What kind of interesting shot could be had that requires a certain skill, and yet is too unusual to attempt on the important shot to the green?
Would the first shot landing area on a par 5 be a good place for:
steep side hill
fw mogul lies
Need to hit roundhouse hook/slice to second landing area
pop up shot required (trees at 320 yards, like PD 12)
Low stinger below tree branches
What else?
A fairway landing area that slopes down toward trouble, and requires calculating the run on the drive.
A hazard that can only be cleared by using a slope to run the ball around.
A ridge that the tee shot has to stay upon to get a clear look at a green/allow an open approach.
The classic Flynn use of a slope requiring a shot opposite that of the lie in order to hold another slope in the 2nd shot in the landing area.
No offence to you blokes, but I feel cheated if architects don't put as much thought and passion into all types of holes, but especially par fives. They offer three opportunities to test the thinking and shot execution of those playing them.
I don't buy the argument that it is pretty hard to find 500-550 yards of decent terrain to build them on, either. The Sandbelt has a few pretty good flat par fives - Commonwealth's 2nd, made by one of the best greens in golf, KH's 12th, Woodlands 15th.
I haven't seen Pacific Dunes, but from photo's, it looks like Doak managed to build at least three pretty interesting and different tee shot dilemmas onto fairly ordinary looking ground.
And Carnoustie's 6th is one of the great (flat)par fives in golf.
And what better green/green complex is there for a reachable five than Macrihanish's 12th?