Innisbrook Cooperhead - AWFUL.

[Ryan19jwu]

Just an FYI if anyone is planning a trip down there. We played it last week en route to Streamsong and the course was in terrible shape. $440 for one of the worst conditions courses I’ve played. Entire course was burned out. Uneven lies everywhere around the greens.  
 

Id play streamsong Red and their destroyed green 100 times out of 100 before I ever walk on property at Innisbrook again. 
 

Guy in the pro shop didn’t even mention it before he took our money. I can’t even wrap my head around how they made it look green for TV. What a mess. 

[scottc25]

I'm guessing the overseed is dying out?

[Abh159]

I've never played Copperhead, but this isn't the first time I've heard someone comment negatively regarding the conditions. 

[Roody]

My wife was there on a girls trip a couple weeks before the Valspar earlier this year. She said conditions were great (obviously, since they were prepping for the tournament), but she said the courses weren't anything special. She even said Copperhead wasn't her favorite course of the four. I think it was Island. 

[caniac6]

Personally, I’ve never seen a $440 golf course, but I would expect the overseer was dying out, and the bermuda was not fully in. That’s an issue when overseeding at a very heavy rate. I have seen Harbour Town in a transition period, and it looked awful. It probably played ok, but it sure looked rough.

[Ryan19jwu]

19 minutes ago, caniac6 said:

Personally, I’ve never seen a $440 golf course, but I would expect the overseer was dying out, and the bermuda was not fully in. That’s an issue when overseeding at a very heavy rate. I have seen Harbour Town in a transition period, and it looked awful. It probably played ok, but it sure looked rough.

It sure didn’t play ok. 😂😂

[caniac6]

37 minutes ago, Ryan19jwu said:

It sure didn’t play ok. 😂😂

That’s a real shame. It looks like it would be a very nice members course when I watch on tv. I’m very surprised that it cost that much. I would have guessed about half that, and I probably would have thought that was too much.

[Robber6656]

Copperhead is by far the best course on property. Island is harder but nowhere near as fun. I find it hard to believe the condition was that bad when they just had the tournament a few weeks ago. $440 for each person? You must not have been staying on site. 

[Ryan19jwu]

21 minutes ago, Robber6656 said:

Copperhead is by far the best course on property. Island is harder but nowhere near as fun. I find it hard to believe the condition was that bad when they just had the tournament a few weeks ago. $440 for each person? You must not have been staying on site. 

Believe what you wish. It was awful. We didn’t stay on site. Thank god. That would have run us another $3-400 per person. 

[Abh159]

3 hours ago, caniac6 said:

Personally, I’ve never seen a $440 golf course, but I would expect the overseer was dying out, and the bermuda was not fully in. That’s an issue when overseeding at a very heavy rate. I have seen Harbour Town in a transition period, and it looked awful. It probably played ok, but it sure looked rough.

 

My club used to overseed in the winter and there was always a 2-3 week transition period around this time of year where it was bad. Basically all the rye starts dying out, but the bermuda can't break out of dormancy because of the overseed.

 

Fortunately now they just overseed the tee boxes in the winter. Playing on dormant bermuda isn't the best in the winter months, but I'll gladly take it over having a few weeks of basically being unplayable in the spring once the weather is actually nice out.

[Robber6656]

8 hours ago, Ryan19jwu said:

Believe what you wish. It was awful. We didn’t stay on site. Thank god. That would have run us another $3-400 per person. 

The condition may have been awful, the course is far from awful. Is it worth $440? No way. If you stayed on site you probably would have paid half that. They don’t let many non resort guests play so if they let one, it’s pricey.  It’s also a course you need to play more than once to appreciate .

 

Tampa as a whole is not a golf Mecca. Where else did you play?

 

 

Edited April 28, 2022 by Robber6656

[jpthreesticks]

9 hours ago, Robber6656 said:

The condition may have been awful, the course is far from awful. Is it worth $440? No way. If you stayed on site you probably would have paid half that. They don’t let many non resort guests play so if they let one, it’s pricey.  It’s also a course you need to play more than once to appreciate .

 

Tampa as a whole is not a golf Mecca. Where else did you play?

 

 

 

Smart not to stay there. Unless things have changed in the last 2-3 years, but we stayed onsite for a conference, and it was not good. Many of the rooms were outdated and dirty. 

