History of TPC Sawgrass 

We can thank one person in particular for our favorite home of THE PLAYERS Championship: Deane Beman.  Beman served as the Commissioner of the PGA Tour from 1974 to 1994, and he was determined to create a one-of-a-kind venue to host this championship as it is the only event owned by the players of the PGA Tour. 

Beman set out to find a place in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, and at first was not finding much success.  It wasn’t until he found kindred spirits in Jerome and Paul Fletcher, who were major landowners in the area that his vision was about to become a reality.  These fine gentlemen sold Beman the land for one dollar!

And, thus, a legend was born. 

Beman’s special project brought a few landmark changes to the golfing experience, including: 

• Up to this point, most PGA Tour events were played at private clubs where the average fan would never have the chance to play it.  TPC Sawgrass would be accessible to all, and that change became the norm and not the exception as it stands today. 
• The course was designed in a “stadium style” with fans in mind to make the on-site fan experience exceptionally better for all to enjoy. 
• This course would serve as the permanent home of THE PLAYERS, and the course would be owned by the PGA Tour players.

Now that the idea had taken shape,  it was time to insert the legendary Pete Dye into the project.  Beman had asked Dye to create a fair and balanced design that didn’t favor any one set of traits for a golfer.   Dogleg lefts and dogleg rights.  Short and long par 3s, 4s, and 5s.  No two consecutive holes are played in the same direction.  A truly equal test was created and when you look at the list of past champions of THE PLAYERS you’ll see bombers like Justin Thomas, Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods and Davis Love III, as well as shorter technicians like Tim Clark, Fred Funk, and Justin Leonard.  The design doesn’t favor any particular type of player and instead focuses on the best player, THE PLAYER, for one week every year.  Well done, gents. 

The land that Beman purchased was a flat, heavily wooded wetland area.  In order to create the stadium atmosphere and viewing experience that they were looking for, the team had to move quite a bit of dirt including the formation of several lakes that served two purposes: creating strategic water hazards and giving the team the dirt needed to build up mounds when needed. 

This need for dirt on the lake around the 17th hole and a visit from Alice Dye, Pete’s wife, to the construction site was where the idea of turning that hole into an island green came from and the rest, as they say, is history. 

Since the inception of this course in 1980, the team has made subtle changes here and there as needed including being lengthened nearly 400 yards from the original design, but most of the original charm still exists on this course.  The main notable exception to the rule here is No. 12, which received an overhaul in 2017 to create more drama during your round.  Originally playing 358 yards and a fairly straightforward par-4, the hole was shortened to a drivable 302 yards with a water all the way down the left side of the hole just daring you to pull out the big stick and give it a try off the tee.