Emperor:
We agree on something!!! I've only played two Doak courses, Pacific Dunes and TRC, and my comments after playing each was that while I had great fun, I would hate to have to post a medal score in typical weather under competition. Both are great match play venues, where will, attitude, and fate more than raw skill come into play. They are courses that even under normal conditions, character and courage are probably revealed.
As for the two holes in question, I am not sure that length is the major challenge. Both have extremely difficult, protected greens. Into the prevailing wind, the left side of #8 is largely inaccesible, and a putt or chip from the right to the opposite side is an extremely hard up-and-down. #14 for all but the longest is barely reachable in regulation, and the internal green contours more closely resemble those of a very short hole (though the green is larger).
I am a moderate hitter and into a 20-25 mph south wind I hit driver-3 iron to #8, 3 putted from 60'); on # 14, driver-3 wood, just right, pitched long to a back left pin and into a bunker, a sand shot barely out, a chip, and two putts for an easy 7 (and not a single really poor shot).
The next day with a 20 - 25 mph wind from the north this time, # 8 played driver-8 iron (still made 7 by missing the green left into the bunkered pit), and #14 was a driver-9 iron (barely short of the fringe, chipped a wedge from 65' to 5' and missed the putt for a 5). It is very true that yardage and par are not meaningful numbers here. With the wind the way it blows, the firm conditions of the turf, and the numerous pin positions, it can be a different course every day. If the course is awarded an NCAA final, it would be great fun to watch the boys get around.