I agree that the Dormie Club wait until the 7th for a par three, and the subsequent onslaught of three in six holes, beguiles. The only thing worse might have been a par-three finisher, even if it had been all-world. MP offers balance in the traditional sense, with no run of par 4s longer than three, and only in the final 3 holes. In my mind, that is the type of fact I seek when comparing or contrasting courses.
This next fact set made me chuckle, as it highlights the difficulty in a surface comparison of the two courses:
Mid-Pines: 6723, 6163, 5669, 4913
Dormie: 6883, 6576, 5910, 5180
MP gaps its 4 tee decks by 560, 500 and 750 yards. DC does the same with 300, 650 and 730. None of this means very much to me, other than to reveal the massive jump/fall-off from the beginner/old guy tees to the next set. Clearly, when we are on our way up in the game (from beginner to novice) or down (from early senior to how are you still playing?) the two architects agree. Although, who is to say that Ross is the architect of the 4900-yard tee decks? Were they considered critical in his design days?
I've just wasted your time with a factual musing, so I better have something to say, with little room to say it. Let's look at the par-5 holes. Dormie has 3 of them while Mid-Pines has 4. The 6th hole at Dormie measures a bit shorter than it plays, as it is runs gently uphill. The 10th is that massive affair that runs out, then bends hard left (with wetlands to carry and a centerline bunker of the nose variety to avoid, on the 2nd shot) than finishes with an unimpeded sprint to a marvelously-sized green. It's fairly massive, which goes against the grain of some architects, who reserve larger greens for other-par holes.
The final par 5 at Dormie is controversial. #17 is a visually-appealing hole, with a curious placement of its Hell's-Half-Acre feature. It comes very late in the 2nd-shot range, and causes consternation with players forced to hit less club than they might wish for that middle shot. If you lay up perfectly to the edge of the waste area, about 105 yards (playing 115-120 for the uphill topography) await. Another massive putting surface awaits.
Dormie's par fives don't grab your attention (or your heart-memory) on the first or second playing. I still don't love them. I think that the best par-5 is actually a par-4...the lakeside 8th hole. It has the scorecard length to be a short 5, but the presence of the drive zone, kick-drop makes it an all-or-nothing par four. If you're short, you have a longish approach downhill (albeit a fun one, if you can utilize the sideboard on the high/right edge of the fairway.) If you catch the slope, down you bound, toward a shorter approach.
Heck, the 13th plays 492 and 465 from the back two decks. It might even be a par 5-ish hole! Are there 3 or 5 par 5 holes along Beulah Hill Church road?