TEP,
I was being facetious; too much to do, a little bit of time, and a need to procrastinate.
What I was referring to was your comment or insinuation that the "old guys" didn't move much dirt because they couldn't. The prevailing opinion on this site appears to be that quirk was part of the genius of these guys. Personally, I believe that if they had the budgets and the equipment, their courses would probably look and play much differently. I think that gone would be many of the blind shots, "intimate" but rather dangerous routings, and bland, unexciting connecting holes. Would Macdonald with Lido or Thompson on a number of his courses be considered "minimalists"? Certainly not when the definition is based on volume of earth moved. I haven't seen NGLA, but does it really "blend" with the natural surroundings? Pictures that I have seen seem to indicate otherwise.
George and MGM,
CP is my favorite course that I have played. I like all the holes 15 - 18, but I know that MacKenzie had other concepts for at least #16 and 18, and this site's second most beloved figure doesn't much care for the last two holes.
#15 is dramatic photogenically. If you could only elevate the tee and move it to the right (the ocean), then you would experience life what one sees in the picture. A 9 or wedge, though possibly much more depending on the wind, the hole didn't have the same impact on me as its more famous neighbor, #16, or #7 at PB.
The Doctor's thoughts about 16 are well documented. I am not sure that it would not be a better par 4 with the tees moved back, and the green pushed further toward the ocean on the point. Would I change this hole? Absolutely not.
I like #17 a lot, but if they had had the money to protect the shoreline to the right of the trees on the left, the strategy on that hole would have remained more rich. As it is now, one would be nuts to play to the little sliver of land on the right side to get a closer, clear shot to the green.
I also like #18 though fully understand the problems cited by many who play the course. Had the money, equipment, engineering, etc. been available, I wonder whether the Doctor would not have built a bridge or connected that point some how.
To suggest that Dr. MacKenzie would have messed-up CP had he had more money and better equipment does not speak well of the Doctor's abilities. I would hate to think that his creativity and artistry were enhanced by a limitation of resources.