South African Ernie Els made headlines this week at The Players Championship when he suggested the devilish 17th island hole at TPC Sawgrass be blown up.

As you might suspect, Els' comments came following a triple bogey. Pete Dye designed the course with difficulty in mind, the reason many at the time labeled the famed architect the Marquis de Sod.

The 17th, which ranges from 145 yards to 125 depending on the tee placement, is one of the best known holes in golf. Save for a narrow walking path, it's completely surrounded by water and it makes us feel good in some twisted way to see these pros find the drink. Last year during the tournament, 95 balls found the bottom of the pond.

What's good for pros, though, is not necessarily good for us. Some of us like our golf holes and courses short and straight while others enjoy a challenge.

"I'd rather play them," 13-time Maine Amateur champ Mark Plummer said of the tough courses. "It's a nice challenge."

Plummer thrives at Sugarloaf, a course many consider to be Maine's toughest, while others play it strictly for the scenery. Plummer is even a little miffed when the tees are moved forward.

"It changes the whole design," he said. "You see a lot of these courses that were designed to be played from the back tees."

At his home course, the Augusta Country Club, reaction to tough pins and quick greens is mixed.

"Half like it when you set the course up hard, half don't," Plummer said.

Plummer represents that tiny fraction of golfers who can be called scratch players. Of course, tee markers are set up according to one's ability, and that helps shorten holes on many courses. But factors such as pin placements, the length of the rough and the speed of greens can affect one's score.

"The idea is to have the place be fun," said Rob Browne, clubhouse manager at 36-hole Natanis in Vassalboro. "You have to try to make it for the vast majority."

Browne said when a tournament is played at the course, the ability of the players is taken into consideration and pins and greens are adjusted accordingly. Golfers also have the choice of two courses, one (Tomahawk) tougher than the other (Arrowhead).

Even on the more difficult Tomahawk there are a number of breather holes. That was the intention of architect Dan Maples.

"His idea was a couple of risk-reward holes and a couple of easy par 3s," Browne said.

As for greens, Browne said they can't be cut too closely because "it's very difficult to have fast greens and keep them healthy the whole year."

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There are still openings for the Club Team Championship, scheduled for May 18 at Belgrade Lakes Golf Club. In this event, four players from the same golf club compete in best-ball with the top two scores counted on each hole.

Last year, a foursome from Bangor Municipal edged a group from the Augusta Country Club. Teams should contact the Maine State Golf Association office in Yarmouth.

For the first time in recent memory, the MSGA's annual Father-Son tournament won't be held at Natanis. This year, the June 8 tournament will be held at Lakewood, a sister course in Madison also owned by the Browne family.

"We've got the B and C championship at Natanis," clubhouse manager Rob Browne said. "We're not opposed to having it. A change of venue is a good thing, though."

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The Maine State Golf Association has taken a step to address slow play this season by scheduling tee times 10 minutes apart for its 18-hole weekend tournaments. The MSGA's Web site addresses many of the problems of slow play and how to speed up the game.

Tee times 10 minutes apart is a good start. The MSGA formerly used eight-minute intervals between tee times but relied on a national study that concluded 10 minutes was the optimal time for mixed handicap foursomes.

Although most courses schedule tee times eight minutes apart, there is usually a foursome waiting on the tee shortly after one group tees off. Impatient golfers tee off after the first group has hit its second shot, then wait while foursomes putt out. Better to wait until the preceding group is on the green before teeing off.

If you're really interested in a no-stress round, Clinton Golf Course schedules tee times a half-hour apart.

Chip shots: The Maine State Golf Association is allowing the use of distance measuring devices such as Sky Caddie, Bushnell Pinseeker and Sonoecaddie for all its tournaments this year. "We thought it would speed things up," said Manchester's Mark Plummer, a member of the MSGA rules committee. "At a lot of these courses, the 150-yard markers aren't accurate." ... A demo day will be held from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday at the Natanis driving range. Representatives from Titleist, Cobra, Cleveland, Ping and Calloway will be on hand. ... Sugarloaf is scheduled to open Friday.

Gary Hawkins -- 621-5638

ghawkins@centralmaine.com