Posted by Your 17th hole at TPC stories
Before I get to the best reader stories on the 17th hole, let's take a look at what some of the pros have said so far this week:
Phil Mickelson: "I like it. It's certainly unusual. Most architecture -- most golf course architect designers will leave one side open where you can bail out and still be in play. It's a very unusual hole in that there's no bail-out. You just have to hit a perfect shot. I've found if I just play the hole for par, don't think about birdie, don't think about trying to get to the right section of the green, just hit the green, it's pretty easy to make four pars and move on."
Trevor Immelman: "It's a fantastic hole because of the theater there. You can get a lot of people around it and, you know, a lot of atmosphere going. It's a great little hole. You've only got to hit between a 7-iron and a wedge depending on the breeze conditions, and you've just got to step up and hit a straight one. It's a great little par-3, and I think we need to start seeing more short par-3s that are that demanding, rather than having 250-yard par-3s."
Boo Weekley: "I was just talking to Heath Slocum a while ago. … I said, 'Did you see 18?' He said, 'Yeah.' I said, 'How did you play 17?' He said, 'I hit a pretty little 8-iron in there.' I said, 'Where did it land?' He said, 'I landed it six feet short of the hole, and it rolled almost into the back water.' I said, 'Wow, it's going to be interesting this year, huh?'"
On to the reader submissions …
First one comes from Aric in Perryville, Ky. I've never heard this before, but I'll give him the benefit of the doubt until I learn otherwise:
"My favorite story about the 17th hole at Sawgrass came the year Adam Scott won. It was the first time I had ever been to a tournament. On Wednesday of the practice round, Tiger and Phil were playing together when they came to the 17th. To my surprise, they played the hole with each other's clubs! Tiger was up first playing left-handed and put it in the water to the right. Phil came up playing righty and hit it on the green, then it rolled off. That was pretty exciting."
From Danny Daly in Washington, D.C.:
"I've personally never played the hole or seen it, except on television of course, but my father got the chance to play the TPC Sawgrass course once. He said that the 17th was the only hole that he parred for the round -- he hit an iron into the center of the green and two-putted. So on 18, full of confidence, he hit his drive right into the water. But at least he can say that he parred 17, even though it was under considerably less pressure than when the pros play it."
And finally, from Christian in Tucson, Ariz.:
"It was my first trip to the famed stadium course and the day was going great. Me and my buddies had played well all day and my good friend Alan happened to be playing the round of his life … until the 17th. He was 6-over on the round, but on his first shot on 17 he chunked it badly, straight into the water. He was visibly upset and usually just gives up after one bad shot. But he wanted to prove that the shot was easy, so instead of going to the drop area, he hit another from the tee. It was a great shot and went straight at the far right pin location. We were watching it soar through the sky until … it hit the pin and shot directly right and straight into the water. At this point he was furious. He chucked his 9-iron into the water and went on to take a 7 on the hole. It was a great moment for me because it made my TPC experience one to remember."
Thanks, as always, for the stories. Feel free to keep the conversation going in the "comments" section below.
