No. 17 at TPC Sawgrass
There’s just something about that island life that makes life a little bit better for everyone. And while we enjoy the tropical islands of the Caribbean or Hawaii as much as the next person, we aren’t talking about those kinds of islands. We are talking about island greens.
There’s something so iconic about a hole where a missed green leaves you with the same shot all over again, or having to hit a third shot from a drop zone area that does not feel like much of an advantage. These holes make the cream rise to the top, and we’ve taken the liberty of highlighting a few of our favorites from around the world of golf.
No. 17, TPC Sawgrass {Ponte Vedra Beach, FL}
Is there a more iconic experience in the game of golf than the walk over to the 17th tee at THE PLAYERS Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass? It’s a moment that golfers look forward to for a lifetime. It’s the site of so many of the game’s iconic memories including several moments for Tiger Woods’ that would go on to define his career (see 4 minute mark of video below). One such example took place at the 1994 U.S. Amateur Championship where Tiger’s ball barely hangs onto the edge of the green, and in typical Tiger fashion he capitalizes and makes birdie turning what looked like 1 down into 1 up, and lead to the first of his 3 consecutive U.S. Amateur Championships.
The hole was equally good to Tiger in his days as a professional, and in another moment where he proved that he could do things that mere mortals couldn’t on a golf course would come at the 2001 PLAYERS Championship. He had never won the event at this point in his career, and just like his U.S. Amateur victory he needed to mount a massive comeback that day as he started off the round 6 shots behind Jerry Kelly in the third round and he needed to make up some ground on moving day. His tee shot on 17 once again barely hung on, this time on the back of the green to a tucked front pin, and he went on to make one of the most ridiculous putts that we have ever seen.
These two moments are just a couple of the many reasons why this hole is arguably one of, if not the, most popular holes in the game of golf. The Pete and Alice Dye designed masterpiece made an indelible impact on golf course architecture, and the game is better for it.
No. 19, Payne’s Valley {Hollister, MO}
Known as The Big Rock at Payne’s Valley™, the iconic 19th hole at Payne’s Valley is an experience unto itself and is well worth the price of admission. Located at the base of a massive tablerock limestone wall that features multiple waterfalls, this is without a doubt one of the coolest backdrops you’ll ever find on any golf hole in the world. This bonus hole was created by Johnny Morris, the owner of the resort who famously founded Bass Pro Shops, and the experience here starts with a bar adjacent to the tee in case you need a little liquid courage before you pull the trigger here, and the experience doesn’t end after you drop you hole out here as you get to drive your cart through a series of caves under the waterfalls and up the massive wall which caps off the experience of one of the coolest, most unique holes you will ever play.
No. 14, The Ceour d’Alene Resort Golf Course {Coeur d’Alene, ID}
When it comes to a “wow” factor, it’s tough to beat an island green that you have to take a boat to get to and that’s exactly what you get at the 14th hole at The Ceour d’Alene Resort Golf Course. This incredible engineering feat was constructed to not only float in the water, but this 2,200-ton modern marvel is also movable as they can shift where the green is located through an intricate underwater cable system.
The hole can tip out at 220 yards, so a well-struck approach shot is needed here to find land on this iconic hole. To further add to the pageantry, you also are escorted to the green via a small boat that is the perfect cherry on top of an experience that is sure to be on any golfer’s bucket list.
No. 17, Pete Dye Stadium Course at PGA West {La Quinta, CA}
Given the nickname of Alcatraz, the 17th Hole at the Pete Dye Stadium Course at PGA West is one of the most terrifying and beautiful island par 3s in all of golf. When you approach the tee here, you’ll find an elevated tee box that gives you a bird’s eye view down to the rock-walled island green that will make even the best players in the world play for the center of the green and hope that they find dry land.
The team at PGA West has recently brought in Pete Dye disciple Tim Liddy in May of 2024 to begin the second phase of a renovation project to the entire course here that includes restoring the greens back to the original size, and we’re excited to see what that does to the island 17th green here as the project is scheduled to be finished in the fall of 2024.
