The TPC Sawgrass green fee for the Players Stadium Course starts at $775 from September to May and $550 from June to August, according to the course, and it includes a cart, a forecaddie for your group and range balls. Add at least $40 per golfer to tip the forecaddie, or $130 plus a $50 tip to walk with your own caddie.
Anyone can book it. Non-guests can reserve 14 days ahead, and guests of the Sawgrass Marriott can book up to 12 months out, which is how most of the prime winter tee times go. The course closes for The Players Championship, which is played on March 9-14, 2027, and the weeks around the tournament are the most expensive of the year. For how Sawgrass compares with Pebble Beach, Pinehurst and the rest of the courses golfers save up for, see our guide to bucket list golf courses.
This page breaks the fee down the way you’ll actually pay it: the rate card, the tips, the caddie, the hotel, and the extras that turn a $775 round into a four-figure day. It also covers how to get a tee time, which tees to play, when it’s cheapest, and our honest answer to the question everyone asks: is it worth it?
How we built this. Rates, inclusions, caddie fees, tipping guidance, booking windows, the cancellation policy and the 2027 tournament closure come from TPC Sawgrass’s own FAQ, checked in October 2026. The 2026 peak rate, the post-Players surge and the stay-and-play package come from a March 2026 report by The Golf News Net, and we label them “reported”. Tee yardages, ratings and slopes come from published scorecard listings rather than a card we’ve held. We haven’t been comped a round; the notes on how the course plays lean on the architecture, the scorecard and the tournament record.
TPC Sawgrass at a glance
Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. · public, owned by the PGA Tour · Pete Dye, with Alice Dye (1980) · par 72, 7,352 yards from the Players tees · 76.8/155 (Players tees) and 73.9/148 (Blue tees), reported scorecard figures · green fee from $775 (September to May) and from $550 (June to August), with cart, forecaddie and range balls included (official, October 2026) · walking means a caddie upgrade, $130 single or $85 a player double bag · book 14 days ahead, or up to 12 months with a Sawgrass Marriott stay
- Green fee: from $775 per player, September to May; from $550, June to August (official)
- What’s included: green fee, cart, a forecaddie for the group and a warm-up bag of range balls
- Tips: the course suggests at least $40 per golfer for the forecaddie, and $50 per golfer for any walking caddie
- Caddie to walk: $130 for a single caddie or $85 a player to double bag, when the group has a forecaddie (September to May)
- Booking: 14 days ahead for everyone; 12 months ahead with lodging at the Sawgrass Marriott
- Cancellation: 15 days ahead for Stadium Course online bookings, 7 days for other Stadium Course reservations
- Closed: The Players Championship, March 9-14, 2027
- Cheaper option on the same property: Dye’s Valley, from $350 (September to May) and $250 (June to August)
How much is the TPC Sawgrass green fee?
From $775 per player between September and May and from $550 between June and August, according to TPC Sawgrass, with a cart, a forecaddie for the group and range balls included. The word “from” matters: the course prices dynamically, and rates rise on busy days and in the weeks around The Players.
Here’s the official rate card, as the course publishes it:
| Course | September to May | June to August | Included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Players Stadium Course | From $775 per player | From $550 per player | Green fee, cart, forecaddie for the group, warm-up range balls |
| Dye’s Valley | From $350 per player | From $250 per player | Green fee, cart, forecaddie for the group, warm-up range balls |
Source: TPC Sawgrass FAQ, checked October 2026. Rates are “starting at” prices and can rise with demand.
Those are floors, not fixed prices. TPC Sawgrass sets the fee by the day, so a Saturday morning in March costs more than a Tuesday afternoon in late August. The Golf News Net reported in March 2026 that the Stadium Course’s peak rate was $750, a $50 rise on 2025, and that in the weeks immediately after The Players the fee climbs to nearly $1,000. By the time we checked the course’s own FAQ in October 2026, the September-to-May starting rate had risen again, to $775.
