This is a hole that grew on me slowly over the years, and has become a real favourite. Some of the more important factors to consider:
1. You get a 'preview' of the green and the pin position clearly when you play the 7th hole, so while it is a blind approach you know exactly where the pin is located.
2. I really like the way the green lulls good players into just hitting average shots. It's a bit like the easy lay-up on par 5's that are so easy to mess up because you don't get a specific target. There are no bunkers, and a dowslope short of the green, so many players just hit it over the hill and hope. In fact, the shot does require a lot of trajectory control to get the ball close, and it can also be played a few different ways, which is a plus. It's not a hard hole to make a par on, but it is the hardest on the course to make birdie on IMO, which makes it a bit different to most golf holes.
3. As others have mentioned, it was originally a par 5.
4. Long is usually the better miss on this green, but so many people leave their approaches short, so it decieves very well. Long is so often dead on the sandbelt, so a lot of players are conditioned to never going near the back of greens, but it is the smart play on KH 17 and 8/10 times will give you an easier 2-putt or up and down.
Tyler,
The advantage to being up the left comes more from a shorter approach than a distinctly better angle. You can definitely see more of the pin from the left, but IMO the best spot to hit the approach from is the right side of the fairway on the upslope (which means you are driving into the narrower part of the fairway and bringing the right trees into play).