I collected these quotes for something else, but seeing I have them I thought I might try and stump the panel here. Who wrote what?
1. "The few courses around the world which are agreed to be the finest in the game are so different from the average course that it is impossible for someone who has never seen them to realize the potential of golf architecture: courses totally in harmony with the land, beautiful in their own workings, and functional for all levels of golfers."
2. "The more he can trust his swing to muscle memory, the more attention he can then turn to managing his golf—that is, thinking out the proper strategy for playing each hole, deciding which of the alternative routes to the pin is the wise one under the immediate conditions, playing the right kind of shot to suit the terrain and the elements, meeting, in short, the ever-fresh challenge which a fine golf hole presents to a man who understands the game and has the necessary equipment to play it well."
3. "The Old Course represents the ideal, primarily because its blatant width and consistently fast-running character caters to golfers of all abilities. At St. Andrews, better players are presented with a cerebral test as well as a physical examination. Each shot must be played with the next in mind, and the influence of ground contour must always be considered. All the while, less skilled golfers are provided with ample space and a helpful bounce to enhance their recreation."
4. "In 1930 St. Andrews was at its best. The links were hard and dry, and at many holes it was impossible to pitch and stay near the pin. Not only was the run up shot essential, but it was necessary to play for position and attack the subtle slopes from the correct angles."
5. "The best architects seek, in placing their hazards, to call forth great shots. Some of their best holes reward handsomely fine golf, but have no obvious penalties for bad golf. Such holes are so cunningly laid out that those playing bad shots lose strokes by the position in which they find themselves."
And seeing it's almost that time again...
6. "It almost goes without saying that Royal Melbourne is aesthetically exceptional. But there is so much more to it than that. The course is the epitome of strategic design—all optional strategies, angles and placement. It's the opposite of so many modern courses in that all the questions are asked backwards. While Royal Melbourne gives you plenty of room to drive the ball, the wide fairways are misleading. There is always a distinct advantage to be had in driving close to the trouble. In other words, the overriding tenet is rewarding the brave shot rather than penalising the bad shot. That's a subtle and important difference. Modern designers tend to produce 'golf for dunces' in that the correct strategy may as well be written on the tee boxes, it's so obvious. At Royal Melbourne, however, the smart play is far less clear, and changes markedly depending on green speed, wind direction and velocity, pin placements and shot shape."