I'll pop in with some responses as a member who has played both the Dunluce and Valley numerous times this past year.
I believe the new holes, along with many other changes, will give the course much greater stature in the world of gca.
It won't hurt the stature as well that it will be first EVER sold out Open and the entire island is in a frenzy to see the Championship back at Portrush.
Mark: The bunker you mention on the new par 5 7th was to replace "Big Nellie" ( unceremoniously named after a kitchen staffer from another generation). In reality, the new bunker is nothing like the original and does seem out of sorts in a much smaller contrived hillock. To many this hole is more sizzle than substance, with the big hitters playing two shots straight down the middle. The attractive serpentine look of the fairway will not affect the pros much and I predict that after the Open this landing area may get another look. Many think it should be pushed farther left and by adding a bunker or two on the right centre it will make the big hitter think about carrying the hazards, an option they doesn't have to worry about now.
Adam; In regard to your interesting finish- the dramatic par 3 Calamity, the reachable Par 4 17 th and the tough 18th will indeed make a great finish. There has been much talk that the R & A should have considered playing the first 13 holes in original sequence, then move to the two new holes and finish as you mention. The new Par 4 followed by the new Par 5 before Calamity would make a great finish to consider.
Ally and Tom; The more I play the revised Valley the more I like it. Two very good holes were lost but the sum of the changes make a viable comparison, and now the Valley has the best view for either course from the new 18th tee.
Michael and Conor: As of two months ago there is zero change that the old 17 and 18th holes will ever be played again.
The bunkers have been filled and flattened, most of the gorse between the fairways has been removed, all in preparation for the tented village. After the Open the club will explore their options on this land. Some ideas include retaining the 18th green as the putting green, relocating and expanding the parking lot, creating three or four pitch and putt par 3 holes, creating a new large Himalayas putting course similar to the one at St. Andrews or what Tom D. built at Bandon. This would be located close to the Ladies clubhouse and the town. A small fee would be charged and it would be open to the public. Some of the younger members have thrown out the idea of a new clubhouse situated behind the new 18th green and /or a new pro shop structure, but all this is just talk at this time.
Lukas and Tim; Your point is well taken on the shaping of the two new greens. some of the contours and run-offs are out of character. A local told me about the day last spring when he witnessed four R&A officials standing at the front left of the new # 8 green all throwing balls up the slope at different angles and all watching the balls stop within a four foot catchment area. After quite some time duplicating the same result, they concurred that that sloped runoff was problematic. DUH!
The grounds crew are working round the clock on many improvements which will continue after the Open is over. Just last month they completed opening a new 4 metre length of the existing natural stream ( now underground) in front of the par 5 12th green. This new section of stream will catch short right side approaches and may lead to bringing more of the stream into play in the future.
All the changes should make for an exciting Open, however, the best case scenario would be to have it played under classic Portrush conditions, a brisk North Atlantic breeze and firm, hard turf.
Happy New Year to All!