I too have yet to play the redo, and plan to on Friday. Will try and provide some unbiased, objective reviews after then.
with that said, I've been out to the club a 3 times since the reopening and have watched play at the new 7-8 arrangement and a number of things (many of which have been said here before) stood out
1. The new 2-tier #7 green looks interesting from afar and seems to provide more pin options... that's a plus. I find Gib's comment interesting about it's size being out of context for a short par 4 and look forward to seeing that for myself.
2. I watched about 12 groups over the course of three days, and the walk from #7 green to #8 tee took an average of 2 minutes, where all of the other green-to-tee walks probably take no more than 15 seconds (excluding 5 green - 6 tee). And, let's not even bring up the roller-coaster tracks of cart-paths that we've installed here... it looks like a frickin' go-cart track.
3. The mulitple tee boxes on 8, as well as 5 and 12 look great if this were Wente Vineyards or Stone Tree, or El Fra Diavlo Grande & Preserve GC, or whatever CCFAD you want. They have no place at Olympic - especially the cozy and clautrophobic (i mean that in the very best of ways) Lake Course. They look absolutely ridiculous and present an unnecessary cost to maintain.
4. I also hear there's a new tee on #7 that's tucked back and to the left now creating dog-leg left tee shot. Not sure if and when this tee will be used, but what the f*** is this?
5. Gib, you brought up an interesting point about the improved turf condition now that air and light can circulaion due to the removal of a number of trees. And, still the course retains its aura… tight, tree-lined, claustrophic (I mean this with the best of intentions). I love that one can stand out back of the club house (by the Domino practice area) and watch from one’s left to right, players teeing off on #4, playing #8, putting out on #7, teeing off on #9, and finishing up on #18. Plus you can see clear through the property. However, those days are numbered as trees – and lots of them – are being replanted in areas that will once again choke off needed sun and circulation.
I frankly care little about the rankings, and feel that some of the changes will make the course better (i.e. new putting surfaces [I know there are some here that disagree with this], new green on #15, and resloped green on #18. However, I think those changes on 7 and especially 8 do nothing and actually alter the overall “vibe” of the course.
And, Gib I suspect that if you plan to live at least another 20 years we’ll be having a meeting out there then to discuss ondoing these changes and taking the course back to the original design intent.
With that said, I might have a completely different view after actually playing it in 2 days.