Tom Paul,
When I drink wine, I seem to lose judgement, but from reading your photo analysis, it seems to sharpen yours! 
I'd agree that these photos are a visually positive change in Rees Jones's style, and would argue that the fresh, more classically-influenced look affects the playability in new, beneficial, and interesting ways, as well.
Great point about the bunker "puffiness" and the limitations of machine made bunkers versus stuff done by hand. You and I saw real evidence of that at Merion, and your comparison to how #12 looked in Geoff's book to both its current state as well as to the bunkers at OK is spot on.
The counter-argument I've heard is that the clearly artificial and forced look of those capes and bays will weather and erode over time, and before you know it, voila!, we'll have the natural look we all love again.
I'm not buying it. Those upholstered faces seem pretty inpenatrable to me, and nothing short of mortar fire is going to change them for a long, long, long time.
More reason to take the time to do it right in the first place, in my view, particularly during "restoration" efforts where the naturally integrated look of the bunkers is clearly worth preserving.
Still and all, I'm very excited by what I'm seeing here from Rees, and I think he may have gotten past the fundamentally obvious modern techniques and I think you, me, and perhaps Tommy are now talking about the fine, detailed brushstrokes.
BillV,
Classic and colorfully vivid writing, mi amigo!