Innisbrook Resort’s Copperhead Course, designed by Larry Packard, recently underwent a comprehensive six-month restorative enhancement in line with the course architect’s principles. Salamander Hotels & Resorts reopened the golf course, with Innisbrook Owner and Salamander Founder & CEO Sheila C. Johnson officially unveiling it in a ceremony attended by partners, dignitaries, celebrities, and PGA Tour representatives. The project included re-grassing all fairways and rough, rebuilding each green, and reshaping bunkers, retaining Packard’s signature design.
The course hosts the Valspar Championship presented by BB&T, an official PGA Tour event, every March. Copperhead, which opened in 1972 and has been hosting a professional golf tournament for the past 25 years, is one of four layouts at the resort designed by Packard. Packard lived at Innisbrook for more than 40 years while the resort’s steakhouse even bears his name. Innisbrook’s three other Packard-designed courses, Island, North, and South, also provide championship alternatives for members, groups, and guests.
The project aimed to restore the course to its original intent and characteristics, with Wadsworth Golf Construction Company, the original course builder, overseeing the work. All greens were rebuilt to United States Golf Association specifications with TifEagle Bermuda grass, several were restored to their original size to allow for additional pin placements, and new drainage systems were installed underneath the green complexes. Fairways were replaced with Celebration Bermuda grass to yield a more consistent hitting surface, and a number of viewing areas around the greens were modified to allow for larger tournament galleries in the future.
The restorative project also included the reshaping and rebuilding of Copperhead’s strategically placed bunkers, including the addition of a set of staircase traps on the uphill 18th hole. The practice facility underwent some modifications, with an additional tier added to the driving range, and a new practice green was added for chipping, pitching, and bunker shots.
All tee boxes were rebuilt and laser-leveled, while several were expanded, and 15 new forward tees were also added to enhance the experience for players of all skill levels. The length of the course for tour professionals, however, remains at a challenging 7,340 yards. To support sustainability initiatives by the United States Golf Association and the PGA of America, the course’s irrigation system was improved to include 500 new sprinkler heads and save 11 million gallons of water per year, enough to fill 1,100 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
Salamander’s commitment to making improvements has made Innisbrook cement its reputation as one of America’s top golf destinations. Johnson, who is also an officer and executive committee member of the United States Golf Association, said, “This restoration respects and protects the vision of Larry Packard and his signature design, and further elevates the golf experience for our guests, members, partners, and playing professionals.”
PGA Tour Professional George McNeill, who was present at the re-opening announcement and is a former Innisbrook tournament runner up, said, “Copperhead is one of the best courses we play every year. The restoration work will ensure that it continues to offer one of the finest tests of golf in the country.” Andy Pazder, chief of Operations for the PGA Tour, said, “We are excited about the impact of the design enhancements and agronomic improvements, which undoubtedly will further solidify the Copperhead Course’s reputation as a favorite among our players.”
Innisbrook Resort is located at 36750 U.S. Highway 19 North, Palm Harbor, FL 34684, on 900 wooded acres of rolling hills in the St. Petersburg/Clearwater area on Florida’s Gulf Coast. The resort features 72 holes of championship golf.
