Mike - thanks for the photos of Renaissance. They were of particular interest to me today because, yesterday, on your "Glorious Gullane" thread, I'd posted this:
"Alas, in the months and years ahead will there ever be a developer and/or architect willing to do so little? And, equally, would many of today's "retail golfers" make the pilgrimage to any new course that dared to? And, perhaps most importantly, even if the architect dared to and the retail golfer did, would designing such a course be a mistake? Is it just my nostalgia that likens simpler with better? "
Now, I know that it is almost embarrassing to compliment Tom D, because he gets so many compliments and because if you compliment him people either think your want something from him and/or they call you a funny name. But goodness gracious, he does seem for my tastes to do things right so often (and in so many different ways) that he deserves the compliments. In this case, it was to dare to do "so little" and keep it so "simple".