A few of these last posts really helped me to focus my thoughts on this topic as it relates to originality vs other criteria.
Based on how I value courses, attributes like "variety of holes" and "fun to play" are right at the top. So if faced with a decision of choosing a course that is super fun with great variety, but perhaps not original, over the inverse (original, but not much fun with little variety), I would pick the former every day and twice on Sunday!
And I think this is why templates work well, especially when used in the right spot. And its also why sandy sites with big hairy bunkers and rolling terrain work well.
P.S. If a course hits all 3, fun, variety, and original, then perhaps it goes into the super elite club...