Before this thread expires, I must reiterate what I said many years before, and has only been confirmed with subsequent random readings of golf course development in the 1890-1920 period, that to "lay out" a course almost certanly meant to "design" it, per todays common parlance. To the extent that this seemingly endless "argument" rests on other interpretations of the phrase "lay out," I am satsified that it is a non-argument, just a tale told with sound and fury, signifying nothing......
Rich
Rather than accept your authority on the issue, I have researched it and found that in the vast majority of cases "to lay out" involved some interaction with the actual ground, whether it be staking out, marking out, or otherwise placing the golf course on the ground. Surely some designed and laid out a golf course in one step, out in the field, with stakes and such. But rarely have I seen reference to anyone "laying out a golf course" on paper, as opposed to the ground. I've seen plenty of those "planning a lay out" or drawing up a "proposed lay out" but the plan was not the layout, it was the layout plan. In short and generally, while designing and laying out were very much related, one needed to actually be laying out something on the ground for the latter term to apply.
In fact, there are examples where the course was planned or designed by one party, and then later "laid out" according to that plan or design.
But perhaps your research is more thorough than mine. What are the usages to which you refer?
___________________________
Mike, I've posted what he said numerous times, and I don't recall him saying exactly that. Do you have facts indicating that he said exactly that, or is it just your interpretation?
_________________________
Joe Bausch,
I recall at one point you set out to pull together a number of articles using the phrase "lay out" or "to lay out" or its variations. I don't recall you ever posting the results or conclusions? How'd that study go?
Thanks.