Florida ’ s First Coast is so named because it was the first part of the state to be colonised by Europeans , after Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon landed there in 1513 . The Sunshine State ’ s far northeast is the home of golf ’ s unofficial “ fifth major ” – the Players Championship , which is played out each March on the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra .
And it is where baying , beer-fuelled fans pack the grassy mounds and stands around the course ’ s infamous island hole , the par 3 17th , waiting to jeer when the pros miss the green and dunk their tee shots in the lake .
I have played the course myself and believe me , that hole is on your mind for the entire round and the fear factor steadily builds so that when you finally get to it you ’ re a complete bag of nerves . At 137 yards from the back tees it ’ s actually a short hole , although with its island green buttressed by railway sleepers it is intimidating . There is no bail out . You make the green or you ’ re wet .
On my round there , I was such a bag of nerves I put two balls straight in the water – and promptly swapped my wedge for my camera . At least I could then be certain of getting good shots , even if they weren ’ t with my golf clubs !
So daunting is the hole that divers retrieve more than 120,000 balls from the lake every year , and even the tour pros aren ’ t immune . During the 2005 Players Championship , Bob Tway recorded the highest-ever score in the tournament ’ s history on the 17th with a 12 after losing four balls in the water . TPC Sawgrass may well be the jewel in the golfing crown of the Sunshine State ’ s northeast , but golfers have plenty of other options .
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