…and this is Good Winter Poison…Golf, Hockey, Football, Baseball, Beaches…
Florida’s Innisbrook Resort
If you are a golfer there is a really good chance that you are a sports fan of some sort! If you are golfer in the Northeast USA or Canada you are likely planning a trip to a warm winter golf destination.
How easy is it to get to the Tampa / Clearwater area of Florida from almost anywhere? Real easy.
How easy is it to find some great golf? Also real easy!
The Traveling Golfer with Drew Dosek
We are leading you down the path to “Play Where the Pro’s Play!” Innisbrook Golf & Spa Resort with its collection of four championship golf courses, is among the finest in America and every March the renowned Copperhead Course plays host to the PGA TOUR’s Valspar Championship. Was that not kind of the beginning of Tiger’s comeback?!
Innisbrook is nestled on 900 acres of rolling hills and 70 acres of lakes on the west coast of Central Florida, about 20 miles from Tampa International Airport. The Resort appeals to golf and spa aficionados for sure!
If you are there during the Fall or Winter your poison might just include the Tampa Bay Buccaneers or the NHL Rays. You might want to plan to be there when your favorite team is there! Go Leafs Go! During the spring you still have NHL Hockey but Major League Baseball Spring Training offers up another form of extra curricular activities.
Downtown Tampa has been going through a major revitalization and its hospitality is oozing along its sparkling waterfront. Attractions such as Busch Gardens and now the Florida Aquarium one of the best in the country are neighbors to a cuisine that is rich in culture.
Clearwater Beach
Clearwater Beach and the Gulf of Mexico is also just a stone’s throw away and there is certainly something to be said when you are Voted #1 Beach in America by Trip Advisor – Travelers Choice and Top 10 in the World. With an accolade like that you know that where there are beaches there will be shopping, dining, and live entertainment. Clearwater’s downtown itself has been undergoing a revitalization program. You will need to check out the Cleveland Street District, overlooking the beautiful Clearwater Harbor and Marina, provides a stunning backdrop for a variety of concerts, festivals, and exhibits that delight throughout the year.
Wow…that is enough to make me want to go to Tampa and St. Pete’s / Clearwater Beach on its own. The area has over 15 solid courses and if you don’t get enough golf during the day you can always check out Top Golf! It is where Bowling meets Golf! Pints and wings while you swing!
If you are going to travel to play why would you not want to play the best? The Copperhead Course at Innisbrook solidify’ s the Resorts status as only one of only six resorts to receive Golf Digest’s “2018 Best Golf Resorts in Florida” designation. But some of the locals and members might argue that Island Course might be preferred.
The picturesque Island Course has played host to numerous U.S. Open qualifiers and NCAA Championships and has also been ranked among the country’s top 50 resort courses by Golf Digest. The Island’s first six holes are bordered by beautiful Lake Innisbrook and lateral water hazards that require pinpointing accuracy on tee shots and approaches. The middle six holes feature rolling hills dominated by cypress and pine trees. The final third of this course boasts a mixture of holes designed to reward the bold and penalize the errant golf shot. Your round ends at a finishing hole that’s withstood the test of the world’s most skilled players and is one of the most photographed in Florida.
Copperhead Course
You know the Copperhead Course is different as soon as you set foot on the first tee. In fact looking downhill down the fairway with the elevation change you think that you are anywhere but in Central Florida. Every hole is a good hole and that is why the PGA Tour player love this course. No gimmicks, what you see is what you get, tree lined fairways, rolling terrain with a mixture of bunkering, ponds and lakes to keep you on your toes.
The North Course or “baby Copperhead” as it affectionately referred to is shorter in length but a Par 70! Similar in terrain to the Copperhead Course, it certainly offers up many challenges. Known for its daunting par 3s, North features tight fairways, an abundance of trees and well-bunkered greens, placing a premium on accuracy from tee to green. 11 holes at North present water hazards, making club selection a critical decision.
The South Course presents you with a little links style golf both in terms of rolling terrain and numerous fairway bunkers. Ample waste bunkers, a total of 10 water hazards, undulating terrain, and the Gulf of Mexico breezes all combine to make the South another great challenge.
Steak lovers make sure that you make a visit to Packard’s Steakhouse right at the Copperhead Clubhouse. Mouth-watering steak, fine wine and how can you not start this evening off with a nice martini!
My favorite place on the resort to just kick back after golf or if you need the extra night cap is the magnetic Osprey Bar. Not sure why but it just keep you coming back.
For more information on Innisbrook Resort and there bucket list golf get-a-ways visit https://www.innisbrookgolfresort.com/
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September 2018
