Avery Becton (photo: submitted)
BY AAGD STAFF
(February 28, 2020)
25 miles northeast of Washington, DC is Manassas Park, Virginia, and it’s is a cold place to be in February. That’s exactly why local resident and avid golfer Avery Becton packed up his golf clubs and headed to Florida with several buddies in tow. His resolve would bring him to enjoy a nearly perfect round of golf among the tall pine trees aligning the Copperhead Golf Course in Tampa.
“I booked an early Saturday morning tee time for myself for February 22 and I had an absolutely wonderful time,” said the 63-year-old federal worker. “The course was being prepared for the upcoming Valspar PGA event in March. The Fairways were like playing on carpet and the greens were running true and slick as a baby’s butt—by far, the best course I’ve played to date.”
The Copperhead has been on Becton’s bucket list for years. “I made a detour from my annual February golf trip with 5 other guys. We usually play in Jacksonville, (Fla.) but this year, I wanted to play the Copperhead golf course, because, it’s one of the courses on the list of the African American Golf Trail Challenge,” said Becton. The Challenge, an initiative put together by the African American Golfer’s Digest, aimed at promoting more rounds of play at Black-owned golf courses.
A favorite among PGA TOUR professionals, the Copperhead course plays host to the world’s greatest golfers during the PGA TOUR’s annual visit to the resort for the Valspar Championship. The 18-hole, 7,200-yard golf course, is 1 of 4 at the Innisbrook Golf Resort owned by businesswoman Sheila Johnson, CEO of Salamander Hotels and Resorts, and the first African American woman to attain a net worth of at least one billion dollars.
“It’s a bucket list item and well worth the price and experience,” said Becton. “You won’t be disappointed. I recommend weekday play. Weekend rates are approximately $350 if you are not staying at the resort. Resort rates start at $85 and up, depending on your golf package. My military discount brought the rate down to $125.”
