Players Championship 2023 fan guide: How to arrive, how to park, where to go, what to eat

THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP

Where: The Players Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass (7,189 yards, par-72; architect, Pete Dye).

When: Practice rounds, March 7-8; competitive rounds March 9-12.

Purse: $25 million ($4.5 million to the winner).

FedEx Cup: 600 points to the winner.

TV: Golf Channel (Thursday-Friday, 12-6 p.m.); NBC (Saturday-Sunday, 1-6 p.m.).

2022 winner: Cameron Smith.

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

March 7: Practice round, gates open 7:30 a.m. Military Appreciation Day ceremony (17th green), 4:30 p.m., followed by Riley Green concert. All Tuesday tickets are good for admission to the concert.

March 8: Practice round, gates open, 7:30 a.m.

March 9: First round, gates open 6:45 a.m.

March 10: Second round, gates open 6:45 a.m.

March 11: Third round, gates open 7:30 a.m.

March 12: Fourth round, gates open 7:30 a.m.

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TICKETS

All tickets must be purchased at theplayers.com/tickets.

Will Call: Located at 830 A1A North near Larry’s Giant Subs, Ponte Vedra Beach.

Youth policy: Up to two youths age 15 and under will be admitted free with a ticketed adult all week. All youth 6 and under must have a ticket to access hospitality venues.

THE PLAYERS AND THE MILITARY

THE Players offers free tickets for practice rounds and one competitive round day for active-duty military and retirees, and discounted tickets for all veterans. Tickets secured through the verification process will include a $20 digital voucher that can be used at any on-site food vendor for food and non-alcoholic beverages.

To obtain military and veteran tickets, visit theplayers.com/military and click “Claim Tickets” in the military admission section. Full-price Stadium Pass tickets are still available and can be purchased at THEPLAYERS.com/tickets.

The Patriots’ Outpost will be near the 16th tee for active duty, retired, reserve, National Guard members, veterans and one accompanied dependent. It will offer complimentary snacks and non-alcoholic beverages.

PLAYERS STADIUM VILLAGE

Food Court: Firehouse Subs, Homespun Kitchen, The Local, Tropical Smoothie, Bono’s Pit Bar-B-Q.

17th Hole Challenge: A replica of the 17th hole where fans can take two free shots at the Island Green or purchase an additional chance for a $5 donation to First Tee. Fans can make a $20 donation (or more) for a “First Tee Fast Pass” to bypass the line, take five shots and receive a free sleeve of golf balls. All proceeds will benefit First Tee.

The Grove featuring Maestro Dobel Tequila: Maestro Dobel, the official tequila of the PGA TOUR, will offer three signature cocktails, the Dobel Ace Paloma. While in the lounge, fans can experience Dobel’s history and hone their tequila knowledge with the brand’s tequila experts.

PGA TOUR APP

The PGA Tour app will be more interactive, bringing users closer to the championship. It will include faster scoring updates and load times, wayfinding technology to find on-course destinations (including step-by-step directions) and where your favorite players are, more statistics, player profiles and a tour of every hole on the course, with imagery and stats.

PGA TOUR FAN SHOP

Fans either ticketed or not will be allowed to access the Fan Shop the weekend before The Players on Friday, March 3 from 12-4 p.m.; and Saturday, March 4 and Sunday, March 5 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Hours of the Fan Shop during tournament week will coincide with gate openings.

The main fan shop has been expanded to 36,500 square feet, from 30,000 feet last year.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Follow The Players and coverage at jacksonville.com at the following Twitter feeds: @THEPLAYERSChamp, @PGATOUR, @jaxdotcom, @TimesUnionMedia, @gsmitter, @GeneFrenette and @golfweek.

PARKING AND TRAFFIC

Parking: The public lot off State Road 210 is $15 Tuesday and Wednesday and $40 per day during the competitive rounds. All parking passes must be purchased at theplayers.com/parking in advance of the tournament day fans are planning to attend. No parking will be sold at the public lot and all passes are digital.

Parking is sold out for Friday and Saturday rounds but passes may be available on The Players verified resale service.

