Jeff:
Lots of my early work has undulating tees, because we weren't that focused on making them flat. And Urbina has been experimenting with his undulating tees for a lot longer than Bobby Jones. I just hope we have more to offer for "great design ideas of the 21st century".
Besides, as I said, I really doubt that the back tees at Chambers Bay are undulating now -- and if they are, I'll bet you 100 bucks they're flat in 2015. (Of course you may not be able to buy a good dinner for $100 in seven more years.)
Tom,
I tried a rolling tee exactly twice in my career. Both times the Owner or his superintendent overruled it - at Opryland in 1990 and Tangleridge in 1993. I used it as a design counterpoint or conversation piece. I heard Bobby talk about it almost ten years ago, so as I said, he has been thinking about it for a long time, whether the idea was original to him or borrowed. I don't know if this is the first time the idea came out on the ground intentionally. We have all seen a lot of unlevel tees that weren't meant to be that way due to poor construction/compaction.
I agree that it may be too far out there for the USGA, but if we make any kind of long term bet, you can set the value, and I pick the currency, given the free fall of the dollar.
BTW, as far as new design ideas, I do recall Fuzzy Zoeller preaching the virtues of the "Water Chipping Hazard" purposely built to hold about 2" of water as far back as 1984. I don't think that qualifies as the best new design idea of the 21st Century either!