TPC Sawgrass Island Green followed by an Island Tee

[Carl Rogers]

Pushing the 18th tee out into lake mirroring the previous experience of the 17th green would heighten the theatrical nature of it all.  Isn't that what it is all about?

[Joe Hancock]

How would an island tee add to theater? The pro's topping shots into the water, over and over?

I guess I don't understand.

[JMEvensky]

How would an island tee add to theater?

Easy--don't build any bridges,make them swim from 16 green,and put a few alligators in the lake.

[Kalen Braley]

Joe,

Adding an island tee to the left of the current 18 tee (15-20 yards off) would seem to create more drama in that it would become even more of a "bite off as much as you can chew" tee shot.  Throw in the visual intimidation of having nothing but water between you and your aiming point, plus some last hole of the day jitters and it could very well be a pressure cooker for the boyz.

As a bonus pucker factor, if you hit it into the water, you'd be more than likely hitting 3 on the tee again....

[Tom_Doak]

Joe,

Adding an island tee to the left of the current 18 tee (15-20 yards off) would seem to create more drama in that it would become even more of a "bite off as much as you can chew" tee shot. 

Mr. Dye very much likes the angle of the tee shot relative to the hazard the way he has it ... so that a right-to-left player still has to fear a hook, but the left-to-right player has to start his ball uncomfortably left in order to avoid the right rough.  He always maintained that when you gave the pros a "bite off as much as you can chew" tee shot they would always aim well to the safe side so that even a bad shot didn't wind up in the water.  His famous angles are all about making it hard for players to bail out.

[Carl Rogers]

Joe,

Adding an island tee to the left of the current 18 tee (15-20 yards off) would seem to create more drama in that it would become even more of a "bite off as much as you can chew" tee shot.  Throw in the visual intimidation of having nothing but water between you and your aiming point, plus some last hole of the day jitters and it could very well be a pressure cooker for the boyz.

As a bonus pucker factor, if you hit it into the water, you'd be more than likely hitting 3 on the tee again....

That's my point.

[jeffwarne]

Joe,

Adding an island tee to the left of the current 18 tee (15-20 yards off) would seem to create more drama in that it would become even more of a "bite off as much as you can chew" tee shot.  Throw in the visual intimidation of having nothing but water between you and your aiming point, plus some last hole of the day jitters and it could very well be a pressure cooker for the boyz.

As a bonus pucker factor, if you hit it into the water, you'd be more than likely hitting 3 on the tee again....

That's my point.

It would be the perfect crescendo to the abysmal, repetitive architectural wasteland that the Florida swing on the PGA Tour has become.
I remember when Doral was the "Monster" with 6 holes with water, but was mainly fun with a few iconic holes.
18 wanna be "iconic" holes don't make it better and 90 holes of it(The Florida swing) make it virtually unawatchable.
Give me Torrey Pines(in any era) any day.

[Kalen Braley]

Tom,

Agreed on the last point, but I've always felt like that hole doesn't really let you play too safe because the green is so well defended on both sides in a pick your poison kind of way.  So maybe they would play the safe shot more often, but that would lead to much longer approach shots into a difficult green.

As it is now, it seems a lot of pros hit a baby draw 3w up the right hand side, with little risk of going into the water and then have no more than 8 or 9 iron into that green.

P.S.  And just to clarify on one point, this new tee would just be for The Players and/or other top notch am tournies.

[Carl Rogers]

[quote author=Kalen Braley link=topic=62729.msg1493304#msg1493304 date=1458659706
P.S.  And just to clarify on one point, this new tee would just be for The Players and/or other top notch am tournies.
/quote]
For sure, only for those with +handicaps.  Hole needs to be 490 or so to make all of the Pros hit Driver.[/quote]

[Joe Hancock]

Obviously, I really didn't understand the OP. Sorry for the premature sarcasm.

[Matt Kardash]

As it is now, it seems a lot of pros hit a baby draw 3w up the right hand side, with little risk of going into the water and then have no more than 8 or 9 iron into that green.

Kalen,
The hole plays too short these days. The hole was originally 440 yards, meaning a driver and a 5 or 6-iron. Now it's a 3-wood wedge. The hole plays a lot easier with a 3-wood in your hand since it is easier to draw the ball. If they added 40 or 50 yards it would change everything. It's crazy that this is what it has come to.