The biggest, most raucous party of the weekend will be found just off the 17th hole of Edgewood Golf Course on the southern shore of Lake Tahoe.

That's where hundreds of party-goers will sail, row, power-boat, kayak or paddle-board to witness the goings on in the annual American Century Championship golf tournament, which takes place July 20-22. And everyone is invited to the revelry.

For the past 23 years, they've bobbed in the water or stood ankle-deep at the lake's edge hootin' and hollerin' as a parade of "celebrities" – actors and professional athletes, mostly – tried to master the 155-yard, par-3 17th. The rambunctious crowd, which is hardly the kind of gallery you'd find at any professional golf tournament, has been known to toss baseballs, footballs, basketballs and the occasional hockey puck to the players as they trudge from tee to green.

And most often, the besieged players – who this year include Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, Alex Smith, Aaron Rodgers, Tony Romo, Bode Miller, Brandi Chastain and Ray Romano in the 78-golfer field – will lob said objects, often inscribed with their names, back at the fans.

"It's like no other golf tournament in the world," said Phil Weidinger, who's been the tournament media director since 1992. "The interaction with the players is pretty wild and wide-open. And by the time they reach the 17th hole, the players are usually ready for some noise, for some music, for anything. ... That pretty much sums up the tournament."

Because Lake Tahoe is open to the public and is not part of the golf course, it doesn't cost a dime to be member of the 17th-hole armada. All you need are a means of water transportation and a willingness to party.