TPC courses offer great thrills

Over 30,000 crowd around the 16th at TPC Scottsdale
to challenge PGA stars to hit the green.

I've been horizontal most of the weekend watching from the comfort of my couch the Players' Championship being played at TPC Sawgrass in Florida - the most exciting golf course in the world thanks to its 17th Island Hole - and it brought back memories of the day a few years ago when I stepped into the tee box at the par-3, 17th.

I actually bogeyed the hole which many of the PGA stars in this year's Players' Championship are scoring double and triples bogeys on.

There's three TPC courses that I've played - the TPC Las Vegas, TPC Sawgrass and TPC (Stadium Course) Scottsdale, which I played on my recent trip to Arizona.

Each of the TPC courses has a "gimmick" hole like the 17th Island Hole and Scottsdale's signature hole is the par-3 16th, often called the loudest hole in golf because usually staid golf fans turn into college football rowdies at the 16th and howl and shout at the professionals should they fail to hit the green off the tee during the annual Phoenix Open.

When I arrived at “the loudest hole in golf "the day I played, I was greeted by silence.

Just a few days before I played, 30,000 boisterous fans had filled every seat in the grandstand they erect around the 16th hole for the Phoenix Open. But the day I played, only a few workers were quietly dismantling the stands. They appeared too busy to notice me.

As I settled into the tee box, I tried to imagine what it’s like to have 30,000 people just hoping you hit an errant shot so they can hurl insults at you.

Even without the crowd, my heart rate quickened and my grip tightened as I approached the ball. The menacing bunkers that guard this precious piece of Arizona golf real estate suddenly appeared bigger than the green itself.

As the ball left my club, I had a good feeling about the shot. I tracked its progress as its sailed majestically over the left edge bunker and admired it landing gently on the green. A smile crept across my face as the ball rolled to about 10 feet from the flag.

Phew, I thought.

Then suddenly, the silence was broken by the sound of applause, which was quickly followed by someone shouting “you da man.”

The crew apparently stopped working while I was in my back swing and was now saluting my effort.

“That felt good, didn’t it?” shouts one of the workers.

The applause sure felt better.

If you're ever in a town that has a TPC course, try and secure a tee time - you'll have a great time.