 

We were late fall, so the course was just fine. I didn't pay for my golf though, but if I had to pay $250+, I would have been disappointed. 

[Dancin]

Stayed there last year. The rooms are still mostly 1970s style condos. The interiors have been updated some, but you definitely feel like you're at a very old resort. There are much better golf resorts in Florida.

[Ryan19jwu]

12 hours ago, Robber6656 said:

The condition may have been awful, the course is far from awful. Is it worth $440? No way. If you stayed on site you probably would have paid half that. They don’t let many non resort guests play so if they let one, it’s pricey.  It’s also a course you need to play more than once to appreciate .

 

Tampa as a whole is not a golf Mecca. Where else did you play?

 

 

The layout wasn’t awful, the conditioning was. We were en route to streamsong and had time to kill so my pro set it up for us. Considering streamsong gave us a 50% discount($100 a round) because conditions were “not up to their standards” and was in much better shape than copperhead it was pretty awful to pay that. 
 

The whole course was burned out. Not just dormant and brown(no problem with that). God forbid you missed a green, the ball would sit down into the holes everywhere working 20yds of the green. 
 

I travel frequently for golf and have had the opportunity to play the best public courses in the US in the past 12 months(streamsong, whistling, Erin, Bandon, pinehurst) and copperhead was by far the most expensive and also in by far the worst shape. 

[Ryan19jwu]

3 hours ago, jpthreesticks said:

 

Smart not to stay there. Unless things have changed in the last 2-3 years, but we stayed onsite for a conference, and it was not good. Many of the rooms were outdated and dirty. 

 

We were late fall, so the course was just fine. I didn't pay for my golf though, but if I had to pay $250+, I would have been disappointed. 

The starter said the pros won’t stay on site. 😂😂

[Warrior42111]

All I can think of is that some courses get in real bad shape for a couple weeks right after a PGA level event.

 

They usually push the course limits to get that firm fast FW and greens, which holds up just for a week or two until succumbing to being pushed.

[Ryan19jwu]

9 minutes ago, Warrior42111 said:

All I can think of is that some courses get in real bad shape for a couple weeks right after a PGA level event.

 

They usually push the course limits to get that firm fast FW and greens, which holds up just for a week or two until succumbing to being pushed.

That’s what it felt like. Just destroyed it for TV. Probably be great in another 3-4 weeks

[seus777]

I can attest that the course was pure during the Valspar as a spectator. As others have stated probably a mix of the heavy use during the tournament and the bermuda not quite fully grown in yet. Once the bermuda is fully in it's as lush as it gets.

 

Why you paid $440 is a mystery. You could have stayed on property for a night and it would have cost less all in.

[italianstallion]

Course is a fair $150-$200 course. Design is great for Florida, nothing special if you dropped it anywhere else in the country. I played it last summer and even on a soaking raining day thought it to be in great shape. As others have mentioned, the overseeded rye grass commonly used down here is burning off. 

[Ryan19jwu]

1 hour ago, seus777 said:

I can attest that the course was pure during the Valspar as a spectator. As others have stated probably a mix of the heavy use during the tournament and the bermuda not quite fully grown in yet. Once the bermuda is fully in it's as lush as it gets.

 

Why you paid $440 is a mystery. You could have stayed on property for a night and it would have cost less all in.

It was significantly more expensive to stay onsite and play. We checked. 

[jlazaro]

From a design perspective Copperhead is great. It's much different than a typical Florida course. I played right after the Valspar. Conditions were perfect, but they definitely max out with the overseed and greens.

 

The $440 price tag is the product of the recent boom in golf. A round at Pebble is now $700. Bandon is booked through 2023. Any course that hosts a tour event, or has a meaningful amount of cache, can charge whatever they want.

 

The issue with Innisbrook is the resort itself. It is dated and the service is bad. 

[hammergolf]

On 4/27/2022 at 9:13 PM, Robber6656 said:

The condition may have been awful, the course is far from awful. Is it worth $440? No way. If you stayed on site you probably would have paid half that. They don’t let many non resort guests play so if they let one, it’s pricey.  It’s also a course you need to play more than once to appreciate .

 

Tampa as a whole is not a golf Mecca. Where else did you play?

 

 

It’s over $500 per person per night for stay and play there. We were planning on going there for a long weekend in early October. (4 days), But we can go to Ireland for a week and play Carne, Enniscrone, Strandhill, County Sligo, Donegal, Narin & Portnoo, and Esker Hills including flight and lodging for the same money.

