Thanks for the assist Matt and Joe!
Bob,
I don't think you are really missing anything either. By reversing the green, but not the tee shot, the hole has a completely different strategy than the originaL. The only reward for skirting the water is a shorter approach to the green, but you still have the bunker to deal with. Hitting left you generally have an easier angle, but more club in.
Charles Banks wrote about this hole having inspiration from the 17th at St. Andrews and the hole was named Road, so I suppose that is what makes it Road Holeish. It's still one of the more difficult holes on the course, regardless of this simple change in strategy.
Bret