Directions: When using GPS, input 5360 Palm Valley Road, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL. From the Beaches, take Third Street/A1A South. Go 4 miles past the St. Johns County line and turn right on C.R. 210. The lot is on the right. Fans coming from any location west of the Intracoastal Waterway are advised to take I-95 North or South to Exit 329 (State Road 210) and take Nocatee Parkway. Go 7 miles to a traffic circle and take the third exit onto Palm Valley Road. The lot is 3 miles on the left. The 210/Nocatee Parkway route is the fastest, least congested path to the tournament. Fans are advised to use FDOT’s 511 Traveler Information System for traffic information or by downloading the free Florida 511 mobile app. Fans also can sign up for text, phone or email alerts through FL511.com.

Disabled Guest Services: The Players will provide shuttles for fans with handicapped parking access. Fans must still purchase a parking pass in advance for general parking. Fans with a handicap parking hang tag, as well as a Players parking pass, will be directed to park in a specific part of the general parking lot. From there, golf carts will take them to one of the designated disabled guest services locations on the golf course.

Carts will run from the time gates open until 30 minutes after play ends and will only pick up and drop off from the below designated locations. They will not stray from the official route under any circumstances:

∎ Behind 16 Green by Couples Gate and The Bier Garden Presented by Hoptinger.

∎ Behind 17 Tee adjacent to the Welcome Experience and the Food Court

∎ Players left of 9 Fairway by Wine & Dine on 9.

∎ Players left of 9 Green by Past Chairman Hospitality.

∎ Clubhouse area behind 3 Tee

∎ Players' right of 16 Tee

∎ Players; right of 15 Fairway.

If disabled guests need assistance from a location without shuttle access, they should contact any tournament official with a radio.

Rideshare option: Drop off and pick up is at the Couples Gate near the 15th hole. Enter The Players Championship as a destination.

Nocatee shuttle: The Players will run a free shuttle for Nocatee and other nearby residents from Friday, March 10 to Sunday, March 12, running continuously from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. The shuttle parking lots, which are free, are at the Palm Valley Academy (700 Bobcat Lane, Ponte Vedra Beach 32081), Valley Ridge Academy (105 Greenleaf Drive, Ponte Vedra 32081) and Pine Island Academy (805 Pine Island Road, St. Augustine 32095). Dropoff and pickup will be at the Nicklaus Gate.

Downtown shuttles: Shuttles are available from Thursday, March 9 through Sunday, March 10 at the Marriott Jacksonville Downtown on Hogan Street, the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront and the Southbank Hotel (which Doubletree guests can access). Round-trip shuttle passes are $20, with passes available at theplayers.com/transportation-parking. Hotel parking fees may apply.

Downtown shuttle times (departure and return): Hyatt Regency, 7 a.m.-2 p.m.; 10 a.m.-4 p.m., 1:30-6 p.m. Marriott, 7:15 a.m.-2:15 p.m.; 10:15 a.m.-4:15 p.m.; 1:45-6:15 p.m. Southbank, 7:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.; 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; 2-6:30 p.m.).

Lexus Loyalty Lot: Lexus drivers will have access to upgraded parking at The Players. They will still need to purchase a parking pass. Availability is first-come, first-served and limited to the first 100 cars.

Pedal to The Players: The Players offers complimentary bike parking in Lot 4W, just past Gate B. Fans should enter the TPC Sawgrass from the entrance off PGA Tour Boulevard. Bike parking is not available in the general parking lot. Bike racks are available free of charge and fans are reminded to bring their own bike locks.

Golf cart parking: Complimentary golf cart parking services are offered Tuesday through Sunday at Gate B located inside the TPC Sawgrass Gates off PGA Tour Blvd. (in the same location as bike parking).

FOOD AND DRINK OPTIONS

Stadium Village Food Court: Firehouse Subs, Homespun Kitchen, Tropical Smoothie, Bono’s BBQ and Dailey's.

