Before anyone gets too excited here, I think one needs to consider that the USGA often has a hand in course architectural modifiications and maintenance practices on sites they select, subtle and indirect though it may be.
I was recently out to a site of a major USGA tournament course, and two things were happening that myself and another GCA'er took immediate exception to. First, new "back" tees were being built on a number of holes, some which made sense and others that didn't, but more disturbing is that the historically rugged bunkers were being "cleaned up", with new sod faces. I couldn't help but think that the USGA simply wanted to avoid rules decisions as to whether a ball was in or out of a bunker, and the end result is that aesthetically, the bunkers suffered in comparison from what they had been.
At least, that seemed to be the pragmatic reason for the changes. I'd hate to think that they were just concerned that the course looked plush and green and uniform when presented on display for their tournament!