From the initial idea by former PGA TOUR Commissioner Deane R. Beman, the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass was built in 1982 to host THE PLAYERS Championship and be the permanent Home of THE PLAYERS Championship. As the first true “Stadium Course,” it was designed to improve the overall on-site fan experience. Finally, the Stadium Course would be a championship-caliber course accessible to all golf fans. Working with renowned golf course architect Pete Dye, Commissioner Deane Beman created a course design that favored no particular player or style of play. The result is a truly balanced course. Players find a selection of short, medium and long holes within the categories of par-3s, par-4s and par-5s; both right and left doglegs; and a course routing laid out so no two consecutive holes ever play in the same direction. With its signature island green on the par-3, 17th hole being one of the most recognized in golf, this legendary track has captured the imagination of golf fans all over the world and is consistently named among the top golf courses worldwide. While the 17th hole gets a lot of attention, the 18th hole on this golf course – a 462-yard, par 4 guarded by water down the left side, is a formidable finishing hole.
The Stadium Course has been honored by multiple golf publications as a top golf destination. Golf Digest ranked it 47th among “America’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses for 2015-2016” and ranked the Stadium Course 10th overall among “America’s 100 Greatest Public Golf Courses” in 2015-2016. Golfweek ranked the Stadium Course the No. 1 “Best Course You Can Play in the State of Florida”