Taste of JAX: At 11th green/12th tee -- Cousins Maine Lobster, Mojo BBQ, Silkie's Chicken & Champagne Bar, The G.O.A.T. Tapas and Bar, Taste of Jax Bar featuring the Bushmills Bar.

Wine & Dine on 9: Presented by Meiomi Wines along ninth fairway. Includes food from Bonefish Grill and Meiomi Wines, the official wine of the PGA Tour, in a garden setting. Area includes a swing simulator.

Trucks on 10: Along the 10th hole -- Twisted Okie BBQ, Mama’s, Saffron Mediterranean Kitchen, Tikiz, What’s the Catch and open-air Michelob Ultra Mobile bar.

Tacos on 12: On 12th green, featuring food and drink from TacoLu.

Sawgrass Square: By 10th tee, Davis Love III Gate. Food options are Mini Bar and 4 Rivers Smokehouse. This is also the location of the new PGA Tour Training Center, featuring NOBULL, Hyperice and WHOOP.

The Patio: Between 10th tee and 18th green/16th tee -- Shaded fan zone with open-air seating and videoboard to keep up with the tournament. V Pizza and Michelob Ultra bar.

Bier Garden, presented by Hoptinger: Behind 16th green, near the Couples (rideshare) Gate. Craft beer and bar bites from Hoptinger, a locally-owned bier garden and sausage house.

The Oasis and Tito’s Stillhouse Lounge: Near the new ninth tee and open to ticketholders who are 21 and over. The Oasis is an air-conditioned venue with signature cocktails from Tito’s Handmade Vodka, as well as food and drink available for purchase.

The Grove: Behind 17th tee, featuring Maestro Dobel tequila with three signature cocktails.

NEW PLACES TO WATCH

Venues around the 16^th green and 17^th hole will be expanded to double-deck structures, with more than 131,000 square feet of hospitality space to accommodate thousands of fans. The new seating will include the Championship Club, presented by Lexus.

There is also a fan hospitality area by the new ninth green.

OTHER FAN AMENITIES

Fan lockers: Located by the Nicklaus and Couples Gates and sponsored by Atlantic Self Storage, The Players is offering lockers to fans so they can store belongings while they’re on the course. The items must still adhere to tournament policy regarding what can and can’t be brought onto the property.

Family Lounge presented by Wolfson Children’s Hospital: As part of Baptist’s program as the on-site provider of medical services, the Family Suite will extend their services to attendees of The Players with the venue serving as a comfort station for mothers and fathers to care for their babies and have a comfortable venue as needed during tournament week. The venue is open to all ticketholders and will also be providing diapers free of charge.

Kids Zone presented by Nemours Children’s Health – near 8 green: Open-to-the public featuring activities for kids and families, including a putt-putt event on Saturday, March 11 at 10 a.m.

Morgan Stanley Fan Experience: Located along the 18th fairway, fans are invited to learn about Morgan Stanley's Eagles for Impact program, benefitting the First Tee's Coach Diversity Initiative and putt for a chance to make an eagle in the putting simulator to win prizes and more.

Fan Bleachers presented by TruGreen, 8 green: Public covered bleachers and deck with a full view of the longest par-3 on the course, with a full bar.

Fan Bleachers, 12 green/13 green: Public covered bleachers and deck with views of 12 and 13. Beer, wine and soda available for purchase.

SPECTATOR INFORMATION

Lost and found: Visit the spectator information booth near the Nicklaus Gate for items lost on that day. For items lost on previous tournament days, call Will Call at (904) 867-0048. Fans who suspect they may have lost an item after the tournament has concluded should call (800) 404-7887 and selection option 3. Items can take as long as a week to get to the main lost and found office.

The Players fan code of conduct: Spectators are subject to expulsion and the loss of ticket privileges for the following breaches of etiquette -- making rude, vulgar or other inappropriate comments of gestures; verbally or physically harassing players, volunteers, officials or spectators; districting players or any disruption of play; unruly, disruptive, unsafe or illegal behavior; and failing to follow the instructions of tournament officials, volunteers or security personnel.

