Sean and Adam,
It is both - the ability to hit more greens, and the ability to have a similar experience as average male golfers, i.e., being able to hit most greens based on a decent tee shot.
Sean,
Adding par doesn't really work, because its the boring, middle third shot that is no fun, even if the forward tee player technically hits the green in regulation.
I tend to agree courses should start to specialize a bit, taking away those 7200 yard tees no one plays and focusing on a more limited market segment. Not many courses are willing to target only the 7-10% of golfers who are women. It was tried years ago in TX, and it didn't work. Still not sure the time is right.
As to paths, when I am asked to design a 7500 yard course (and I would love to be asked to design one again!) I have taken great care to position things so the cart path hits the middle tees to shorten the run, allowing back tee players a bit of a hike, since so few of them really play there.