Tom
Of course bunkers are a primary element for most courses...and of course I never implied they should be ignored. However, when singled out as the main reason for a top 100 ranking, I think its reasonable to drill down to what the bunkers actually achieve. IMO, its the beauty more than anything else which sets Woodhall's bunkers apart from the vast majority of courses. There are loads of courses which also fit this bill, but of their own place. Mind you, they are not in a heathland setting. That said, I think Walton Heath's bunkers are just as lovely, effective and original as Woodhall's, but for some reason they don't get much mention.
I haven't been to Pine Valley or Oakmont...never been invited. On paper at least, the courses look to be the epitome of penal...I would say probably more penal than Woodhall. In the case of Oakmont, it makes complete sense to me. That is a proper championship venue whereas I wouldn't consider Pine Valley or Woodhall Spa as such.
Yes, Woodhall has hosted the Brabazon, but as time goes on, this is less and less a big tournament. In fact, when the Brab was at its height, its arguable it wasn't a real international event such as it is now.
Yes, your love of interesting greens is well known. However, for a good percentage of the GB&I courses you rate, you must have found other elements that were of high enough quality to give the greens a pass. Interestingly, I get the impression panelists don't rate Deal as among the world's very best, yet it has the elements of other highly ranked courses, plus better greens. I can only conclude the lack of outstanding views is the stumbling block. If true, this generally doesn't speak highly for the quality of panelists.
Yep, you picked a few examples which don't exhibit terribly interesting greens unless quite firm. I am sure there are others as well. Which is my point, Woodhall is keeping company with courses that aren't known for their greens. I would go one step further and say the greens at Woodhall aren't merely a nuetral element, they are a stand out negative element. IMO, not good enough to allow Woodhall to hang with the very best of GB&I.
Happy Hockey