central west Innisbrook Resort, Copperhead Course Palm Harbor Take it from the pros: If you’re looking to combine charm and challenge, start at this enclave just off U.S. 19, up the road from Clearwater and its headlining beaches. Ernie Els famously sang its praises a decade ago, and Jordan Spieth, another former world number one, recently joined the chorus. The course is invariably described as “tough but fair,” and it will demand sharpness from each aspect of the game. There are more elevation changes than you’d expect so close to the Gulf Coast and a wealth of looming pines along the fairways. Home to the Valspar Championship each March, the course went through an update in 2015 that was more refurbishment than renovation. The mildly rolling greens were restored to their original dimensions and reseeded with Tif Eagle Bermuda grass, and irrigation was modernized. But the decision to simply embellish Larry Packard’s original design was a hat tip to Copperhead’s sterling reputation. Come through the three-hole fi nishing sequence (dubbed “the Snake Pit”) in par or better and you’ve got an accomplishment worth bragging about. PAR: 71, YARDS: 7,209 Innisbrook Resort, Copperhead Course, Palm Harbor World Woods, Pine Barrens Course Brooksville This course has nothing to do with an infamous Sopranos episode of the same name. It is, however, highly recognized, often compared to New Jersey's Pine Valley, one of the top courses in the world. It’s that high praise that attracts golfers despite a location well-removed from the state’s most traveled roads. Tom Fazio designed it with the task of appropriating the natural contours and character of the scrub land available. Elevated tees, wide fairways and a plethora of waste areas and bunkers are the result. Approaches are tight, and the greens are roomy and quick. And so, on every hole, a sizing-up scan from the tee box brings not only an arresting view but also a moment to strategize. PAR: 71, YARDS: 7,237 Black Diamond, Quarry Course, Lecanto FLASPORTS.COM/GOLF | 35
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