Phoenix Open features one of the best holes in golf, but its not the famous 16th

The par-3 16th, with its famous stadium surrounding it, gets all the love. But another hole at TPC Scottsdale deserves its flowers.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Whenever anyone thinks of the WM Phoenix Open, the par-3 16th hole and the massive stadium surrounding it immediately come to mind. It’s quite the spectacle, with 20,000 rabid golf fans hollering, yelling, cheering, and drinking, creating a party atmosphere seen nowhere else on the PGA Tour.

But the hole itself is frankly nothing special. It’s a straightforward par-3, measuring anywhere between 135 and 150 yards — a wedge or a three-quarter 9-iron for most pros. The putting surface has four bunkers protecting it, and the green has no severe undulations. It’s a hole that messes with a player’s mind more so than anything because the crowd will reign boos on whoever misses the green.

The next hole, however, deserves more love.

Listed at 335 yards on the scorecard, the drivable par-4 17th on TPC Scottsdale’s Stadium Course is not only the best hole on the golf course but also one of the most entertaining holes in all of golf.

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Players face a crucial decision when they step foot on the tee — one that could cloud their judgment based on the mental gymnastics they had to play on the hole before. Should I go for the green? Or should I lay up short and try to get up and down from there?

If players decide to lay up, they must avoid the bunker in the middle of the fairway. The trap sits roughly 40 yards short of the green and requires a 270-yard carry to clear. But one of the beauties of this hole is that the desired line is right over the bunker. If a player pushes their drive to the right and away from the water surrounding the green, another trap is there waiting to catch any errant tee shot.

Plenty of players will choose to go for the green from the tee, an aggressive play with significant risk. Water down the left comes into play about 290 yards from the tee, reachable for any pro in the field. The back greenside bunker can also catch any tee shot that comes in hot. Regardless, plenty of eagles and birdies are to be made here. Since 2020, the 17th hole has yielded 729 birdies and 24 eagles during competition and has played to an average score of 0.235 under par. It’s been one of the easiest holes on the course during that span, although it has produced 254 bogies, 15 doubles, and eight others or worse. The volatility of this hole is what makes it so unique.

And yet, the decision to go for the green comes down to the pin location. As you can see in the depiction above, the pin placement for Thursday’s opening round is in the back right, which favors a lay up of the tee. You cannot miss to the right of this pin because a treacherous up and down will rear its ugly head. A severe slope runs off the green’s right side, making it nearly impossible for a player to either flop a wedge or hit a bump-and-run to try to get close. The front left is probably the easiest pin location on the green despite being close to the water.

The most interesting pin placement is, without a doubt, back left, where a tiny enclave can make or break a round. Players often lay up whenever the hole is cut back there. Going for the green increases the chances for inopportune bounces, which could lead to awkward pitches or wet tee shots, bringing bogey or worse into play.

“What I like about the finish here is the room for opportunity,” said World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who has won the WM Phoenix Open twice.

“There’s punishment. When I think of the great golf courses and the great tests, it’s not always necessarily the hardest test. I love to see opportunities for great shots and punishment for poor ones.”

That defines the 17th hole to a tee, and it’s a major reason why the WM Phoenix Open produces drama year in and year out. No wonder six of this tournament’s last nine editions have ended in a playoff.

So when watching the WM Phoenix Open, do not forget about the par-4 17th — it’s a brilliant golf hole that produces fireworks every year, and more often than not, it determines who takes home the title.

Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Follow him on X @jack_milko.