A fairly new course (about four years old) by Hurdzan/Fry near Buffalo, called Harvest Hill, has five long holes, all different from the last and the next, all requiring enough strategy to not hit the second shot too short nor too far, too left nor too right. The third shot, thanks to the grading, the bunkering, the contouring of the greens and the mounding around the greens, is never weak nor boring. I have written on my own site about the weakness (the short holes) of the course. I believe that the long holes effectively balance out the short holes (also five one-shotters), leaving the ultimate determinant of the worth of the course to be the two-shotters.
Number two: A late dogleg right over a gnarly creek. The tee shot rises and plateaus, at which point the decision is, lay up to the flat to leave a wedge in or bust a long hybrid or fairway metal over the creek to the front left of the green. Anyone aiming right at a right pin is foolish or medicated. The green is hourglass-like and sits sideways to the approach.
Number six: also a mid-length hole, this one moves from right to left. Tee ball must be played farther right than anticipated, as irrigation pond lurks on left and fairway can kick deceptively in that direction. Similar situation to number two, except that fairway runs out up right, the gnarly creek is farther back from the green, and the green sits in an irish hollow, fading from front right to back left. A layup within 80 yards of the green (over the creek) allows for a run-up or a fly-in third shot.
Number ten: tumbling hole that drops from on high to the landing area. Second shot traverses the gnarly creek (which never has the same appearance, even though it bisects four of the five long holes!) as the hole rises to the left, toward the putting surface. Second shot can lay back to 120 yards, push out to the right, leaving a parallel, 50-yard pitch, or tempt the putting surface from about 240 yards out.
Number thirteen: the one long that does not cross the creek, this one plays nearly 600 yards and moves oh-so-slightly left. It reminds me of a sandhills par five. The slight dogleg left moves oh-so-gently uphill, to a well-protected-on-the-sides putting surface.
Number eighteen: the Bethpage Black hole, 18 crosses gnarly creek one last time, a nearly 240-yard carry from the tips. The second shot rises up to a second tier of fairway, much like number four at the Black. The green sits up to the right, unlike the up to the left at Bethpage, but the result is no less dramatic nor challenging.
In summary, these five holes represent all that is wondrous about par five holes in America and serve to contradict (to a certain extent) the question raised in this thread. Keep in mind that I speak from my perspective, that of a five-cap that drives the ball 260 and hits a two hybrid about 215-220, a four metal about 235. For lesser hitters, short to mid irons come into play for third shots; for longer strikers, greenside recovery shots and putts for eagle!