TPC Sawgrass welcomes the best PGA Tour players next week, and the 17th hole is one of the most recognized holes in the game of golf.
As we know, the 17th green is surrounded by a large pond. When we evaluate the lateral penalty area under the course rating system, we look at the correlation between the fraction of the green surrounded by lateral penalty and the proximity of the penalty area to the edge of the green.
On the 17th hole, more than ½, the green is surrounded by a penalty area and the proximity of the penalty area to the edge of the green is less than 5 yards. This means a +2 adjustment will be added increasing the difficulty of the lateral penalty area.
In addition to TPC Sawgrass, several Florida courses have similar Crossing/Lateral Obstacles to carry including. Can you think of any clubs that you play on a regular basis that have Crossing/Lateral Obstacle to carry?
