877.634.0790Walk in the Footsteps of Golfing Greats at TPC Sawgrass
Golf Travel Ideas, Golf Course Reviews, Florida
The Players Championship is one of the most anticipated tournaments on the PGA Tour calendar. It was conceived by PGA Tour commissioner Deane Beman, and the inaugural event took place in 1974. Today, it's held every year at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. Interestingly, the land that now encompasses the Stadium Course, where the championship has been held since 1982, was purchased for just one dollar. Pete Dye shaped the Stadium Course out of a swamp, which earned him a reputation as an iconic architect who built demanding layouts requiring pinpoint precision.
Since 1983, the pros have made 1,180 eagles at The Players Championship, including PGA Tour champion Justin Rose. In 2016, a nine-under-par 63 was carded on two occasions by Jason Day and Colt Knost. Nevertheless, that long-standing record was broken in 2023 when Tom Hoge shot a remarkable ten-under-par 62. As of now, Jack Nicklaus has the most victories, having won three of the first five events. The money generated by PGA Tour events is reinvested back into local communities. Since its inception, The Players Championship has generated over $100 million to support more than 300 non-profit organizations across Northeast Florida.
In 2024, the winner of The Players Championship was Scottie Scheffler, who's currently the number one golfer in the world. He also won the event in 2023. Furthermore, several players have made history with two wins so far, including:
- Tiger Woods (2001 and 2013)
- Fred Couples (1984 and 1996)
- Steve Elkington (1991 and 1997)
- Davis Love III (1992 and 2003)
The Players Championship has produced a lot of memorable moments that defined careers in the professional game. While it's not a major championship, it treats itself like one, and winning the trophy is a rite of passage into the history books. The Players Championship is dubbed the fifth major and is regarded as the next most prestigious golf tournament. If you'd like to walk in the footsteps of golf legends, play the iconic and challenging Stadium Course, and master your game, you can now book a TPC Sawgrass golf package. Check out two of our best deals for this destination below!
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Have a Unique Golfing Experience and Put Your Game to the Test at the Legendary Stadium Course
The design of the Stadium Course is Pete Dye at his finest, who set out to test the world's best players by mixing distance demands with target golf. Most greens feature random lumps, bumps, and hollows, which the renowned architect calls his "grenade attack architecture." His ultimate target hole is the exhilarating sink-or-swim island green 17th, offering no bailout. This legendary hole has spawned over a hundred imitation island greens in the past four decades.
From hosting The Players Championship annually to being featured on Tiger Woods' PGA Tour golf game, few courses have gained as much hype and exposure as the Stadium Course. The design was the first to be built with the spectator in mind, a concept that came to be known as stadium golf. If we've sparked your enthusiasm for playing the famous Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass, you can find information for each hole below so that you know what to expect:
- Hole 1 (par 4): a fairway bunker, a water hazard, and grass bunkers await deviant drives to the right
- Hole 2 (par 5): a long and accurate drive is required to attempt to reach the green in two shots
- Hole 3 (par 3): there will probably be more birdies scored here than on the other par 3 holes
- Hole 4 (par 4): a birdie can turn into a double bogey when playing this hole very quickly
- Hole 5 (par 4): players will have to use long to middle irons on their second shots
- Hole 6 (par 4): the slightly elevated green is protected by bunkers and clustered palm trees
- Hole 7 (par 4): a tee shot on the left is ideal for a pin cut on the right
- Hole 8 (par 3): the deep, narrow green is protected by maintained bunkers and grass bunkers
- Hole 9 (par 5): as the hole progresses from the tee to the green, it gets narrower and more demanding
- Hole 10 (par 4): most players will use a fairway wood to set up a short iron approach to the green
- Hole 11 (par 5): players trying to reach this green in two shots must have an accurate drive
- Hole 12 (par 4): the green slopes toward the water, penalizing wayward drives and approaches
- Hole 13 (par 3): pay attention to the water hazard when the pin placements are to the left
- Hole 14 (par 4): a driver from the tee and a long iron are the club selections on this hole
- Hole 15 (par 4): a large bunker to the left and a small bunker to the right front protect the green
- Hole 16 (par 5): the green has two tiers, sloping left to right toward the water
- Hole 17 (par 3): the signature hole is a short length par 3 with a wide green narrowing to the right
- Hole 18 (par 4): this hole has become one of the legendary finishing holes in golf
The Takeaway
The Stadium Course is unyielding and fun. Boasting numerous water hazards and Dye-abolic green complexes, this golf course will challenge every part of your game, focusing mostly on the nerves required to attack difficult shots. Ultimately, it will give you the chance to see what the professionals endure on a yearly basis. Playing this iconic course is a must for any golf aficionado, so gather your golf buddies and plan a trip to Florida for your next vacation!
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