Here’s a super golfing statistic for us weekend golfers!
Next time you’re out competing in a social with your friends and you happen to put a ball in the water, you may care to remind them if they know have many balls have found their way into water over the last 20-years at the 17th hole of the TPC Sawgrass course, and home this week to the Players Championship.
Since 2003, 925 balls have been lost to the water at the island-like 17th green during the Players at Ponte Vedra in Florida.
That is an average of 46.25 golf balls for each of the 20 Players Championships in question. Indeed, 2007 alone saw 93 balls disappear into the drink.
The famed 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass and venue this week for the hosting of the Players Championship
At just 137 yards, the 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass actually played as the second-toughest hole under 200 yards, on the PGA Tour last season.
Hereunder was the four toughest holes last 2021/22 season under 200-yards:
* Harbour Town Golf Links 14th (192 yards) – 3.273 scoring average
* TPC Sawgrass 17th (137 yards) – 3.265 scoring average
* TPC Potomac 17th (190 yards) – 3.249 scoring average
* Augusta National 12th (155 yards) – 3.233 scoring average
Despite playing just 137 yards, the 17th at TPC Sawgrass was the 10th toughest par 3 on the PGA Tour last season. The other 9 toughest par 3s averaged 224 yards in distance – showing it stands out on its own as the toughest short hole in the game.
And it’s getting harder! From 2010 – 2015, the average # of balls hit into the water was 37.5 per tournament. But from 2016 – 2022, the average stands at 54.5 per tournament.
Over the years, Tom Lehman has the lowest cumulative career score at 17, with a score of – 11, while the worst cumulative career score at 17, is held by former PGA Championship champ Bob Tway with a score of +30 over par.
In 2005, Tway actually took a ’12’ at the 17th. See the video hereunder.
While not top of the leaderboard in terms of cumulative score at 17, fellow PGA Championship winner Jason Dufner holds the record for the most times playing the 17 th hole (since 2003), without putting a ball in the water – keeping his ball dry on all 41 occasions he has played it.
Of the current crop of players who will be taking on the hole at the 2023 Championship, Australia’s Adam Scott has the most scores of birdie or better – with 18. Only Hal Sutton (19) and Bernhard Langer (26) have scored more.
