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Country: gb Page generated at: Sunday, 14 June 2026 at 8:38:45 British Summer Time
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The Players
The story behind golf’s most iconic hole

published: Mar 3, 2019

|

updated: Oct 3, 2023

The story behind golf’s most iconic hole

Steve CarrollLink

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Why does 137 yards and a little bit of water strike fear into the hearts of the world’s best players? We reveal the magic behind the 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass

17th at Sawgrass

Ask any non golf fan to name one golf hole and the most popular answer will surely be the 17th at Sawgrass.

But how did the famous island green hole come into existence and just what makes so tricky for professional and amateur players alike? 

We lined up an all-star cast, including the man who worked on the construction of the Florida golf course with Pete and Alice Dye, to explain the magic behind this short par 3…

The story of the 17th at Sawgrass

  • Want more from Sawgrass? Visit our Players website here

How would you like to be at next year’s Players Championship?

The NCG Top 100s Tour is back and bigger than ever – and the grand prize is a VIP trip to TPC Sawgrass for the 2022 Players Championship.

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About the author

Steve Carroll
Steve Carroll

A journalist for more than 25 years, Steve has been immersed in club golf for almost as long.

A former club captain, he has passed the Level 3 Rules of Golf exam with distinction having attended the R&A’s prestigious Tournament Administrators and Referees Seminar.

Steve has officiated at a host of high-profile tournaments, including Open Regional Qualifying, PGA Fourball Championship, English Men’s Senior Amateur, and the North of England Amateur Championship. In 2023, he made his international debut as part of the team that refereed England vs Switzerland U16 girls.

A part of NCG’s Top 100s panel, Steve has a particular love of links golf and is frantically trying to restore his single-figure handicap. He’d like to tell you he floats around 10. The reality is more like 13.

Steve plays at Sandburn Hall, in York, and is a country member at Close House in Newcastle. He has served on various club committees during his time in the game, and is the current Rules Secretary at Sandburn.

Having studied history at Newcastle University, he became a journalist having passed his NCTJ exams at Darlington College of Technology. He began his career working on weekly papers in Newcastle, before joining the York Press in 2001. After five years as a news reporter, he joined the sports desk – specialising in horse racing and snooker – and was Digital Sports Editor when he joined National Club Golfer in 2016.

What’s in Steve’s bag: TaylorMade Stealth 2 driver, 3-wood, and hybrids; Caley 01T irons 4-PW; TaylorMade Hi-Toe wedges, Odyssey 2Ball Microhinge putter.

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