What do you mean by optimal?
Does following the Starting Strength program cause significant muscle growth, yes.
If muscular growth is the goal, is there any faster way to build muscle for a novice? Not that I’m aware of.
I’m happy to answer any questions. It’s the assertions that are not productive to address. If the plumber is coming from a position of certainty, how useful is it for a surgeon to say “that’s not what I’ve seen in the OR.”
I’ll answer any question I’m qualified to answer. But I’m not interested in debating with someone that’s made up their mind purely based on how they imagine things to be.