The Players Championship is one of the iconic tournaments in the men's professional game. The fifth major - debate that on your own time - shares many characteristics of the major tournaments such as a top field, a large purse, and a renowned host course.
One of the iconic aspects of The Players Championship is the course: TPC Sawgrass. Designed by Pete Dye specifically for this tournament under the vision of then-PGA Tour Commissioner Deane Beman. With mounds for spectators to easily view the play and a routing that centers on hubs, the course was designed for the viewing spectator in mind, but also to challenge the world's best players by demanding draws, fades, length, and finesse.
The course did not open to great fanfare and favorability amongst the players. Ben Crenshaw called it "Star Wars golf designed by Darth Vader." Jack Nicklaus acknowledged the difficulty of the approach shots saying they asked for a "five-iron to land on the hood a of car." J.C. Snead called the course "90 percent horse manure, 10 percent luck."
However, in the years since the course opened in 1982, some modifications and tweaks have been to the course. Now, it is considered one of the best courses in the world, and the players have embraced its challenge, uniqueness, and (at times) quirkiness.
The final three holes are affectionally known as The Gauntlet: a three hole stretch where essentially anything can happen and the tournament is usually decided. However, the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass has other holes on the course that can be just as exciting. Here are three holes you should know about (other than those three) that you should know.
Hole 4, par 4, 384 yards
The fourth hole is a sneaky good par four early in the round that offers many options. Its relatively short length will have many players using less than driver off the tee, but placement of the tee shot is important.
The left side of the fairway is lined with knobs, mounds, and a spectator hill, while the right side of the fairway is guarded by a long bunker running the length of the fairway.
The fairway snakes around the spectator mound on the left up to the canal fronting the green.
There are distinct hole locations on this green, and with many players coming into the green with a short iron or a wedge, accuracy on the approach is key.
The green is divided into clear sections. A hole location that looks challenging is the one on the left surrounded by water; however, a ridge in the center of the green can feed the ball down the slope safely toward the hole. Likely a more difficult hole location is front right on a narrow tongue of the green fronted by water and surrounded by classic pot bunkers on the right.
Hole 11, par 5, 558 yards
A relatively short par five, many players will attempt to reach this green in two shots with an accurate tee shot.
An offline tee shot to the right will be in trees and pine straw and the second shot must contend with a large oak tree; a miss to the left off the tee will find in a large bunker. This may force players to lay up to the fairway on the right, or to an approach fairway on the left over a canal.
Find the fairway, however, and it’s “go time.” The green is ringed by a bunker - and water - around the front, right, and back of the green. The left provides a safer option to miss: a closely-mown area. However, there are two small pot bunkers that seem to gobble balls.
Prior to a renovation, the left side of the green featured rough and moguls, which arguably led to a more challenging recovery shot for players who bailed out on their attempt for the green.
With a short par four following, this hole and the 12th have the potential to jump start a back nine scoring run.
Hole 14, par 4, 481 yards
The first of two consecutive long, challenging par fours, the 14th may be the most difficult hole on the course.
Finding the fairway is crucial, with a strip of sand on the left side (and water further left) and moguls with twisted fescue in the right. Reaching the green on the approach from those locations can be a tough ask.
A tree on the right side of the fairway may complicate the approach, even from the fairway. The hole bends slightly to the left and is protected by sand on the left side. A large sand bunker on the left along with pot and grass bunkers ring the undulating green.
While the finishing holes provide drama and suspense, this hole provides a true test of a player’s skill and focus, just as their mind may shift to the risk-reward finishing stretch.
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