, 2 that play E, 2 that play W, 1 that plays NW, 1 that plays SE and 1 each that plays N, and S respectively.
Ross routing has 9 holes that play uphill to the LZ, 6 holes that play down to the LZ and the other 3 that play essentially level, or across the contour to a similar elevation. Flynn routing has 8 holes that play uphill to the LZ, 4 holes that play down and the other 6 that play fairly level or across the contour to a similar elevation. However, of the Flynn holes that play uphill they seem to be more deliberate and would likely produce a more difficult test of golf.
Ross routing has 8 holes that play down to the green from the LZ, 8 holes that up to the green and the other 2 play fairly level. Flynn routing has 6 holes that play down to the green from the LZ, 5 holes that play up to the green and the others are fairly level, or play across tough terrain to a similar elevation.
Flynn uses the water (stream), holes 12, 13 and 14 and Ross avoids it mostly, though not entirely.
Many of the Flynn green & tee sites seem to be on the edge of contour whereas the Ross green sites appear to be somewhat more generalized, thought this is hard to say accurately without seeing the natural feature at each site chosen in the field. It could be said that the Flynn green sites might have been more difficult to build given their edge condition, but hard to say without seeing the individual sites for each green.
Flynn has 8 holes that have significant side slopes in the LZ's, Ross has about the same number.
Flynn has 4 noticable dogleg holes and Ross has about 6.
Flynn holes 5-7 go up and down the slope and Ross holes 4-6 go in the opposite direction across the slope. The Ross holes would probably fit the site better, but this is subjective.
Thats enough for now, gotta get back to real work
