Only one thing is certain when a player steps onto the 17th tee at TPC Sawgrass: anything can happen.
A dramatic hole-in-one. A tournament-altering disaster. Even a record-setting 12, like Bob Tway’s infamous collapse in the 2005 PLAYERS Championship. Year after year, the 17th and its island green have shattered dreams, crowned champions, and delivered some of golf’s most unforgettable moments.
But how did this legendary par 3 come to be? And if you had a scuba suit and a free afternoon, just how many Pro V1s could you fish out of its depths? We’ve got all the details about the 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass.
TPC Sawgrass 17th Hole: A Brief History
Arguably the most recognizable hole in golf, the 17th at TPC Sawgrass wasn’t originally designed to be the stadium-like spectacle it is today. When Pete Dye began shaping the course in the late 1970s, the plan called for a more conventional par 3 with a small lake guarding the green. But a cost-saving decision changed everything.
The area around the 17th was rich in sand – an essential material for shaping the course and its rolling spectator mounds. As excavation intensified, a small lake turned into a cavernous pit, leaving Dye with an unexpected challenge: what to do with the massive void. That’s when Alice Dye, Pete’s wife, suggested the boldest solution of all: fill it with water.
The result? One of the most thrilling and nerve-wracking holes in golf. When TPC Sawgrass hosted its first PLAYERS Championship in 1982, the 17th quickly became the defining stage of the tournament. And the rest is history.
TPC Sawgrass 17th Hole: By the Numbers
137: That’s how many yards this par-3 is, making it the shortest hole on the course.
100,000: The estimated number of golf balls dunked in the water surrounding the island green every year, which equates to roughly half a million dollars’ worth of balls. Keep in mind that most golfers who come here keep hitting until they find the green…at least once. That said, some estimates put the number closer to 120,000.
78: The island green’s length in feet.
14: Hole-in-ones throughout the duration of the PLAYERS Championship.
4: How deep the water is in feet. So, maybe no scuba suit needed after all. Just a sturdy ball retriever.
TPC Sawgrass 17th Hole: Notable Moments
Fred Couples’ Hole-In-Three (1999): The 17th isn’t all doom and gloom. After missing the green and finding the water with his tee shot, Fred Couples took his drop and made an incredible recovery. His third shot dunked straight into the cup, turning what could’ve been a disaster into one of the most improbable pars in the PLAYERS Championship history.
Tiger Woods’ ‘Better Than Most’ Putt (2001): One of the most famous calls in golf history came when Tiger Woods drained a 60-foot triple-breaking putt during the third round of the PLAYERS Championship.
Sergio Garcia vs. the Water (2013): Tied for the lead on Sunday, Garcia found the water twice on 17, carding a quadruple-bogey that ultimately cost him the tournament.
Rickie Fowler’s Clutch Performance (2015): Fowler birdied the 17th multiple times on Sunday, including twice in a playoff, to claim victory in what is widely considered one of the best final rounds in tournament history.
Tackle the famous island green yourself with a golf trip to TPC Sawgrass and explore some of the other best golf courses in Jacksonville and Ponte Vedra Beach. Don’t forget to ship your golf clubs to and from home with ShipSticks to make the journey to Florida just as great as being there.