So the trend is clear, and it’s only going one way:
| Season | Stadium Course peak rate | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $700 | Reported (implied by a $50 rise to 2026) |
| Spring 2026 | $750 | Reported, The Golf News Net, March 2026 |
| September 2026 to May 2027 | From $775 | Official, TPC Sawgrass FAQ |
| Weeks after The Players | Nearly $1,000 | Reported, The Golf News Net, March 2026 |
| June to August 2026 | From $550 | Official and reported |
For context, the course was already among the most expensive public rounds in America before these increases. Only a handful of courses you can book, Pebble Beach among them, cost as much, and we compare them in our guide to what a round of golf costs.
What does a round at TPC Sawgrass really cost?
Between about $590 and $1,000 per golfer, before you’ve bought a hat. A summer round with a cart and a $40 forecaddie tip costs about $590; a peak-season round with the same tip about $815; and walking with your own caddie in peak season about $955, using the course’s own rates and tipping guidance.
The headline fee is the biggest number, but not the only one. These are the realistic totals per golfer, using the official starting rates and the course’s suggested minimum tips:
| How you play | Green fee | Caddie | Suggested tip | Total per golfer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer (June to August), riding with the group’s forecaddie | $550 | Included (forecaddie) | $40 | About $590 |
| Peak (September to May), riding with the group’s forecaddie | $775 | Included (forecaddie) | $40 | About $815 |
| Peak, walking with a double-bag caddie | $775 | $85 | $50 | About $910 |
| Peak, walking with a single caddie | $775 | $130 | $50 | About $955 |
| Peak, with rental clubs | $775 | Included (forecaddie) | $40 | About $905, with the $90 rental set |
| The weeks after The Players | Nearly $1,000 (reported) | Included (forecaddie) | $40 | About $1,040 |
Starting rates from the TPC Sawgrass FAQ, October 2026; rates rise with demand. The walking rows assume the group also has a forecaddie, which is how the course prices the upgrade.
A few notes on the extras:
- The forecaddie is included, the tip isn’t. Every group gets a forecaddie, who walks ahead, reads putts and finds your ball in places you’d rather it wasn’t. The course suggests at least $40 per golfer. On a hard course for a first-timer, a good forecaddie is worth more than that.
- Walking costs extra. If you want to walk, you upgrade to a caddie: $130 for your own, or $85 each to share one between two players, from September to May. Without a forecaddie, the course lists $160 and $115. Tip $50 per golfer.
- Rental clubs are $90, with a six-pack of balls, which you’ll want. The course doesn’t say how many end up in the water at 17, and we’d rather not guess.
- The hotel is optional but useful. A stay at the Sawgrass Marriott opens bookings 12 months ahead. The Golf News Net reported a spring 2026 package of one night, a Stadium Course round and breakfast for $1,064, and a two-round, three-night package for a little more than double that.
If you want to know how the same day compares with other bucket-list rounds, we break down Pebble Beach’s green fee and Bandon Dunes green fees in the same way, extras and all.
Can you play TPC Sawgrass without staying at the resort?
Yes. The Stadium Course is open to the public, and anyone can book up to 14 days ahead without a hotel stay. Guests at the Sawgrass Marriott can book up to 12 months ahead, so in winter and spring many of the best times can be gone before the 14-day window opens.
That makes Sawgrass one of the easier bucket-list courses to get on. Compare it with Pinehurst No. 2, which requires a resort stay for most visitors, or Pebble Beach, where non-guests can book only 24 hours ahead. At Sawgrass the barrier is the price, not the access.
The 14-day window works fine in summer and in the shoulder months, when the course is quieter and the rate is lower. In peak season, especially February to April, a non-guest booking 14 days out will often be choosing from midday and afternoon slots. If you have one date that matters, a birthday or a trip that can’t move, the Marriott package is the reliable way to lock it in.
TPC Sawgrass is owned by the PGA Tour, and it’s the flagship of the Tour’s TPC network of courses. That’s why the clubhouse, the practice facilities and the service run like a tournament venue even on a quiet weekday: it is one, for one week a year.
