What It’s Like

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. I

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.

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,

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.

The reprieve you get on the 10th hole quickly gives way to a question of greed on the par five 11th and driveable 12th. From there it’s all about survival until you reach the famous closing stretch, starting at the reachable par five 16th hole.

If your gamble to go for the green in two pays off, you might be riding high with visions of duplicating Rickie Fowler’s amazing eaglebirdie-birdie finish to force a playoff in 2015.

It all comes down to this. So much has been written about the world famous 17th hole at the Stadium Course. Dye’s creation is an image burned into the memo

ries of golfers worldwide and it’s treachery has doomed so many promising rounds by even the greatest players.

But you’re not Sergio Garcia, who has experienced both the agony (2013) and ecstasy (2008) of 17.

There is no scar tissue; for you it’s just a single swing. Trust the number you’re given, hand your phone to your caddie for a video, and focus on your target—the dead center of the green.

One more to go. Whatever relief or grief you may be feeling after finishing the 17th hole is immaterial because the tee shot on the 18th hole awaits, presenting a final challenge for your long game. Do you take the approach of 2019 PLAYERS Champion Rory McIlroy and swing as hard as you can, trusting your fade to bring the ball back into the fairway off the massive lake that guards the entire left side?

When the final putt drops and you turn to head back into the stately clubhouse, don’t forget to thank your looper and make sure to pick up your complimentary engraved bag tag.