PK, I agree that FFs are a great feature. They test the player's awareness as well as their ability to control trajectory.
I do however, see the humor when someone says they hit a great shot, only to have it end up in a bad position. To me, this is funny because clearly the shot was not great for that specific task at hand. It may have been great in their minds as far doing exactly what they want it to do, but the results speak for themselves. In other words, that was not the proper shot. Trying to convince a good golfer of that reality is about as easy as it is to keep politicians out making business decisions, when they have never been in business.
Point being, when a good player recognizes that an architectural feature has one upped them, they tend to dis-like the feature rather than accept the fact that they were in control and failed to anticipate the proper pace or line.
This type of a reaction to an architectural feature is what tells us more about the individual than it does about the feature. Pat Mucci has had a couple of threads over the years about the softening of features because of complaints from golfers. This is the perfect case for those who recieve the bitching to smile and say Thank you, knowing the deficiency is not in the GC but in the human being.
BTW, I've played Tilden a few times and enjoyed it as a unique course in an area that is not known for affordable golf. The ups and downs at Tilden are great fun and true tests of ones ability to gauge how elevation changes and undulations require adaptations to one's game. My last time there I was on the front of the 7th green walking off the front when a marshal motioned me over. When I shifted direction the soaking wet turf gave way and I was jarred to the core when my pelvis hit the turf. In thinking back to that episode I can't help but think it's responsible for my current pelvic issues that took over 10 years to manifest.