How do you book a tee time at TPC Sawgrass?
Book online or by phone through TPC Sawgrass, up to 14 days ahead, or up to 12 months ahead as a guest of the Sawgrass Marriott. Read the cancellation terms before you pay: Stadium Course online bookings must be cancelled 15 days ahead.
Step by step:
- Pick your season first. June to August starts at $550; September to May at $775; the weeks after The Players run close to $1,000. If price matters, the season is the biggest decision you’ll make.
- Decide whether to stay. If you need a specific date in peak season, book a Sawgrass Marriott stay and reserve the tee time with it, up to 12 months ahead. If you’re flexible, skip the hotel and use the 14-day window.
- Avoid the tournament. The course closes for The Players, March 9-14, 2027, and the weeks either side are the busiest and dearest of the year.
- Book exactly 14 days out if you’re not staying. Morning times in season go first.
- Check the cancellation rule. Stadium Course online bookings need 15 days’ notice to cancel, and other Stadium Course reservations 7 days. Dye’s Valley needs 2 days. A trip insurance policy that covers prepaid golf is worth a look if you’re flying in.
- Book the caddie when you book the round if you want to walk; the upgrade is offered from September to May.
- Arrive early. Your fee includes a warm-up bag of range balls, and you’ll want them.
For the general rules of booking popular courses, from release times to cancellation fees, see our guide on how to book a tee time.
The Stadium Course: history and architecture
TPC Sawgrass exists because of an idea from Deane Beman, the PGA Tour’s commissioner in the late 1970s: a course built for watching golf, with grass banks around the greens where thousands of spectators could sit and see the action. He hired Pete Dye, then the most inventive architect in America, and Dye and his wife Alice built the Stadium Course on swampy land near Ponte Vedra Beach. It opened in 1980, and The Players Championship moved there in 1982.
The pros hated it at first. Dye’s course was full of the things he’d become famous for: railroad ties shoring up bunkers and water hazards, small, sloping greens, waste areas of sand, and angles that punished the safe play as often as the bold one. Over the years the edges were softened and the greens rebuilt, but the character is the same: a course that makes good players think and average players nervous.
The 17th is the hole everyone knows. The story most often told is that Alice Dye suggested an island green after so much sand had been dug out of the area that only a small patch was left standing in the water. Whatever the origin, it’s now the most photographed par 3 in American golf, and at The Players it’s surrounded by a natural amphitheatre of spectators.
The Players has been held here since 1982: in March for most of its history, in May from 2007 to 2018, and back in March since 2019. For Pete Dye’s other famous courses, and how his style changed American golf, see our guide to golf course architects, and for the courses that have defined the game on television, our guide to famous golf courses.
How does the Stadium Course play, and which tees should you choose?
It’s long, tight and full of water, and from the right tees it’s much more fun than its reputation. With six sets of tees from 5,019 to 7,352 yards, a 10-handicap should play the Blue/White combination at 6,396 yards, an 18 the Whites at 6,086 and a 25 the White/Green combination at 5,509.
These are the published scorecard figures:
| Tees | Yards | Rating/slope | Who should play them |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Players | 7,352 | 76.8/155 | Tour players and scratch golfers with something to prove |
| Blue | 6,670 | 73.9/148 | Low single-digit handicaps |
| Blue/White | 6,396 | 72.3/144 | A 10-handicap in good form |
| White | 6,086 | 70.8/138 | Most 15-to-20 handicappers |
| White/Green | 5,509 | 68.1/126 | A 25-handicap, and anyone who drives it under 200 yards |
| Green | 5,019 | 65.8/116 | Beginners and shorter hitters |
Par 72 from every set. Figures from published scorecard listings, not checked against a printed card.
