Tiger Woods once called the island green 17th at TPC Sawgrass "gimmicky."

And from an old-school, golf-course-architecture standpoint, maybe it is. Woods explained his statement by saying that he had no problem with island greens, he just felt this one comes too late in the round. (Giving a single hole - a single shot, really - too much emphasis.)

That hole wasn't the first island green, and architects have gone a little island green-crazy since then (there's even one tour course - although I'm drawing a blank at the moment on which tour and which course) that finishes with two island greens in a row.

And we should all blame - or thank - Pete Dye's wife Alice, who is the one who actually suggested an island green. And keep an eye on Woods' golf course designs to see if he incorporates any island greens.

But some gimmicks are better than others. And even if the 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass really is "gimmicky," then - in this case, anyway - I'm all in favor of gimmicks.

Tiger isn't playing this week. And sad to say, but that usually causes my interest level in a tournament to go down. (I know, I know, but it does.)

But Tiger or no Tiger, I eagerly await Live@17 on pgatour.com, and watching The Players Championship coverage on the Golf Channel and NBC. And especially watching how the leaders handle that fourth-round tee shot on that gimmicky No. 17.