Mitty wrote:


I have been vectored into that hold

Which would involve language like "fly headig xxx, direct Gopher,
holding instructions.") You were only vectored to the hold if you were
told you were being vectored into the hold and not "vectors for the
final approach course."



I have a CFII friend who thinks this was improper -- that since the hold
was not depicted on the approach plate (as part of the approach) that I
should have flown the full approach including the procedure turn.

You never fly the full approach when vectored unless you specifically
work that out with the controller. If you're last instruction from
Approach was something like "N123, you're 5 miles from Gopher, maintain
3000 until established on the final approach course, turn left heading
xxx cleared VOR A approach into Crystal." then you were being vectored
to final and were not supposed to go back outbound when you got to the
VOR. It's hard to believe a "CFI" could screw this up. This is a
garden variety VOR approach.


I
guess his thought is that I wasn't really receiving vectors since I was
in the hold.

It all comes down to the wording. What exactly did the controller say
to you?