A slope of 155 from the Players tees is the maximum the USGA scale allows, which tells you all you need to know about playing it from the back. Nobody paying $775 should spend the day fishing balls out of lagoons to prove a point. Move up a set from where you’d play at home; the Whites at 6,086 yards are plenty of golf for the average club player, and you’ll actually see the architecture rather than just the hazards.
The finish is what you’re paying for. The 16th is a par 5 that good players can reach in two, with water all down the right near the green. The 17th is the island green, about 137 yards from the back tees and a wedge or short iron for most golfers from the tees they should be playing. There’s no bail-out: the green is surrounded by water except for a narrow walkway, and a drop zone waits for anyone who misses. The 18th is a long par 4 with water all the way down the left, the hole where tournaments are won and lost.
Two pieces of advice from anyone who’s played it. First, listen to the forecaddie: Dye’s greens have slopes and false fronts that don’t show from the fairway, and a local who sees them every day will save you more shots than any swing thought. Second, take your time on 17. Most golfers will never stand on that tee again, so take the photo, pick a club that gets you to the middle of the green rather than the flag, and enjoy it whatever happens. We tell the full story of the 17th separately.
How to get your money’s worth on the day
A $775 round deserves a plan. None of this is complicated, but most first-time visitors skip at least one of these, and regret it somewhere around the 13th hole.
Use the range balls. The fee includes a warm-up bag, so arrive early enough to hit it. The first few holes aren’t the hardest on the course, but a cold start costs shots you’ll want back later.
Bring more balls than you think. Water is in play on most holes, and the 17th has swallowed tour professionals’ balls on Sunday afternoons. A dozen is sensible for a mid-handicapper; rental sets come with six.
Play the right tees. We’ve said it above and we’ll say it again: the Whites, at 6,086 yards, are plenty for most club golfers. Nobody at the bar afterwards asks which tees you played.
Treat the forecaddie as your caddie. They know every slope on Dye’s greens and every bail-out on every hole. Ask for lines off the tee and reads on the greens, and tip accordingly; the course suggests a $40 minimum per golfer, and our guide to golf etiquette covers tipping more generally.
Think about 17 before you get there. Pick the club that reaches the middle of the green, not the flag, and swing within yourself. If the wind’s up, take one more club. A ball on the green, wherever it is, is a win.
Allow a full day. Between the warm-up, the round, the photos and a drink afterwards, a Stadium Course round takes most of the day, so don’t schedule a flight for the same afternoon.
When is the cheapest time to play TPC Sawgrass?
June to August, when the Stadium Course starts at $550 instead of $775, a saving of $225 per golfer. The trade-off is Florida summer: heat, humidity and afternoon thunderstorms, so book an early-morning time. Dye’s Valley drops to $250 at the same time.
The season breaks down like this:
- June to August: cheapest. From $550. Hot and humid, with storms building most afternoons, but the course is quieter and the 14-day window is usually enough.
- September to November: the sweet spot. From $775, but the weather is kinder, the crowds thinner than in spring, and this is often the best time to find a good morning tee time without a hotel package. Hurricane season runs to November 30, which is worth a thought if you’re flying in.
- December to February: cool and busy. From $775, with mild days and plenty of visiting golfers escaping the northern winter.
- March: tournament month. The course closes for The Players, March 9-14, 2027, and the weeks around it carry the highest rates of the year, reported at nearly $1,000 straight after the event.
- April and May: peak demand. Beautiful weather and strong demand. Book early or book the Marriott.
The cheapest round of all on the property is Dye’s Valley in summer, from $250, which is the course we’d send a first-time visitor to the week before they play the Stadium Course, to learn the Dye style for a third of the price.
Dye’s Valley and other nearby alternatives
Dye’s Valley, the second course at TPC Sawgrass, is a Pete Dye and Bobby Weed design from 1987 that was recently renovated. It’s 6,847 yards from the back, rated 74.0 with a slope of 134, and it costs from $350 between September and May and from $250 in summer, with the same cart, forecaddie and range balls as the Stadium Course. It’s a genuinely good golf course, not a consolation prize: tighter and less famous, but with the same Dye ideas at work.
