The walk from the 16th green to the 17th tee at TPC Sawgrass is the longest few hundred yards in sports. Ask any pro. Their palms are sweating before they even see the water. Honestly, by the time they step onto that wooden walkway, the hole has already won half the battle.
It's just a wedge. That’s what people say from their couches. A simple, 137-yard shot to a green that is basically the size of a small island. But when the wind kicks up off the Atlantic and the stadium crowd starts buzzing, that 4,000-square-foot target looks like a postage stamp in a swimming pool.
The Happy Accident That Changed Golf
Most people think Pete Dye sat down and masterminded the hole 17 TPC Sawgrass island green as a stroke of sadistic genius. He didn't. Not really.
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The original plan was just a standard par-3 with a little bit of water on the right. But during construction, they needed sand. Lots of it. The crews kept digging around the 17th green site because the soil there was high-quality sand perfect for building up the rest of the marshy property. By the time they were done, they’d accidentally dug a massive crater surrounding the entire green.
Pete was stumped. He didn't know how to fix the giant hole he’d created.
His wife, Alice Dye, who was an incredible golfer and architect in her own right, looked at the pit and told him to just fill it with water and leave the green where it was. Basically, she invented the most famous hole in the world because they ran out of dirt.
Why the Pros Actually Hate (and Love) It
Tiger Woods once called it "gimmicky." Mark Calcavecchia compared playing it to a 3:00 p.m. appointment for a root canal. You just dread it all day.
The reality of hole 17 TPC Sawgrass is that it’s a psychological nightmare. In a "normal" tournament, a slightly thin wedge shot might land in a bunker or the rough. You scramble for par. On 17? You’re hitting three from the drop zone.
The stats are pretty wild. In 2007, 93 balls found the water during the tournament. Think about that. These are the best 144 golfers on the planet, and nearly a hundred times, they just... missed.
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- The "Better Than Most" Moment: Everyone remembers Tiger’s 60-foot triple-breaker in 2001. Gary Koch’s commentary is legendary. "Better than most... better than most... HOW ABOUT IN!"
- The Record Score: Bob Tway owns the dubious honor of a 12 on this hole. He put four balls in the water in 2005. It only takes one bad swing to turn a lead into a tragedy.
- The Ace Count: There have been 14 holes-in-one during The Players. Most recently, Ryan Fox added his name to the list in 2024.
The Amateur Experience: Losing Your Lunch (and Your Balls)
If you play the Stadium Course as a guest, you’re going to lose a ball. Or five.
The PGA Tour estimates that roughly 100,000 to 120,000 golf balls are fished out of that pond every single year. It’s a gold mine for the divers. If you're standing on that tee, my best advice is to ignore the flag. Seriously. Aim for the middle. The green is actually quite large, but the visual of the water makes you feel like you have to be perfect.
You don't have to be perfect. You just have to be dry.
The wind is the real killer here. Because of the stadium mounding—those big grassy hills where the fans sit—the wind swirls. You might feel a breeze in your face on the tee, but 30 feet up in the air, it’s blowing left to right. It’s a guessing game.
What Most People Get Wrong
One of the biggest misconceptions is that it’s a "true" island. It isn't. There’s a narrow strip of land, a walkway, that connects the green to the rest of the world.
Also, it's not that deep. The water is only about four feet deep around the green. You could technically wade out there, but between the silt and the occasional Florida alligator, I wouldn't recommend it.
The green itself is divided by a massive ridge. If the pin is on the front right and you land on the back left, you are almost guaranteed a three-putt. The slopes are aggressive.
How to Play It (If You Ever Get the Chance)
- Check the flags on 16: Since 17 is tucked away, use the wind direction from the previous hole as your guide.
- Take an extra club: Adrenaline usually makes people swing faster, but the fear of the water makes them "decelerate" or quit on the shot. Take a club that gets you to the back of the green.
- Breathe: It sounds cheesy, but most amateurs thin the ball because they’re rushing to see where it goes. Keep your head down.
Actionable Insight for Your Next Round:
Whether you're playing Sawgrass or your local muni, the lesson of hole 17 TPC Sawgrass is about target selection. When the stakes are high and the hazard is huge, stop hunting flags. Pick a "safe" yardage to the fat part of the green and commit. Most disasters happen when we try to be "better than most" instead of just being smart.