Tom Paul;
#16 has to be my least favorite hole at Hidden Creek, a ramrod straight, long (475) par four that goes slightly downhill from the tee to a fairway that is interrupted by broken ground, rough, and mounds at 285-310 yards, and then goes uphill to a green that is open in the front, but which is difficult due to a center-high feature rolling off somewhat on all sides.
It seems to me that the drive is sort of mandated, unless one wants to attempt the 310 yard carry (not in my bag, nor in most of the members, I'd assume). The idea is to drive it as far as you can, without exceeding the 285 limit. The hole location might determine what side of the fairway one wants to favor, but there is really not much in the way of green to fairway preference orientation.
The approach is the typical 200+ yarder to an uphill green, which as mentioned, is totally open in front to accommodate the running approach.
It's not a hole that one would point out as particularly creative or inspiring, despite the interesting green contours. The hole, while lovely due to the rough overall "look" of the course, ultimately fails to stir the blood or offer creative options to any great extent.
Number five on the other hand, is brilliant, and not in any way that's particuarly obvious from the the tee. It's only after playing the hole that one realizes the number of options and temptations that have been built in, and in retrospect, the dynamic way it will change it's demands every day depending on the wind, the hole location, and the firmness of conditions.
It relies on a very simple concept...once again, a diagonal strip of broken, rough ground coming into play in the landing zone. Unlike #16, however, this one works brilliantly due to the right to left cant of both the predominant landforms, as well as the reverse of the broken ground. There are no bunkers on the hole and it doesn't need any.
One seeking to lay up short wants to favor the right side, but that means laying quite a ways back for a flat lie and an almost blind second.
Another play might try to squeeze it further down the left, but rough and a wooded area serve to squeeze in that route, complicated by the ground running towards them.
Finally, one can try to carry all of this, but trying to control that shot with the ground and green past the rough area running away from the golfer, is a very risky shot. That shot is not really possible from the back tees at 395 yards, but is an option for a long driver from the member's tee with firm conditions and a good following breeze.
The green is almost 50 yards long, running away, so there is a paramount advantage to being able to see the approach shot.
From the right side, it looks something like this;