Thanks to Howard for setting this up (and driving). Also a big thank you to John Morrissett for helping to put this together and for speaking to the group along with superintendent Zach Reineking. The course was in terrific shape despite a lot of recent wet weather.
As a walking only golf course, I didn't find the walk particularly difficult, although the green to tee transitions are an indication that this is a course was built to host a major championship more than to a pure walking golf course. I measured a total transition distance of about 2,500 yards from the center of the green to the green tees. That's meaningless with no context, so I also checked my home course (Kingsley), and the transitions at Erin Hills add more than a half mile to the walk in comparison. But I think that's a fairly mild criticism.
Of the changes I can recall from the pre-renovation, I'd say I like most of them. I miss the dell hole, but I think the new seven is a really good par five. The first hole plays a lot better than it used to in my opinion. The 15th green is a lot better than it used to be. Two green seemed really small, but it's hard to believe it's twice the size of the old green. And there was something about playing nine as a meaningful hole that made it a lot better, even though it's the hole that probably changed the least.
Now that I've seen the updates, I'm really looking forward to watching the open.