Hole 3 at TPC Sawgrass (Stadium)

Par 3182 Yards • Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida

Enhanced Content
Brutal

Hole 3 Caddie Notes

Par 3182y
🎯
Tee Play:This 181-yard par 3 demands a precise club selection to carry the front bunker at 146.6 yards while avoiding the long bunker at 190.7 yards guarding the back of the green.
Approach:With a small green measuring only 3261 sq ft (27y x 19y), accuracy is paramount; aim for the center to leave a manageable putt regardless of pin position.
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Danger & Miss:A bunker positioned at 146.6 yards short of the target will catch any mis-hit or under-clubbed tee shot, so favor a club that comfortably clears this distance.
📖Hole Architecture & Course Overview
Tucked amid towering pines, TPC Sawgrass (Stadium) hole 3 delivers an unforgiving test as the course's top-rated handicap hole. This par 3 stretches 181.0 yards over a menacing water hazard that guards the entire right side of the green, demanding a committed tee shot with precise distance control. Thick woods frame the tee box, creating a claustrophobic launching pad that punishes any hint of a pulled swing. Twin greenside bunkers await those who bail left, while a stand of trees looms behind the putting surface. Strategy here is unforgiving—there's no room for error, making club selection and nerve the defining factors in conquering this stadium-course gem.
Tees:
182y160y160y134y134y97y
Green:27y × 19y
2 Bunkers💧 Water
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Detailed Strategy Tips

tee shot

This 181-yard par 3 demands a precise club selection to carry the front bunker at 146.6 yards while avoiding the long bunker at 190.7 yards guarding the back of the green.

hazard warning

A bunker positioned at 146.6 yards short of the target will catch any mis-hit or under-clubbed tee shot, so favor a club that comfortably clears this distance.

hazard warning

Avoid overclubbing, as a second bunker sits at 190.7 yards—just beyond the green's back edge—ready to punish long approaches.

green

With a small green measuring only 3261 sq ft (27y x 19y), accuracy is paramount; aim for the center to leave a manageable putt regardless of pin position.

approach

Given the green's narrow 19-yard width, err on the side of the fairway-facing side of the green to reduce the risk of finding either bunker at 146.6 or 190.7 yards.

How to Play This Hole

Off the Tee

Aggressive:Hybrid
Safe:5-wood

Hole 3 at TPC Sawgrass is a demanding par 3 where precision trumps power, and your first job is picking the right stick for the number you actually have that day—factor in the wind coming off the water, because it swirls more than it looks like on the tee box. Take one club less if you're between numbers and the breeze is at your back, and don't be afraid to trust a smooth three-quarter swing over a full-effort shot; controlled trajectory holds up far better here than a high, spinny ball fighting gusts.

Your approach strategy should center on the middle of the green regardless of pin position. The water fronting the putting surface punishes anything struck thin or pulled short, so always favor the pin-high or slightly long side rather than bailing out short. Aim for the fat part of the green and let a two-putt be your target on tougher pin locations.

Around the green, the bunkers guarding the sides demand a soft, high-lofted touch shot—open the face, accelerate through impact, and land the ball just onto the green to let it release toward the hole rather than trying to spin it dead.

Above all, avoid the temptation to attack a tucked flag over water or sand. A bogey from the fat of the green beats a double from a watery grave every time.

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