If you think the 9th is unfair, just take 5 or 10 yards off the distance you're hoping to hit it and you'll find yourself with plenty of room short of the green with an uphill pitch (or fringe putt) to any hole location. You might not make 3 every time but you probably won't make many 5's and 6's - certainly not as many as those who foolishly chase after pins no matter where they might be. It is a blast to go for the flag on the 9th, but when you make that decision, you have to do it with the knowledge that a poor shot is going to leave you with plenty of work. It makes a successful shot at a 2 all the more rewarding.
Another often overlooked aspect of the 9th is just how good that green is. It's one of the most commonly misread greens on the course, and an exercise in putting creatively. Find the fall line and putt it to that point. Think creatively and study the entirety of the green to use counter-slopes and have some fun. On several occasions, I've finished a round of nine holes only to spend another 30 to 40 minutes on the 9th green, finding all sorts of fun ways to putt to various pins. It's an absolute joy.
I often hear people say the 10th is simple and therefore out of place, but as a few folks have mentioned, it's all about setting yourself up for the proper angle into the green. And really, no matter where the flag is located, that proper angle is from the right side of the hole whether it's in the fairway or light rough. I'd also add that shots landing anywhere in the first 10 to 15 feet of the green won't stay there for long. Grab a wedge.
On the first go around, people often overlook a few holes and say they're pedestrian or out of place with the rest of the course. I can understand that. But when you consider a course like Crystal Downs, so much more has to be taken into account. There isn't an average hole or even an average shot on the property.
Crystal Downs challenges you, not only in how well you can strike a golf ball but in how well you can read and think your way around the course, and how you battle your instinct to go for it in favor of playing conservatively to a safe position. I'll say that there are several positions you may find yourself where you may see no trouble at first glance, but that extra moment of study and consideration can really pay off. Know that MacKenzie's design style is often about camouflage and visual deception, and plan on simple-looking shots to have more going on than you might immediately see.
I can't imagine any course that reveals itself so well over repeated plays, only to consistently give you even more to learn and think about every time. It's just plain fun. But probably not as fun if you expect a play-by-numbers experience.
How boring would that be?