So, do you really think the Open this year affected the way most view the game? Hell no. 15,000 courses already practice less maintenance out of necessity...
I am going the other way on this...
Scott Ramsey the Super at Yale sends out a newsletter every couple of weeks and he does a pretty good job of explaining what is going on at a complicated site with complicated restrictions. Not sure how many people internal even read it
Sure Yale is one of the 1000 that you reference, but is is not a rich club in terms of budgets. Now Yale is famous on GCA.com, but in the real world it host many college and Connecticut state tournaments. It gets players from all over the country and the world due to its status as a golf course and from Yale's pedigree as a university.
The point is alot of people look at Yale, and Pinehurst just made Scott Ramsey's job a little easier because they now see a brown course with some roughness around the edges in a different way. Yale can't get firm like Pinehurst, and it really can't go "no rough", but it is pretty brown come July and people will better understand that it is a style choice and not something else.
I think people understand that Pinehurst and Yale are destination courses for many, and yes I really do believe that the local courses follow and keep up with the 1000.
Even when I play at Palmetto, they have their own vibe, unique membership and culture, but they still talk about The National.
Same at Southampton towards Shinnecock and National. Same at Enniscrone towards County Sligo....