#5 is something like 190 yards dead into the wind, I hit a 3 iron and was still well short.
You must have played on a day with the storm wind pattern, coming out of the south as the prevailing wind comes off the ocean, or right to left on #5 ...
It is a challenging par-3 course but unfortunately, I think the architects missed badly on the original intent of the course, assuming I know what the intent was.
As many have noted, the Lake course is very challenging and many of the members are reluctant to play it. They choose to play the Ocean instead but it is not a piece of cake, an equally as challenging walk.
With over 5,000 total members, hundreds of golf members, I believe the club was looking for a "sporty par-3 course" that could accommodate all golfers, from youngsters to beginners, elderly to duffers.
Unfortunately, the Cliffs course was designed with many forced carries, deep bunkers and not a single hole that someone, who can't get the ball airborne, can run the ball onto the green (it is never firm enough for this to happen even if it was designed as such).