Rich Beem offers his advice to the first-timers at The Players Championship

Taking on the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass for the first time doesn't have to be an intimidating experience for this week's Players Championship rookies, says Rich Beem...

If you compare first-timers at The Players Championship to rookies at the Masters, I'd say you don't need as much inside knowledge and experience to negotiate TPC Sawgrass.

There's nothing overly imperative that you need to know before you tee it up at the Stadium Course, and the task ahead is pretty obvious. You've got to find the fairways, the greens are relatively small, and you cannot short-side yourself around here.

There have been so many changes to the course over the last few years that even some of the seasoned veterans are having to learn the layout again.

Sawgrass is not difficult to learn and understand, but you just need to get comfortable with the various angles and slopes. Probably the only thing that takes more time to fully understand is the lines off some of the tees, then the experience comes in.

I guess I felt a little intimidated when I played here for the first time in 2000. Back then, The Players was held in March and the weather was not good. It was cold, overcast and rainy, and I wasn't good anywhere in those conditions to be honest!

I admit I never felt entirely comfortable around this golf course, but having said that, there was nothing about it I was truly fearful of. It was nothing like the fear of taking on the greens at Augusta National - a fear I still have and I don't get to play there anymore!

There were always a couple of shots I was not confident with, particularly the second to 16. I felt it was in my best interests to lay up, but everybody else seemed to be going for the green in two so I thought I should as well. That indecision led to me not having much success on that hole.

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The 11th is another big challenge for a par-five, and the players need to work out not just the best way to try and hit and hold the green, but where the best place to miss it is. There's a vast amount of sand around the green and water to the right of the sand, so there's not much room up there.

That's something that, tactically, you just have to grow into over the years, but the kids coming out on Tour these days seem to be more fearless, and I don't think many of them are intimidated by any golf course.

Even the 17th might seem like an easy challenge for some of them, but if any of the rookies asked my advice on the best approach from the tee, I'd tell them to hit as quickly as possible, do not dwell over that shot for too long and allow doubts to creep in.

The conversation with the caddie is crucial, especially judging how the wind is going to affect the flight. And, if it's flat calm and you're in contention, the only thing you're really battling is adrenaline.

We've seen that numerous times on a hole that should be straightforward, but the 17th is more of a test of internal fortitude than technique.

If you are challenging for the lead on Sunday, with the pin tucked away front-right, it doesn't matter what number you have - take one less club, hit it in the centre of the green and get out of Dodge!

And, if you happen to push it just a little bit, then you push it a little bit. Either way, take your three, stroll to the 18th tee box, and don't go left!