'Absolutely Insane To Pay That Much' - Fans React To TPC Sawgrass Green Fees

Golf fans on social media were shocked and surprised to see just how much it costs to play TPC Sawgrass just after the Players Championship

TPC Sawgrass
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Golf fans have been left stunned on social media in response to a post about the green fees you’d need to stump up to play TPC Sawgrass in the aftermath of the Players Championship.

Usual prices to play TPC Sawgrass, one of the best golf courses in the US, usually start at $600 from September to May, and $450 during the summer, but with limited availability for March tee times and coming right on the back of the Players Championship, prices are higher.

The limited number of tee times available shows that golfer are willing to pay for the chance to play the course so soon, with the price also including a cart, forecaddie with a group and practice balls.

But when Stina Sternberg posted a couple of tee times for TPC Sawgrass for the weeks after the end of the Players Championship, prices quoted of $735 and $840 per person to play the iconic Florida track drew a stunned response.

These ones in particular are for afternoon tee times as well around 2pm, and with sunset in Jacksonville around the 6.30pm mark you may have to get a hurry-up to complete your round and play that iconic finishing stretch.

Taking into account that the Players Championship will have recently been played there, being able to follow in the footsteps of the PGA Tour’s greatest players is something that separates golf from other top sports – but it comes at a price.

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And with amateurs almost inevitably finding water on more than one occasion, and stopping to pose for pictures and videos, starting at 2pm you may face a mad dash to complete your round and take on the island green at 17 and infamous tee shot on 18.

It’s a price that many golfers who responded to the post seem unwilling to pay, after it drew a response of amazement in some and disappointment in others.

“Absolutely insane to pay that much money for a round,” wrote one fan on Twitter, with another adding “This is why they can never ‘grow the game’” in response to how golf doesn’t help itself at times.

“There isn’t a golf experience I’d say no to and even I’m having a hard time imagining stomaching that one,” said one keen golfer who was put off by the fees listed.

One referenced the timings, saying: “Unlikely that you’d even get to 17 before you have to quit because of darkness with a 2 pm tee time.

While others pointed out that it wasn’t value for money, saying: You can play all 5 courses at Bandon Dunes for $840” and “No thank you! I'd pay that to play Augusta, though.”

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Paul Higham
Contributor

Paul Higham is a sports journalist with over 20 years of experience in covering most major sporting events for both Sky Sports and BBC Sport. He is currently freelance and covers the golf majors on the BBC Sport website.  Highlights over the years include covering that epic Monday finish in the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor and watching Rory McIlroy produce one of the most dominant Major wins at the 2011 US Open at Congressional. He also writes betting previews and still feels strangely proud of backing Danny Willett when he won the Masters in 2016 - Willett also praised his putting stroke during a media event before the Open at Hoylake. Favourite interviews he's conducted have been with McIlroy, Paul McGinley, Thomas Bjorn, Rickie Fowler and the enigma that is Victor Dubuisson. A big fan of watching any golf from any tour, sadly he spends more time writing about golf than playing these days with two young children, and as a big fair weather golfer claims playing in shorts is worth at least five shots. Being from Liverpool he loves the likes of Hoylake, Birkdale and the stretch of tracks along England's Golf Coast, but would say his favourite courses played are Kingsbarns and Portrush.