I just recalled that I sold my first project, at the now defunct Eastern Hills near Dallas, with the idea that we would do three greens as a test. They had done a lot of in house projects poorly, and some were interested in how an architect and contractor might do better, so that was the plan. During the shaping of the greens, one member walked out and wrote a $1000 check towards phase 2 to signal he would support further changes if done well.
That said, if a club is struggling financially, and can only afford one hole or a few greens, a change for fortune would be required to continue the project. Indeed, at Eastern Hills we did do a few more greens a few years later, then the project stalled. The full master plan was never implemented.
A more stable club, one would hope, would do their homework in the architects interview stage, rather than experiment (albeit at a higher level than most in house projects) because interviewing architects is far cheaper than running bulldozers. It is nice to be confident in your architect before undertaking anything.