Hole 3B, Punta Mita Golf Club Pacifico Course {Nayarit, Mexico}
Known as the Tail of the Whale, this hole is the definition of an island green as it sits on an island in the Pacific Ocean! It sits as hole 3B on the scorecard and serves as a bonus hole to enjoy throughout your round. Depending on the tides, you may be driving through a little bit of ocean water as you cross over to the small island green that plays to 180 yards from the black tees. It’s the definition of unique in golf, and it will certainly serve as a great memory from your trip to Punta Mita.
No. 3, Cypress Course at Evermore Resort {Orlando, FL}
Formerly known as Grand Cypress, the newly reimagined Evermore Resort has shifted the golf experience for vacationing golfers as the once 48-hole facility that featured The New Course (now known as the Links Course that wasn’t touched), 3 9-hole courses, and a 3-hole layout that was part of the golf academy has been reorganized into an incredible resort with 36 holes of golf. The Cypress Course at Evermore Resort featured the creation of a new course that utilized some of the best holes from the 30 holes that previously existed, as well as the formation of a few new holes.
Luckily for us, one of those holes that made the cut is the redesigned island green 3rd hole that features a forced carry to a somewhat narrow, yet deep green that is sure to test the start of any round.
Evermore Resort
No. 15, The Wolf at the Las Vegas Paiute Golf Resort {Las Vegas, NV}
As if you needed any more reason to gamble while you are in Las Vegas, the par-3 15th hole on The Wolf at the Las Vegas Paiute Golf Resort will certainly test your prowess as you approach this three-tiered island green. The hole tips out at 182 yards, and with the resort located about 25 minutes from the Las Vegas Strip, this 54-hole Pete Dye-designed golf resort is owned and operated by the Las Vegas Paiute Tribe on a large piece of land that is quite exposed and gives you incredible views of the Las Vegas desert and mountains. It also means that the winds can be quite significant here, so club selection and ball control are paramount on this testy little par-3.
No. 15, Las Vegas Paiute Golf Resort, Wolf Course
No. 6, The Judge Course on the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at Capitol Hill {Prattville, AL}
This hole has been known to serve as the judge, jury, and executioner for the ill-struck tee shot here. Playing at a mammoth 229 yards from the back tees, the island green 6th hole on The Judge Course on the RTJ Golf Trail at Capitol Hill provides golfers with a wide target for your approach shot here that can give you a sense of false hope as you see a decent amount of dry land left of the putting surface here. That dry land features a thick-grassed knoll that can wreak havoc on any shots that find it, and all the sudden a false sense of security can quickly turn into a double bogey.
It’s a fantastic hole on one of the three courses at Capitol Hill that also includes The Legislator and The Senator, and when it comes to finding top-notch golf at an exceptional value, then it’s tough to beat the many offerings of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail.
No. 6 at The Judge Course, Capitol Hill
No. 17, Links at Perry Cabin {St. Michaels, MD}
Yet another famous island green designed by Pete Dye, the 17th hole at the Links at Perry Cabin captures your eye right away as the island green is situated on a series of railroad ties and except for a tiny bunker on the front left side of the green, you will either find yourself on the dance floor or going swimming off the tee here. The course here is limited to member play or for guests at the luxurious Inn at Perry Cabin, and the resort caught a little bit of notoriety as it was featured in a wedding reception scene of the smash hit movie Wedding Crashers that featured Vince Vaughan and Owen Wilson.
No. 17, Links at Perry Cabin
No. 17, Apple Tree Golf Course {Yakima, WA}
As certainly the most unique looking par-3 island green on this list, the 17th Hole at Apple Tree Golf Course features a green that is in the shape of an apple. Yes, an apple! In truly unique fashion, the design team designed a large putting surface for golfers to find off a tee shot that tips out at 180 yards, and the leaf of the apple serves as a small bunker on the back left side of the green, and the stem serves as the bridge that brings you over to the putting surface. And if you find yourself in the area, you’ll be blown away at how inexpensive it is to play such a unique hole.