Off Shel's fine recap:
At the professional level especially, skill has always been valued in the game, challenge always prized, good conditioning always appreciated, and the latest technology always sought after.
But to me, the current trends that JN's comment reflect (and, sadly, probably encourage) seem a development and culmination of a fundamental kind:
Here, finally, is perfection being nakedly and unabashedly sought -- the elimination of anything that could possibly be deemed random or unfair, of anything that could possibly been seen to mitigate or impinge upon or devalue the much vaunted skills of the human actors, the individual egos, participating on this natural stage. The golfer's skill is now all, to be cherished and supported and showcased above all else and at all costs; the landscape, nature, sustainability, great architecture, frugality, common sense, the vagaries of life and of fate, and a sane humility all must take a back seat now. It seems just one more step closer to the playing of this most outdoor game, indoors.