Every golf course is different, of course, but most have water hazards and some have more than others. For example, good luck finding a course in Florida with no water hazards.
If you take a look at the five golf courses that swallowed up the most golf balls during the 2020-21 PGA Tour season, two of them are in the desert. Maybe that’s a surprise.
The others on this list may be what you expect but it might raise a few eyebrows just how many times PGA Tour pros hit balls into the water.
Check out this list below. Source: PGA Tour.
PGA West Pete Dye Stadium Course in La Quinta, California. (Photo: Taya Gray/The Desert Sun)
235
The American Express is played on three courses: La Quinta Country Club, the Stadium Course at PGA West and the Nicklaus Tournament Course at PGA West but it’s Pete Dye’s Stadium Course that gobbled up the most golf balls during the tournament last year. A total of 235 found the drink.
The Green Gopher patrols the lake at the 17th and 18th holes to keep birds away from the giant floating WM sign at TPC Scottsdale at the Waste Management Phoenix Open in Scottsdale. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)
240
TPC Scottsdale hosts the uber popular WM Phoenix Open. The course has three bodies of water but there’s water danger on seven of the holes. PGA Tour pros almost never splash down on No. 18 but No. 15 has been known to get some and No. 17 is tricky for those trying to drive the par-4 hole.
Phil Mickelson plays a shot from the water hazard on the 11th hole during the second round of the 2021 Honda Classic at PGA National Champion course in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. (Photo: Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images)
270
The PGA National Champion Course has been the host venue for the Honda Classic since 2007. This Jack Nicklaus-design has the risk of water on all 18 holes, although some are much more in play in that others. Holes 15-17, which make up the Bear Trap, are especially tricky. And yes, 270 is a lot of water balls but PGA National saw 339 two seasons ago.
Corey Conners plays his shot from the 17th tee during the final round of the Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. (Photo: Jasen Vinlove/USA TODAY Sports)
288
Can’t be too surprised that the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass makes the list. After all, the venue has one of the most famous water holes in golf, the par-3 17th with the island green.
The second hole at TPC Twin Cities in Blaine, Minnesota. (Photo: David Berding-USA TODAY Sports)
317
Probably fitting that the Land of 10,000 Lakes has the course that has taken on the most golf balls. TPC Twin Cities hosts the 3M Open, and there were 24 water balls on just the 18th hole during just the first two rounds a year ago. Arnold Palmer teamed up with Tom Lehman on the design, and the course plays 7,468 yards for the pros, who must navigate 27 bodies of water.
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