Joe,
If you hit driver - wedge. 9 and 8 iron, you would declare the course a well designed course ?
You would see NO flaw in the architecture ?
Looking at the scorecard for Bandon Preserve I could see myself using just those clubs. Admittedly the driver would probably stay in the bag, but maybe a bunt into the wind. I do get your point though and chances are very high I would not consider the hypothetical course you describe a well designed course.
I still however stand by my statements.
Just because you only use 56, PW, 8, 6, 4, 2, driver on a hypothetical course can you say with certainty it was a poor design?
I think the distinction in the examples is your hypothetical course is probably very one dimensional. My hypothetical course leaves potential for variation in thought and types of shots played.
From my real world example I played Trump National yesterday. Before you asked the question it hadn't occurred to me that I hit every club in my bag. In my mind it was primarily a driver wedge course where you better be down the middle, but I went back and ran through the shots I hit and found out I hit every club in the bag.
To contrast this with another LA area course, I could honestly play Rustic Canyon and at the end of a round look back and realize I only hit Driver, 3 wood, 21 degree raylor, 6, 8, PW and 60 degree.
On the topic of the 2 iron, the guy I play most of my golf with hits a 2 iron frequently. The weird thing in my mind is he plays Pings but the 2 iron in his bag is a Callaway.