Sean,
#8: where does joe bloggs hit his tee shot when the hole plays practically any direction except off the Channel?
In a bunker or long. To be fair, there used to be bunkers long that were removed so you can go long and chip back. But I agree there is, like 8 at St Enodoc or 10 at Dornoch, not really much of a way to get it close when it's downwind. I'd pull one bunker out at the front to allow a cheeky runner, but extend the front right trap to the left so that path through was only 15ft or so wide, as it's only going to be a wedge if it's downwind at 152yds.
#9: why is the fairway bunker protecting the inside of the leg when the best angle of approach is the right side?
I used to think this and to an extent still do. Flying the bunker gets you no advantage, but hugging it definitely does. The shape of the land off the right of the bunker generally means you get a big kick forward if you hug the bunker and rarely have more than a 9i in, wheras a tee shot placed more than about 10 yards right of the trap will die on the hill and be shoved right, usually leaving a 4i or 5i in. The angle is great from out there, but that's a lot of club with bunkers L and R at the green.
#12: Why is the right hand faiirway bunker further away than the left when approaching from the right is usually best?
I wouldn't say approaching from the right is usually best. If the pin is at the front, you want to be approaching from the left so you can run the ball off the RHS slope and stay away from the front left bunker. When the pin is back I think coming from the right is smarter as the LHS of the halfpipe at the green extends all the way back and a shot played from the right can use that steep slope to hold the green and find the back centre of the surface. Wheras if you go at a back pin fron the left it is easy to hang it out on the slope on the RHS of the green and leave a crazy tough 3rd.
#13 & 15: repetitive spectacle bunkering, much of which guards rough.
Agreed. Massively. The major weakness of the course. I'd love them to use the tee on the right of 12 green for the 13th and introduce some angled drive bunkers to tempt you to bit off the corner and bring the LHS green bunkers in tighter and shorter to make the approach from a drive tugged safely left a bastard.
ie.