Beyond the TPC gates, the First Coast’s other well-known clubs are private. Sawgrass Country Club, next door, hosted The Players from 1977 to 1981 before the Stadium Course was built; it’s members-only, and we cover it, and the rest of the area’s private-club communities, in our guide to the best golf communities in Florida. For public golf, the most interesting cheap round within reach is Palatka Golf Club, a 1925 Donald Ross course run by the city of Palatka, inland along the St. Johns River, at $27 to $45 depending on the time of day (official, September 2026). It’s an hour or more away, but if you’re spending $775 on one round, a $45 Ross course the day before is a nice piece of balance.
For the rest of the state’s best courses you can book, including Streamsong and Bay Hill, see our guide to Florida’s best golf courses. We also cover St. Augustine’s golf courses, down the coast, separately.
Is TPC Sawgrass worth the green fee?
Once, yes, ideally in summer at $550. You’re paying for the 17th, the tournament history and a properly run day with a forecaddie. On the golf alone, the $775 peak rate is hard to justify: Pebble Beach, Pacific Dunes and Pinehurst No. 2 are better courses, and Bandon costs far less.
Here’s how the fee compares with the other famous rounds you can book, using the figures in our own course records:
| Course | Headline fee (as of) | What’s on top | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| TPC Sawgrass (Stadium) | From $550 (June to August) to from $775 (September to May) | Cart, forecaddie and range balls included; $40 forecaddie tip | Official, October 2026 |
| Pebble Beach | $695 (April 2026 to March 2027) | Non-guests add $60 for a cart; caddie $175 | Official, September 2026 |
| Harbour Town | $378 to $651 on sample 2026 dates, cart included | One forecaddie per group | Reported, 2026 |
| Kiawah Island, Ocean Course | About $480 for resort guests | Walk any time; caddie tips of $60 to $120 | Reported, 2026 |
| Bandon Dunes (Pacific Dunes) | Day guests $180 to $425 | Walking only; caddie $125 plus tip | Official, September 2026 |
| Streamsong (Red) | Day guests $200 in summer to $445 in peak season | $35 cart | Official, September 2026 |
| Bethpage Black | Non-residents $140 weekdays, $160 weekends | Walking only | Official, April 2026 |
On a like-for-like basis, a non-guest riding at Pebble Beach pays $755 against Sawgrass’s $775 with a forecaddie thrown in, so the two most famous public rounds in America now cost almost exactly the same. The difference is that Pebble is one of the best courses in the world and Sawgrass is one of the best-known.
That’s not a knock on the Stadium Course. It’s a demanding, interesting Dye design, and the last three holes are as famous as any finish in golf. The issue is value. At $815 a golfer with the forecaddie tip in peak season, you’re paying more than at almost any public course in America, and the architecture, while very good, isn’t in the same class as the best links and sand-belt courses that cost similar money.
Where it’s worth every dollar is as an experience. If you’ve watched The Players every March for 20 years, standing on the 17th tee with a wedge in your hand is the point, and nothing else will do. Go in June, July or August, play from the Whites, tip the forecaddie well, and play Dye’s Valley the day before. That’s the version of the Sawgrass day we’d recommend to a friend.
Our ratings:
- Value at $550 (summer): good, for a once-in-a-lifetime round
- Value at $775 (peak): poor on golf alone, fair as an experience
- Value at nearly $1,000 (after The Players): not worth it; wait a few months
- Dye’s Valley at $250 to $350: good value, and underrated
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to play TPC Sawgrass?
The Stadium Course starts at $775 per player from September to May and $550 from June to August, according to the course, including a cart, forecaddie and range balls. With the suggested $40 forecaddie tip, a summer round costs about $590 and a peak-season round about $815.
What is included in the TPC Sawgrass green fee?
The green fee, a cart, a forecaddie for your group and a warm-up bag of range balls. Tips aren’t included; the course suggests at least $40 per golfer for the forecaddie and $50 per golfer for a walking caddie.
