TOUR Insider: Underrated Copperhead is a gem

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The Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Resort is often described as being more of a Carolina course than a Florida course.

Perhaps being the most underrated course on the PGA TOUR is not such a bad thing.

After all, the players face a pristine course in ideal condition somewhere in the sunshine every single week on TOUR. From Riviera Country Club to Pebble Beach to THE PLAYERS Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass -- and all points in between -- the TOUR visits one great stop after another.

So it's no surprise that when the conversation turns to the best courses on TOUR, a place like the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Resort gets overlooked. But it shouldn't.

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A year ago, Sean O'Hair pulled out a two-stroke victory at 4-under par. That's a score that wins the U.S. Open or barely makes the cut most weeks. Granted, it was the highest winning score in the brief eight-year history of the Transitions Championship. It was also one of the highest winning scores of last season.

The reason you can expect difficult scoring conditions again this week at the Copperhead course is because the golf course is a complete test of a player's game. From the difficulty of finding the narrow fairways off the tee to the undulating and severe greens, the course is a masterpiece. Even the best players in the game will hit every club in their bag during a typical round. Their distance control, their judgment and most importantly, their patience will be challenged.

If you think that the Copperhead course is just another Florida course, think again. It is atypical in every respect. Unlike most courses in the Sunshine State that wind their way through the flat peninsula, Innisbrook sits on a rare and special strip of land. Although it has all the elements of a typical Florida course -- wind, water and sand -- this layout features topography generally found in points further north. The Copperhead course is an anomaly with its dramatic elevation changes. From the first hole, a downhill par 5, to the 18th, a sweeping, uphill par 4, every shot possesses its own unique challenge. Many of the holes feature elevated, well-protected greens that are a challenge to hit from the fairway and nearly impossible to hit from the rough.

Take the second hole, for example. TOUR players will try to work the ball from left-to-right with a fairway wood or long iron off the tee. There is a pond to the right of the landing area and high pines and palms up the left side of this dogleg. Pull a tee shot to the left, and you are blocked out by the trees. Miss a step right, and you are not only wet but dropping in the rough. From there, you are trying to figure out a way to make 5, and you have your hands full.

The green is well-guarded with a large bunker in front and deep rough behind. It pitches from back-to-front with some severity. A player who finds the right center of the fairway can attack any hole location and give himself a chance to make birdie. However, miss by the slightest margin, and you will find yourself in trouble.

That's the beauty of the Copperhead Course. The second hole is one of the easier holes on the course. There are several holes, like the par-4 sixth or the par-4 16th, where every player in the field will be more than happy to take four pars this week. And they would pick up shots on the field.

The course itself has become a player favorite in a short time because of its subtle challenge. There is nothing tricky or contrived about its design or the tournament setup. Good shots are rewarded, while errant ones are penalized severely.

Although the course has enjoyed its fair share of accolades and awards, it is still surprisingly unsung when players are asked to rate PGA TOUR courses. Perhaps it is overlooked because it is stuck in the middle of a rotation of incredible courses on the Florida Swing.

This week, though, the players will be reminded once again just how good, hard and fair this golf course is. And whoever hoists the trophy on Sunday afternoon will not only have beaten a stellar field, they will have beaten one heck of a golf course -- but not by much.