Autograph policy: Permitted at designated areas near the practice range and scoring at The Perch (the two-story structure behind the 18th green). Autograph requests should not be made of players on the golf course. No memorabilia can be brought into the tournament including pin flags, photos, trading cards, balls and other sports paraphernalia.

Camera/photography policy: Still or video cameras not allowed Thursday through Sunday during the competitive rounds.

Mobile device policy: All devices (smartphones, pads, pagers) must be on silent at all times. Texting is allowed in all areas. Devices may be used to capture video, audio or photos in all areas, but flash is not allowed. Content may be used for personal purposes, such as posting on social media, but not for commercial use. No live streaming or real-time coverage is allowed. Do not ask players to pose for "selfies" outside the autograph areas.

Photography policy: Cameras, either point-and-shoot, film or DSLR cameras are allowed during Tuesday and Wednesday practice rounds, but prohibited the rest of the week. Photography during competitive rounds (Thursday-Sunday) allowed only with mobile phones. No video cameras are allowed all week.

Social media: Fans are encouraged to share their experiences on social media under the photography/video guidelines. Use #THEPLAYERS and mention @THEPLAYERSChamp to see tweets on LED scoreboards throughout the course.

Inclement weather policy: If inclement weather is in the vicinity, spectators will be advised of the appropriate protocols on electronic scoreboards, including guidance about the conditions and the appropriate actions fans should take. Please do not presume that play will be canceled if it rains. Re-entry to the tournament will be allowed following a suspension of play

Outside food policy: The Players allows fans to bring in their own food in a 1-gallon clear, plastic bag where food items are also wrapped in clear wrap. This policy does not allow fans to bring beverages. Filtered drinking water is available in the permanent restrooms near The Patio near the 10th tee, Taste of Jax near 11 green and Wine & Dine on the ninth hole, behind the 16th green.

The Players will allow fans to bring in reusable plastic or metal cups up to 32oz at entries, as long as they are empty upon entry and exit.

Alcohol policy: Alcohol will not be served to anyone under 21 years old. Proof of age is required for anyone younger than 35. Only two drinks are permitted to be purchased at a time. Spectators are not allowed to carry more than two drinks at a time. Subject to delays in play, alcohol sales will end at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday; 6:30 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday; and 5:30 p.m. on Sunday.

Bag policy: Purses and small bags must be 6 by 6 by 6 inches or smaller. Clear bags must be 12 by 6 by 12 inches or smaller. Bags for medical necessities and diaper bags will be allowed but subject to inspection.

Permanent Restrooms and Filtered Water Stations: Near No. 10 tee/No. 16 tee; Wine & Dine on 9 (near No. 5 green/No. 9 fairway); behind 16 green (near The Grove); Taste of JAX (Located behind 11 green and 12 tee).

Remember: The Players will allow reusable plastic or metal cups up to 32oz at entries, as long as they are empty.

First Aid presented by Baptist Health: 4 tee, Davis Love III entry, 9 tee, 15 tee.

On-site issues: Text 69050 to reach a staff member during the tournament.

PERMITTED ITEMS

• Point and shoot, film or DSLR cameras Tuesday and Wednesday, no cases

• Umbrellas, no sleeves

• Collapsible chairs, no cases

• Binoculars, no cases

• Portable radios with headsets

• Mobile phones or PDAs

• Medically necessary materials

• Infant carrier, diaper bags and other baby supplies (infant must be with the carrier)

• Motorized transportation devices for handicapped persons

• Seat cushions without pockets, without cases

• Reusable plastic or metal cups/bottles that are empty upon entry and exit, and cannot hold more than 32-ounces.

PROHIBITED ITEMS

• Noise-producing devices

• Fireworks or laser pointers

• Coolers or outside beverages

• Folding chair bags

• Backpacks, camera cases, mesh bags, seat cushions, large tote bags, binocular cases

• Weapons of any kind

• Signs, posters or banners

• Pets (except service animals)

• Computers or laptops

• Bicycles, skateboards, mopeds, tricycles

• Drones or other devices that can be operated in airspace

• Selfie sticks

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Players Championship 2023 fan guide: How to get there, where to go