The changes within the green, relative to the other contours in the green, are not so dramatic. What changes is the relationship of the green to the surrounds. For example, at Cypress Point, it was obvious that a lot of the greens were originally "dished" into the landscape ... they rose up sharply at the back edge and softly at the greenside bunkers, so that shots were kind of held in, and you could manage putting down the steep slopes by using the side-slopes. But, after a foot or two of topdressing material, it's all different. The approaches in front are much steeper, and the greens don't dish in from the sides as much as they used to, because the center of the green has filled up more than the edges. It's a lot easier to look at in 3-D than it is to explain it on paper, but it's more significant than I had previously thought. If Cypress just maps the greens the way they are and rebuilds them, they won't really be rebuilding MacKenzie's greens at all.
TD, this is one of the best descriptive illustrations I have read about the long term effects of top-dressing applications on green evolutions. What you describe at CP, in my opinion, has occurred at numerous other classic courses almost in identical fashion. I do not have the software or the know-hows to create a 3D representation of this, but if anyone has the time or the inclination, I believe it would be an eye-opener to all and a fantastic tool to demonstrate to memberships.