Biggest money spinner in world golf

IF THE average Joe played the 17th hole at TPC-Sawgrass the way most of the pros will play it this weekend, the water surrounding the most famous island green in golf would be relatively calm.

But thanks to duffers who plunk an average of three golf balls per round into the surrounding water, course officials estimate that more than 120,000 balls get wet every year.

It's this hole that makes TPC-Sawgrass the prize among golf ball refurbishers, who usually pay the course a per ball recovery fee, commission divers to salvage balls in golf course water hazards, fix them up and resell them at a hugely discounted rate.