[W. Deranged]

I think this hand is played in an unnecessarily complex way.

You are the pre-flop raiser. You should bet the flop.

Checking the flop completely gives up control of the hand. Often, betting would simply allow you to take this pot down without any further contest (4 handed is not that multiway). By checking, you forgo this right. It then places you in the position of having to play the hand without iniative.

Way Ahead/Way Behind is a powerful line in many situations. But, until proven otherwise, on the flop you should not approach this as WA/WB. You have the best hand until proven otherwise. Once you get called/raised, then you should start reevaluating; betting the flop and then checking the turn indeed might be a correct way to play this depending on what happens after your flop bet.

Checking the flop gives up your right to win without showdown, provides you no sense of the quality of your opponent's hands, confuses your opponents and/or gives away the fact that you don't like the board, and many other bad things.

So bet the flop and reevaluate.