WHAT IT’S LIKE
THE 5 THOUGHTS LIKELY TO ENTER YOUR HEAD WHEN PLAYING THE STADIUM COURSE
PHOTOGRAPHY & WORDS BY DAMON NOISETTE t's unavoidable. The thought creeps in the moment you make the tee time to play the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass.
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Will I hit the green on 17? Still, you have to find out for yourself how your game compares to the best in the world at one of the few famous tournament venues in golf actually open to the public. Should I even be here? You ask yourself why you would pay $500 for a tee time and another $115 (plus a $50 tip) to take a caddie, going for the full tour pro experience, only to potentially shoot your worst round in years.
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ULTIMATE PLAYERS GUIDE 2020
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On your way over to the practice area, you may catch a glimpse of the ageless 34-time PGA TOUR winner Vijay Singh all the way at the back of the range, the part only pros can use, tirelessly hitting balls as only he can. As tempting as it may be to stick around the allworld practice facility, chipping off the immaculately maintained turf and blasting out of the powdery bunkers, your caddie and the first tee awaits. The butterflies will come in spades later, but at least the first hole is a warm welcome. A solid drive down the left side sets up a simple shot into an inviting green and then you’re off to the par five second,
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your best chance at birdie on the front side. At 6,670 yards from the blue tees, the opening stretch isn’t overly long or penal, and you might even be lulled into asking yourself the absolute wrong question. Could it be this easy? No, it isn’t. The dogleg right 446-yard fifth hole plays even longer than advertised, as it almost always plays into a breeze coming off the Atlantic. The par three eighth is an into-the-wind long iron and the ninth requires three good shots just to get on the green in regulation.
