Yes, David, it seems you reserve that privilege only for yourself!
Your laughable non answers to all my questions are mostly speculation on your part. My points are taken directly from the written record, and you never address those other than with vagueness and going back to the same tired passages in Scotland's Gift, whereas my timeline includes that and contemporary articles.
And, if I know nothing of law, then certainly you should do the right thing and admit you know nothing about designing golf courses, then or now.
Sorry for the snark in response to yours.
As to our possible areas of agreement, we do agree he was out there before October 1906, and obviously (since he sought an option) he did enough work to satisfy himself the property (with wiggle room) was what he wanted. That included having Raynor draw a contour map (which doesn't show on the blueprint posted here, and which I have discussed) and other things, including IMHO, setting some practical boundaries based on his six holes, the Inn, the 205 acres, the bay and possible yacht club, etc. I know you think, and I can agree it is the early stages of routing. I tend to call it more analysis, but would agree if you like that I am being finicky.
That said, I posted the parts of the record that could lead one to conclusions that the routing occurred later. Rather than address those factually, you pick at the edges. I suspect its because that's all you can do.
Setting aside my belief that the contents of a solicitation letter would constitute a contract, and I may be wrong, the written record of the participants has housing mentioned as late as March. By December, CBM declares the investment portion not consistent with his goals. So, the change seems to have happened between those two months, strictly according to the written record.
You have stated it was NEVER a part of the plan, presumably because he only offered on 120 acres on the canal site, after the draft solicitation letter was sent out. Believe me, I can see that, and its not unreasonable. But then,you have insisted that NEVER is the only logical conclusion, but to do so, we have to figure all other mentions of it are a mistake beyond that. If there was one mention of it going away before December, I would buy it. But there isn't.
However, you and I agree that the land company probably didn't like it. Well, if they didn't like it, but still offered to sell the exact same 205 acres, as proposed in 1904 you presume they didn't know about that solicitation. To me, that just seems that you presume there were a lot of dumb people back then. Or your presume that CBM had changed his mind on both 120 acres being suitable for a golf course, prior to selecting any specific site, mind you, but never documented that in any of his forays to the press or friends. Since he didn't, until proven otherwise, I presume it was decided in the months the record shows it was.
The only documented contacts between the two entities are in June 1906 when he returns, and October 1907 when the option is negotiated. Doesn't it make sense that this is when the issue was formally put on the table (most likely at the option contract) and resolved that SHPB didn't want CBM to put in any housing? It fits the March letter from Whigham including villas, the 205 acres purchase amount, and the subsequent diminishment of the idea.
Your timeline really doesn't, thus creating reasonable doubt among reasonable people.
Cheers.