TPC Sawgrass Seventeenth
Written by Joel Zuckerman
hough they were in loafers, without golf clubs, Dave and Sandy Carmichael stood on the tee at the famed 17th hole of the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass on a crystal clear January afternoon. "So this is the spot," said an impressed looking Dave, a retired police officer from Long Island. "It doesn't really look that intimidating. But I'm kind of glad I don't have to try and land a ball on the island green, either!"
The Carmichaels describe themselves as recreational golfers who play about two or three times a month. They were taking part in what would be an unusual odyssey at most golf courses, but is standard procedure at the famed Sawgrass facility, outside of Jacksonville, Florida. They were touring, not playing, the famed Pete Dye design, home of the ultra-prestigious Players Championship, and a "must-play" (or in the case of the Carmichaels, and many hundreds of others just like them, at least a "must-see") on any serious golfers list.
The famed golf course gets a surprising number of visitors who for any number of reasons—lack of time, lack of disposable income for green fees, lack of perceived ability—feel they are better served looking about, and not necessarily playing. These visitations have increased in the last few years, since the unveiling of the massively elaborate 77,000 square foot clubhouse, which is capped with more than 300 tons of Spanish tile, which according to the course website, is the equivalent weight of a pair of Boeing 747s.
"The focus of our guests is predominantly the 17th hole, it's like they have tunnel 
vision," begins Head Professional Matt Borocz, not differentiating between those who play and those who just tour. "Our job is to bring our visitors a magical experience, a PGA Tour-type experience, to everyone who arrives. We try and make memories for people above and beyond the golf course, primarily through great customer service, and showing them that we care."
About 300 employees are charged with making the TPC Sawgrass facility hum, facilitating the 85,000—90,000 rounds that get played annually on both the Stadium and Dye's Valley courses. They run the gamut from bag boys to cart girls, starters, rangers, caddies and professional staff. But also integral to the proceedings are a cadre of individuals who don't even draw a paycheck—the 60-odd members of the Storytellers, volunteers who tell the Sawgrass story. "We will get visitors coming from as far away as Orlando just to get a tour, and not even play the course," states Borocz, an Ohio native has been in the top spot for nearly three years.
Whether they take to the golf course or not, visitors revel in the glorious golf history, the mementos and memorabilia, which adorn the walls, hallways and meeting rooms of one of the most impressive, certainly among the largest, clubhouses in all of golf.
Three dining rooms are scattered throughout the rambling edifice, which actually encompasses more than 100,000 square feet, including all porches, decks and lower level space. 19 is the main dining room, the standard bar & grill setting. Traditions is more for fine dining, and Champions features photos and memorabilia from the current Players Champion. Currently memorabilia belonging to South African Tim Clark, the 2010 champion, is on display.
The libraries, conference rooms, meeting rooms, nooks and crannies are the stuff of a golf fan's dreams. Colorful Bart Forbes paintings depict famous moments in Players history. Photos of champions, Presidents Cup team photos, a collection of clubs used by each Players champion, a display of PGA Tour sanctioned money clips, which serve as a players ID, badges from 20-plus years of tournaments, and original sketches of the Pete Dye routing.
Sightseeing is well and good, but for many diehards, going to TPC Sawgrass with no intention of playing is like going to The Met with earplugs, or the Playboy Mansion with your girlfriend— it kind of defeats the purpose of the trip. For those who haven't visited the property in awhile, if ever previously, know that some significant changes were made to the golf course a few years back, the main impetus for the alteration being drainage. During an eight-month, 60-million-dollar renovation in 2006, the fairways were scalped and a six-inch layer of fresh sand, the equivalent of 16 football fields per fairway, was installed beneath the grass, the better to percolate and dry quickly after downpours. Now it's a firmer, faster golf course, where off-line shots bound more quickly toward thick rough, uneven lies, encroaching water, and other unpleasantness.
When the course reopened after the renovation, forecaddies became mandatory, and walking caddies became available for those who chose them. This much-welcomed addition now means that a resort or walk-up guest not only can play this much-admired Tour venue, but can enjoy the walking experience in the same manner the Tour pros do. But posting scores like the Tour elite? Sorry, two out of three will have to do.
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