Tom Huckaby,
I find the hole to be a wonderful hole, and, as someone else stated, probably one of the great views in golf from the tee.
With or without the trees I have to believe it's a fabulous hole.
The trees make it quite unique.
But, again, if it wasn't CPC, I wonder if someone building an identical hole would incorporate trees in the middle of the fairway.
Plus, I thought by starting this thread I'd take some of the heat off TEPaul and his irrational defense of removing and failing to restore an internal feature on the 18th green at PV. 
Pat - no hassles my friend, well done.
It is a good question anyway as to how it gets done from the start... my assumption remains that the trees were there and just LEFT... man it would take ballus maximus to PLANT such things. Of course Mackenzie might just be the one to do so. In any ever however it worked out, I remain very glad the trees are there. It takes everything you said - which is all very true - and then just throws in this quirk that for me puts it over the top, vaults this hole to all-world great status. Sans trees, no matter what replaces them, I just can't see it being as great. And it remains the uniqueness that makes it so over the top great. For me. Chip Oat just rolled in his future grave.
Brad - heck, if any place deserves each of the things you mention, it's Cypress Point.
TH