"A few places that I can't see the subtlety....
#2 Once you get over the idea of a blind driver, its just a drive and flip wedge to a flat green???"
Provided you hit it solid and hit it straight.
Fail to do that and you have some problems
"#3 I realize this is one of the most beloved holes on the course (if not the world) but I simply don't see the novelty in hitting a 180 yard six iron approach shot over a 50 foot tall hill. I realize I in the minority on this, but I just don't see it."
One just feels that with that totally blind green they do need to get it on the green and on the right part to the day's pin or there can be a serious problem two putting (on where the pin is to that blind green I think they have 3-4 different position's or holes in which they can plant that directional poll on the berm behind the green). The other concern with that hole for a good player is to have the ball bounce just over the green up into the longish grass on that back berm. That's a problem. (By the way, when I went back there after about forty years and first played the 3rd, I hit a six iron but I thought I hit it way too far right for the left front pin position. When I got up there, to my surprise, the ball was about a foot from the hole. I think it might've just trickled all the way down from the right side).
"#10 Flat, straight and easy? What did I miss?"
Not if the pin is in the front section which is extremely narrow.
"#17 200 yard tee layup tee shot to the widest (40 yard wide) part of the fairway and then a wedge to the flattest green on the course?"
That's pretty much it but the deal with this hole is most good players, particularly, in competition feel like they should or might really need to birdie this hole. Like #14 that also looks like a big fairly bland green, even though this one is blind from the approach it is just a wedge but balls have a way of getting over this green a lot easier than one realizes particularly if the pin is in the back half of both this one and #14.
Chip:
I don't know what the conditions were like when you played NGLA but that course is one that absolutely lights up when the conditions are firm and fast both "through the green" but particularly on the greens. As a barometer I like to see the course firm and fast enough where most any player could not really land the ball on the redan green and keep it on the green! To me that particular example is NGLA's "F&F" barometer!