I was fortunate to play Sawgrass in the winter of 2005 about a six weeks before the Players. They were building all of the stands, so it was very exciting to play with the scoreboards and bleachers up. Walking through the tunnel to get to the first with our caddies was a thrill.
The course was in great shape and the greens were very smooth but not very quick. (I did live in Jacksonville for a year, and was told that the course is not in good shape over the summer.) We did play during a week of cold weather, so I attribute the green speed to that. I found the course difficult, but a lot of fun to play. It is the most visually intimidating golf course I have ever seen. On most tees all you see is sand and water with a bit of green that looks too small to possibly hit. In reality, the fairways are ample and most of the hazards are not in play, espcially for lower handicappers. I can not imagine what goes through the minds of high handicap players on many of those tees. I felt that the course required a considerable amount of strategy, although some of it forced to one or two options. The green complexes were difficult, exciting, and varied. The penalty for missing a green could be severe and the recovery shots required varied widely.
My biggest complaint was with the caddies. Both my father and I had subpar experiences. When asked for help, they not only seemed to have never played the game, but also as if they had never set foot on the property. The advice that was offered on tees seem to be read directly from a tip sheet or yardage book. When asked about reads, they would answer "I don't know" or "whatever you think." The worst incident happen on 17. It was playing 135 with no wind and the pin on the back. I hit a perfect little punch 9 that was all over the pin. It barely cleared the water and ended up on the front edge. My father hit next, and struck a solid 8 and bounced off of the boards short of the green. Both of us were perplexed with the results of shots that seem to be ideal. As we walked across the bridge to the green, my caddie looked at us and said "this hole plays about a club long." So you think this is the time to tell us that piece of information?
I enjoyed playing the course, and would like to return. It seems to be a course that becomes better the more times you play it. From the right tees, it is playable for everyone, eventhough it is quite intimidating.