Don,
Don't think I over reacted to anything.....you on the other hand.....
However, setting up the course to be reasonable for the lower end of any field is always an issue we often overlook as we focus on the top ten players shown on TV every week seemingly doing everything with ease. Not sure what you/the tour/we would target as the ideal recovery rate from bunkers at a tournament, but I know its lower on average than the top guys. And no tournament (especially the PGA with its club pro contingent) wants a set up so hard it has them shooting 85, not getting out of bunkers, etc., just to keep the top scores lower. (Even more an issue at section events, NCAA tourneys, etc.)
That said, I am not sure the PGA Tour is quite the driver you seem to think it is. In general (at least my mid level clients) might discuss $100 ton sand, different liners, etc. but sooner or later most back off/compromise in the name of money.
I agree about reducing bunker sizes. Almost posted a thread on that. Quickly, my old target for sand bunkers was 100K. My new target is 50-75K. When we redid La Costa in the Dick Wilson style, they actually had about 140K SF. That is too much, and really hard on average players.
And I have been called to reduce bunkers on half dozen of my own courses, and am reinstating more grass bunkers, chocolate drops, chipping areas, as well as downsizing the scale of my bunkers. Haven't really missed them in the results, so we agree generally that the 50's style turf panel and sand bunkers based design has some failings. But, I am with Brent, I don't see any wholesale move to eliminate bunkers almost completely. Maybe its the visuals, history, or something else. Probably will see golf embrace the 15" cup before bunkerless golf courses, but we all know how likely that is.....