Post-Players thoughts on TPC Sawgrass

[Mark Buzminski]

It's interesting how the TPC Sawgrass course really seems to favor no one in particular and that there really seems to be a revolving door of people winning and in contention at this golf tournament.  Ultimately, what does that say about the design?   

[Brent Hutto]

It may be possible to make an argument that all the water hazards and the wind and the basic difficulty of the course (as set up for the tournament, anyway) act to create more randomness in the outcome than other strong-field, good-course Tour events. But unlike say a classic links course for an Open Championship I can't see how the fundamental demands at TPC Sawgrass are any different from a typical PGA Tour venue. More challenging, perhaps. But more of the same challenges they often face.

There is of course the Bermuda grass factor. And strong fields do have a way of minimizing the chances of multiple-time winners I suppose.

[Matthew Rose]

I like that there are good short holes that frustrate. I like that the par-fives are not necessarily pushovers (particularly #9).

You can't bomb and gouge, but it isn't exactly a US Open slog either; you can't win on even par.

Slightly OT, but the event itself is boring to me now. I preferred the event when it was in March. I really think moving it to May was a bad idea.... it just seems to lack a lot of something now ever since they moved it. It used to be a great Masters primer, and it was a great, fitting wrap up to the Florida swing (where it fit geographically and chronologically) and now it just seems forced onto the calendar in an awkward spot which split up all the Texas events. I don't think the tour schedule flows as well.

[Ross Harmon]

I found it to be interesting that the winner went in the water on #17 the day before. Goes to show you CAN go in the drink and still win!

[Brent Hutto]

I found it to be interesting that the winner went in the water on #17 the day before. Goes to show you CAN go in the drink and still win!

Especially if you go in the drink but manage to make 4.

[Jason Thurman]

TPC Sawgrass was the first Tour course I ever got much exposure to when I played it many times on EA Sports PGA Tour Golf for Super Nintendo as a child. Even in the extremely 2D animation, the 17th and 18th were terrifying and 9 was a great driving hole. In retrospect, perhaps it's the perfect course for such lo-fidelity rendering, as it's relatively flat and all about angles.

I've always loved the course, but I wonder if it's starting to get a bit dated. I'm not nearly as interested in the tournament anymore. Perhaps that's because it so rarely produces duels by top players, but perhaps it's also because the course is a bit of a one-trick show that I've seen too many times.

I wonder if I'm the only one, or if it has truly started losing some luster, and if so, what can be done design-wise to make it more interesting? At perhaps no other venue aside from Augusta is the course so completely the star of the show, so it seems that the answer for my waning interest will need to come from the course as well.

[Ross Harmon]

I found it to be interesting that the winner went in the water on #17 the day before. Goes to show you CAN go in the drink and still win!

Especially if you go in the drink but manage to make 4.

It was a great 2nd tee shot... not quite as good as Freddie's though!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BBO6n7HR3o

[Terry Lavin]

I think it's pretty much the only compelling US golf tournament between the Masters and the US Open. Great field, dramatic course with peril at every turn with a top-notch field. What's not to like?

[Kalen Braley]

I think it's pretty much the only compelling US golf tournament between the Masters and the US Open. Great field, dramatic course with peril at every turn with a top-notch field. What's not to like?

Just to follow on with what Terry said...

The Players is indeed the one tournament with the best field year in and year out.  How it is not a major and the marquee event is beyond me as it always has the best of the best from top to bottom.