The Honda Classic

The 16th hole in Phoenix. The island green at the 17th hole at the TPC at Sawgrass. Hole No. 16 at Augusta.

There is nothing like a dramatic par-three late in a round to add excitement to a PGA TOUR event. The goings-on there often dominate all conversation about the golf tournament. Crowds flock to that spot and spectators often spend their entire day there. Corporations buy skyboxes to entertain their clients amid the festive atmosphere.

That is what the Honda Classic is creating with the 17th hole at PGA National Resort & Spa, a 190-yard par-three across water that is the heart of a three-hole section of the golf course which has been affectionately named "The Bear Trap" after course renovator Jack Nicklaus.

Eleven skyboxes have been sold and erected and in 2008 a second-level of skyboxes above them will be made available. Hospitality areas surrounding the 17th hole have been created as well.

The goal is to offer a fun, festive area on the golf course where players and fans can bond through the excitement of a difficult golf shot that will go a long way toward determining who walks home with the $990,000 winner's check on Sunday.

"I'm looking forward to being out at The Bear Trap when the final groups come through on the weekend to see the excitement that it will generate," Honda Classic Executive Director Kenneth R. Kennerly said. "It may take a couple of years, but I really think that The Bear Trap combined with the hospitality options that we are making available there could become one of the main focal  points of the tournament and build a reputation on the TOUR."

Hospitality options at the 18th hole remain the primary vehicle for corporations looking to entertain their clients at The Honda. The tournament has sold 28 skyboxes and sky suites at the finishing hole and also is offering The Champions Club at Nicklaus Village, a 5,200-square-foot upscale, all-inclusive entertainment option on the 18th fairway. This hospitality marquee features d‚cor themed with insight into Jack Nicklaus' career. Outdoor observation decks will provide premium views and high-end catering.

The Bear Trap private hospitality area is an alternative choice. It is situated behind the 16th green so that spectators can see the tee to green action on the 17th hole and also play at the 16th hole. Upscale food and beverage options are available inside and there will be tiered seating and lawn chairs available on the marquee's exterior. Multiple televisions will broadcast complete coverage of the tournament. Tickets are $200 with discounts for four packs ($760), 10-packs ($1860), and 20-packs ($3600).

The FPL Pavilion adjacent to the 17th green is a unique public hospitality area for the general admission ticket holder. The Pavilion treats fans to theatre-style seats, flat-screen televisions, an FPL Mist zone where they can cool off, a 266-square-foot video display board and unobstructed sight lines to the 17th hole.

In Phoenix, where the 162-yard par three has become known as the asylum, as many as 10,000 fans line that hole each day. Players get so caught up in the excitement there that they have been known to run into the crowd and mingle and share high-fives.

The island green at Sawgrass has evolved into one of the most famous holes in the world through the ups and downs experienced there during The Player's Championship.

The legacy of the Honda Classic could soon evolve around what happens at the 17th hole at PGA National.

Tickets are now on sale for the 2007 Honda Classic and are available in several packages. The Classic Pak includes daily grounds credentials and coupons for more than $150 in savings at PGA National including a complimentary round of golf. The cost is $75. Individual daily tickets can be purchased for $15 (Tuesday and Wednesday), $25 (Thursday and Friday) or $35 (Saturday and Sunday).

Call 1-866-8HONDA8 (866-846-6328) to order tickets or visit thehondaclassic.com.

Anyone interested in the special hospitality packages for The Champions Club (18th hole), the Clubhouse (Member's Clubhouse) and The Bear Trap (17th hole) can call Joanie Connors at 561-799-4619 to order.

The Honda Classic primary beneficiary is the Nicklaus Children's Health Care Foundation.