Mike,
I think TD is alluding to the fact that JN did say after Sebonic that he learned how to do internal contours. It seems he may have been influenced by TD's generally more rolling greens.
It's a good question of project specific design, however, whether the green contours at Dismal River are appropriate at a seniors dominated course in Florida, even if the designer is in a "ephiphany" moment of realizing that more drama is possible in design. It would be possible, in theory, for a designers crowning design achievement (according to national rankings, etc.) to be plowed under as unsuitable by the membership within a few short years, no?
I have gone through a similar situation. A few years back, I just got tired of flat greens fitting into the rolling landscape. They looked as artificial to me as tees. So, I started adding more contours. There is no question in my mind that they look great. And, if we propose reasonable green speeds, they can work.
The highlights of this "phase" were my Cowboys GC and Indian Creek remodel, both in TX. While most of those greens weren't "over the top" I do hear rumblings about whether they are "appropriate contours." The problem everywhere is that they do get sped up. And, in Texas, they speed up seasonally in the fall and winter when Bermuda is dormant and if lightly overseeded.
Worse yet, at Cowboys (and also at my redesign at Great Southwest) both have undergone re-grassing at some point. In both cases sharp tiers and flat areas were inadvertantly replaced with long slopes in some cases, resulting in really big areas of over 3% (or more) slopes.
As a result of seeing them in play, hearing the comments, and (perhaps most importantly) hearing that I may have lost a few design commissions because of "wild greens" you can bet I am working my way back to softer green contours that the masses find "acceptable."
As someone once sang (Paul Simon maybe?) you got to keep the customer satisfied........
