At the Players Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Pete Dye will make you think
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- Since 1981, The Players Championship, sometimes referred to as golf's fifth major, has been played on the Players Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass.
Over the years, many of the holes have become legendary, especially the par-3 17th, the design of which was suggested by course architect Pete Dye's wife, Alice. Having excavated the area around the 17th to fill in other parts of the golf course, Alice, an architect in her own right, suggested it be filled with water, and the result has been nothing short of building one of the most famous - and copied - par 3s in the world.
The challenge doesn't begin or end with the 17th, though. From the first hole, Dye makes players think about what club they want to hit off the tee, how to attack pins and how to avoid trouble, which is everywhere.
TPC Sawgrass - Players Stadium Course - hole 18
The 77,000-square-foot clubhouse serves as the backdrop for the difficult 18th hole at the Players Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass.
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TPC Sawgrass - Players Stadium Course - hole 3
You'll need to avoid water and sand on the par-3 third hole at the Players Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass.
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TPC Sawgrass - Players Stadium Course - hole 7
The par-4 seventh hole on the Players Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass is one of the more difficult holes on the front nine.
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TPC Sawgrass - Players Stadium Course - hole 10
Don't let the water intimidate you on your tee shot on the par-4 10th. The shot is one of the most difficult on the Players Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass.
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TPC Sawgrass - Players Stadium Course - hole 11
The 11th hole is the first of two good, risk-reward par 5s on the back nine of the Players Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass.
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TPC Sawgrass - Players Stadium Course - hole 13
The par-3 13th has been the site of several aces during the Players Championship at the TPC Sawgrass Players Stadium Course.
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TPC Sawgrass - Players Stadium Course - hole 16
The par-5 16th on the Players Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass is where many PGA Tour pros have made their moves.
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TPC Sawgrass - Players Stadium Course - hole 17th green
For newcomers who play the Players Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass, a chance to hit the green on the 17th hole provides a thrill.
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Sawgrass is home to the annual PGA event, The PLAYERS Championship. Its best known for the island green at the par-3 17th -- perhaps the most photographed hole in golf. Contrary to popular belief, treachery is not waiting around every corner of Pete Dye's most famous design.