| The granddaddy of bay area
resort golf is none other than the Westin Innisbrook Resort
near Tarpon Springs. An unassuming entrance off of the throbbing artery
that is U.S. 19 leads into a quiet, pine tree laden resort property
that is home to two of the Bay’s best golf courses. |
The Copperhead Course,
designed by Roger and Larry Packard, is the former site of the LPGA/PGA
J.C. Penny Classic and the current home of the PGA Tour’s Tampa
Bay Classic. Copperhead, with its elevation changes and tree-lined
fairways, is anything but a garden variety Florida layout. The course
plays to a brutish 7,087 from the championship tees and is home to
one of the region’s toughest golf holes – the 458-yard
par-4 16th.
Innisbrook’s Island Course never has been able
to emerge from the considerable shadow cast by its more prominent
sibling. It’s a shame, because this 6,999-yard gem might be
the better of the two tracks. |
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Where Copperhead is long
and open, the Island Course is short and tight. Call it a shotmakers
course, a thinking man’s course, or whatever you like. But the
Island Course has that unique ability to challenge low-handicappers
from the tips while providing an enjoyable golf experience for recreational
golfers from the forward tees.
When Westin and Troon purchased Innisbrook from Hilton in the late
1990s, they immediately added nine holes to the existing 27 hole Sandpiper
course and created two new golf courses. The Highland North Course
(formerly Hawk’s Run) was part of the original masterplan for
the resort, finally coming to fruition under the new ownership and
management. And Highlands South (formerly Eagle’s Watch) was
the final piece of the puzzle at Innisbrook, and it now houses the
longest par-5 in the state, the 650-yard 13th hole. |