Do you have to tip the forecaddie at TPC Sawgrass?
The tip isn’t included in the green fee, and the course suggests a minimum of $40 per golfer. Most golfers tip more when the forecaddie has saved them shots, which on the Stadium Course they usually will.
Can you walk TPC Sawgrass?
Yes, with a caddie. From September to May, a walking upgrade costs $130 for a single caddie or $85 per player for a shared double-bag caddie when the group has a forecaddie, plus a suggested $50 tip per golfer.
How far in advance can you book TPC Sawgrass?
Up to 14 days ahead without a hotel stay, or up to 12 months ahead with lodging at the Sawgrass Marriott. Stadium Course online bookings must be cancelled at least 15 days ahead to avoid a charge.
Is TPC Sawgrass open to the public?
Yes. Both the Stadium Course and Dye’s Valley are public courses, owned by the PGA Tour, and anyone can book. Staying at the Sawgrass Marriott only gives you a longer booking window.
When is TPC Sawgrass closed?
The Stadium Course closes for The Players Championship, which runs on March 9-14, 2027, according to the course. The weeks around the tournament carry the highest rates of the year.
Is there a Florida resident discount at TPC Sawgrass?
The course doesn’t list a resident rate in its published FAQ, so we wouldn’t count on one. The cheapest way onto the Stadium Course is the June-to-August rate, from $550, and the cheapest round on the property is Dye’s Valley in summer, from $250.
How much is Dye’s Valley?
From $350 per player between September and May and from $250 between June and August, with cart, forecaddie and range balls included, according to TPC Sawgrass.
Our verdict
The TPC Sawgrass green fee buys one of the most famous rounds in golf, and in summer, at $550 plus a forecaddie tip, it’s a fair price for a once-in-a-lifetime day. In peak season, at $775 and climbing, you’re paying a premium for the television fame rather than the golf, and at nearly $1,000 after The Players it’s poor value. Book 14 days out if you’re flexible, use the Marriott if you need a fixed date, play from the tees that match your game, and give yourself a warm-up round on Dye’s Valley.
If Sawgrass is one stop on a longer list, our guide to the courses worth saving up for ranks it against the rest, from Pebble Beach to Bandon, and we compare Pinehurst No. 2’s green fee separately.
Sources
- FAQ (rates, inclusions, caddie fees, tipping guidance, booking windows, cancellation policy, 2027 tournament closure), TPC Sawgrass, checked October 2026
- How much does it cost to play golf at TPC Sawgrass and the Players Stadium Course in 2026?, The Golf News Net, March 2026
- Rates and FAQs, Pebble Beach Resorts
- Harbour Town Golf Links, Sea Pines Resort
- Ocean Course FAQ, Kiawah Island Golf Resort
- Green fees, Bandon Dunes Golf Resort
- Golf fees, Streamsong Resort
- Bethpage State Park, New York State Parks (2026 golf price list)
- Palatka Golf Club, City of Palatka
- TPC Sawgrass, Wikipedia
Image credits
| Image | Photographer | Licence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Railroad-tie bunkering at TPC Sawgrass (featured image) | Philip Larson from McLean, VA, US | CC BY-SA 2.0 | Wikimedia Commons |
| Grass mounding at TPC Sawgrass | Philip Larson from McLean, VA, US | CC BY-SA 2.0 | Wikimedia Commons |
| Phil Mickelson on the 18th at TPC Sawgrass, 2007 | minds-eye | CC BY-SA 2.0 | Wikimedia Commons |
| A water hole at TPC Sawgrass | Philip Larson from McLean, VA, US | CC BY-SA 2.0 | Wikimedia Commons |
| TPC Sawgrass Stadium Course, 17th hole | Craig ONeal | CC BY-SA 2.0 | Wikimedia Commons |
| The 18th fairway during the 2009 Players Championship | U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Alan Gragg | public domain | Wikimedia Commons |