"Oh, gosh, I couldn't tell you exactly. But I know it's a lot," Pavin said. "I'm old. Seems like it's got to be about 20 or so."

Today marks exactly the 20th time Pavin will tee off in the opening round of the Heritage. And he'll be playing on a Harbour Town course that he says is in the best condition he's seen in those 20 years.

"I've probably never seen the course in better shape than it is this year," Pavin said. "It's in great shape. They've done a very good job with it, as always."

"They" would be the crew led by Gary Snyder, who is in his 10th year as Harbour Town's superintendent.

Davis Love III, playing the Heritage for the 23rd straight year, said the course's condition is consistent with the recent past.

"The course is in great shape," Love said. "It's typical for the last four or five years. They've just had it just in really, really good shape."

Snyder said the course care routine -- the application of herbicides, pesticides, wetting agents and the like -- is closely monitored and tweaked if necessary.

Obviously the weather is a variable beyond Snyder's control, but he said it was mostly cooperative this year. There were few hard frosts and warm weather that should ease the transition from the rye used for winter overseeding to the Bermuda that is emerging from dormancy, he added.

There is, however, one drawback to the mild winter and early spring -- bugs get a head start.

"I'm noticing more mole cricket activity than usual for this time of year," Snyder said. "We'll see what the insect activity is like this year."

The forecast for this year's tournament includes dry, sunny days. Sometimes that can leave the greens hard and make them play faster.

But it's an issue that doesn't have many players concerned.

"Whatever happens with the weather, it's going to be great," said Tim Clark, who is playing the Heritage for the sixth consecutive year. "The greens are good. They're as good as I've seen them."