Local Knowledge: TPC Sawgrass and The Players Championship

May 5, 2009 — The crown jewel event of the PGA Tour happens to take place at one of the most renowned courses in the world - and the home of the Tour - THE PLAYERS Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass. How has the course, built under such high expectations, managed to improve every year? TPC National Director of Golf Billy Dettlaff gives us an idea.

PGA.com: Billy, we’re now a couple of years removed from the multi-million dollar renovations done there at THE PLAYERS Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass. The course has settled in, it’s been tested by two Players Championships and the staff has had a chance to really ingest how the course now plays. Can you give the work done a grade?

Dettlaff: So there’s not a real modest way to say this, but based on our hopes and expectations — I’d have to give the work an A+. The purpose of the work was to return the course to firm and fast conditions originally designed by Deane Beman and Pete Dye. We’ve done that in an ideal way. We’ve long maintained that this is the most democratic golf course in the world. That is, it doesn’t favor any type of particular player. We have long par 5s, medium par 5s and short par 5s. The same for par 4s and par 3s. No single style of golfer has an advantage but for someone to excel here, they need to have all the shots working. The renovation only added 160 yards, but it’s where those yards were added that makes this course such a ideal test. And with the sub-air units beneath the greens and the way this course now drains, we have a course that is the ultimate in design, layout and technology. We couldn’t be more pleased.

Read More http://www.pga.com/2009/news/features/05/04/detlaff_sawgrass/index.html