No other hole packs more anticipation, drama and fear. Definitely fear.
The par-3 17th at the TPC of Sawgrass again will be the focus when The Players Championship begins Thursday. This is the annual chance for fans to see the world’s best players exposed, with their frayed nerves on display.
Last year, 29 players didn’t survive, losing balls in the water around the island green.
Here’s what you need to know about 17:
The hole
It’s a mere 121 yards to the front of the green and 146 yards to the back. The green is 4,000 square feet, not much smaller than the average of 4,500 square feet for the rest of the greens on the course.
The origins
Actually, Pete Dye’s original design in 1980 called for water only on the left side. However, the hole evolved when builders started digging out the sand around the green. As the area was cleared out, Dye’s wife, Alice, came up with the idea of going with the island green.
“We didn’t have enough sand to put out on the golf course for building fairways and things like that,” said Deane Beman, the PGA Tour’s commissioner during construction of the course. “We kept digging it. Pretty soon, there wasn’t anything left but this little old place to put a pin in.”
Lost balls
Resort course officials estimate that divers retrieve 150,000 balls per year from the water surrounding the 17th green. With 45,000 rounds played on the course per year, that means the average golfer loses three balls in the futile attempt to master 17.
In 1985, Angelo Spagnolo, a 31-year grocery store manager, posted a 66 on the hole in an “America’s Avid Golfer” contest. Spagnolo hit 27 balls in the water from the tee and drop area. Sensing that he could be stuck there forever, officials finally told him to putt around the hazard and down the narrow path that leads to the green.
Robert Gamez holds the record for the worst meltdown in tournament play. He had an 11 on the hole during the third round of the 1990 Players. He hit four balls in the water.
Holes-in-one
There have been six aces on 17 during tournament play, with Miguel Angel Jimenez recording the last in 2002. All told, there have been 132 holes-in-one by amateurs and pros since 1980. They all are recorded on a plaque outside the men’s locker room.
There’s little question that Fred Couples pulled off the best par on 17. During the first round in 1999, he hit his first shot in the lake. Reloading from the tee, he drained a 9-iron for a “hole-in-one” par.
Not impressed
Tiger Woods thinks the 17th hole might be overhyped. “It’s more of a TV hole,” he said. “It’s more for you guys in the media than us. It’s a great hole when the wind is blowing and swirling and you’re trying to figure out what club to pull. But [on a calm day], it’s downwind, just a wedge up there. No big deal.”
Very impressed
Woods is in the vast minority when it comes to 17. Even for the best players, it’s hard to block out the water.
“It’s not a difficult hole if you go out there on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday,” said Vijay Singh, who splashed two balls last year. “Come tournament day, for some reason, that green just shrinks. It only seems to be about 6 square feet, and the rest of it feels like all water. … We get nervous on the 17th hole.”
Johnny Miller’s take: “It’s almost a tournament within a tournament with all those people watching,” said the NBC analyst. “It’s a scary hole. I wish they put a heart monitor out there. Take a reading on 8 and then compare it to 17. You’ll see a huge difference. It’s the greatest short par 3 in the world.”
Special coverage
This year, NBC will use “Cable Cam” to cover the hole. A camera mounted 20 yards above the crowd will travel alongside the hole. “It’ll give viewers a great perspective,” said producer Tommy Roy.
Fans can see every shot on 17, as PGATour.com will stream live video Thursday and Friday.
