Doug S:
Likely, you would need a picture to further clarify what is being stated.
The optional fairway alleyway allows the player to get both closer AND have a better angled into the target. Those who lay back to guarantee the fairway option must then up the ante with the next play.
That's what the two examples I mentioned do.
Geoff:
My golf tastes are a bit more pragmatic than the narrow "it only can be designed in this way always" formula that a good number of people follow here on GCA.
I salute Kelly for taking a difficult piece of property and providing for anb array of top tier holes -- maybe instead of concentrating on coffee brands -- you may wish to see what type of eye-glasses are available as people age.
I don't doubt that not every hole at Morgan Hill is a winner -- but the ones that are less so are clearly in the minority from my perspective. Moran had to segway from one part of the property to the other and the repetitive drop-shot 12th is one clear sacrifice. He did much better with the downhill par-3 7th which is well done -- especially with the far right pin area.
The uphill holes are also done well -- something many architects eschew because they don't want to "burden" golfers. Good examples of that type include the uphill par-5 5th and the par-5 13th -- which is very well done. The uphill par-3 14th is also a winner -- I mean how many times do you have hole of this type being designed today that works very well.
I can appreciate differences in opinion but I'd have to see the detailed counter analysis to see if it indeed flies. If you think what Moran has done is not your "cup of tea" then I would recommend skipping a good number of Jim Engh designs that are layed out on some equally demanding terrain.