"Why was the 5th hole shortened?"
Kevin -
I think the 5th hole was shortened to move the green out of the range of the patio that has been built on the east side of the clubhouse. No sense putting the people out there enjoying a beverage or a burger at risk. The site of the old 5th green is now the practice putting green.
DT
I might add, that as an architecture nut, I never liked the 5th as the “long” par 3. Because it is downhill, the massive contours are completely wasted on a shot that must fly over them to reach the green.
The shorter version adds optionality in playing off the contour short-right, and the position of the green on the downslope bring the waste area into play beyond the green.
I will obviously reserve judgement until I’ve played, but on paper, the shorter version makes much more sense to me beyond just safety concerns.