Why PV needs fans;
The greens are Poa in a crappy summer climate, so without help want to die
They are old push up greens that hold water (although the aggressive aeration program they've been on is helping)
The greens are generally sheltered which restricts air movement (again they have been removing trees/brush which helps)
Green speeds / general condition expectations have increased over the years (not only a PV thing)
For a period about ten years ago they had a number of bad summers where the greens suffered, the fans were introduced after that to help alleviate the heat/excess moisture stress in their unique setting and coupled with the aforementioned aeration program I believe they haven't had any major turf loss since (anyone remember how brutal last summer was?) So the fans work.
As for fans in general:
They are not 'robotic greenkeepers' just another tool to force our will on mother nature, fooling her into thinking a microclimate is something it isn't so we can get the results we require. Can a badly located green survive a bad summer - sure, maybe..... A super can nurse those greens through but at what cost? Raised height of cut, more fertility, constant babying, aerating etc etc when all they really are is a band aid when the proper fix is more air, so why not provide it? Then of course there are the playability issues, slower greens, wetter greens and inconsistency with the 'good greens', why should the good ones be managed a different way to match the bad ones if they don't need it?
Air and water are the two most important aspects of turf management and for the most part they go hand-in-hand. Water can be added but it's not easy to make go away, and you need it to go away to provide better air movement/exchange. I use the analogy of a sauna to describe the difference between a subair and fan usage. They complement each other but are not necessarily a replacement for each other as they do two different things. Think of a sauna, if all the air is sucked out it's still not a comfortable place to be (subair) but if a fan is added it makes it a little more pleasant..... obviously both together make it even better, but given the choice the fan will do more as it's an instant relief from the air passing over which cools, and as it provides a cool area so the plant can transpire it will cool itself relieving stress.
I agree greenspeed and the current maintenance requirements add to the stress that require these machines but if we have a tool that can help us achieve the results required by our members/guests then why not use it, especially if it provides the conditions, consistent playing conditions and can actually save money (remember all that nursing, extra fert, labor etc, does not come cheap)