[jerebear21]

Insert any pga tour course, not just innisbrook.  Played sawgrass last friday.  720 not including caddies.  Could play any 10 courses in Ireland for the same money.  Same logic. 

 

Copperhead is great.  Played it a couple weeks before the tournament.  Paid 85.  It’s a 200 dollar course in this environment. Money is cheap right now. Maybe things will change in 10 years.  

[me05501]

I almost hate to say this for fear of riling the golf gods, but here it is: I don't seek out notable golf courses to play because I'm convinced they could never live up to what I expect for that kind of money. 

 

I don't have nearly the level of bedpost notches that many here have but I have played some good courses including The Honors Course, The Farm, Holston Hills, the McLemore, Barnsley Gardens, Shoal Creek, Greystone (Birmingham), Ross Bridge, The Judge and The Senator on the RTJ Trail, Blue Canyon in Phuket. 

 

I definitely appreciate and enjoy the benefits of these great facilities (conditioning, service, pace of play, respect for the grounds, etc). Some rounds have cost as much as $200 which is pushing my limit for 4-5 hours of enjoyment.

 

A round of golf only includes so many elements, and the difference between an excellent course and a decent one is quantifiably smaller than the difference between a baseball and a softball. 

 

A $500 round of golf for me would likely be a once in a lifetime thing and I struggle to believe that the experience would justify the price on its own merits. Pebble Beach at $900 or whatever? Forget about it. 

[Robber6656]

22 hours ago, hammergolf said:

It’s over $500 per person per night for stay and play there. We were planning on going there for a long weekend in early October. (4 days), But we can go to Ireland for a week and play Carne, Enniscrone, Strandhill, County Sligo, Donegal, Narin & Portnoo, and Esker Hills including flight and lodging for the same money.

The $500 a night includes golf.

 

I love Ireland. October could be tough. You can play some courses that aren't cheap. I was there 10 days. Spent over 4000 and airfare was free. All depends on where you play and stay. We played Lahinch, Ballybunion, both courses are Portrush, Port Stewart, Port Salon, Ballyliffin Old, Rosepenna Sandy Hills and Old Mac, Royal County Down, and the Island.

[hammergolf]

1 hour ago, Robber6656 said:

The $500 a night includes golf.

 

I love Ireland. October could be tough. You can play some courses that aren't cheap. I was there 10 days. Spent over 4000 and airfare was free. All depends on where you play and stay. We played Lahinch, Ballybunion, both courses are Portrush, Port Stewart, Port Salon, Ballyliffin Old, Rosepenna Sandy Hills and Old Mac, Royal County Down, and the Island.

       I was in Ireland last October for a week. We played Doonbeg, Lahinch twice, Ballybunion twice, and Tralee twice. Weather was great except for 1 day. But hey, everyone goes there knowing you’re gonna get rain at some point. I rented a house in Kilmihil for 3 nights, and a house in Listowel for 4 nights. Rented a 9 passenger van, and flew from Chicago to Dublin round trip. The total for everything including gas for the van was $3200 per person. We had 8 in our group and spent around another $150 each on food and drink. We cooked breakfast and dinner at the house, and ate lunch at the golf course. So all in that trip was $3400

      I just checked again at Innisbrook again, and the rates have actually went up for October. It’s $750 per night including golf, breakfast and lunch now. The flight from Chicago to Tampa is about $500. So all in figuring another $50 a night for dinner and drinks per person, another $80 per person for rental car, and you’re looking at around $3800 per person for 4 days at innisbrook. So, we decided to go back to Ireland again this October. Knowing that the courses in NW Ireland cost less to play than those in the SW I began doing some research. Basically we can fly non stop from Chicago to Dublin, play Esker Hills, County Sligo, Carne, Strandhill, Enniscrone, Donegal, and Narin & Portnoo, rent a house in Sligo for a week, rent a van again for about $1950 per person for the week. Then add another $350 a man for food, gas, and drinks and were at $2300. NO BRAINER…. 

Edited May 4, 2022 by hammergolf

[hammergolf]

11 hours ago, me05501 said:

I almost hate to say this for fear of riling the golf gods, but here it is: I don't seek out notable golf courses to play because I'm convinced they could never live up to what I expect for that kind of money. 

 

I don't have nearly the level of bedpost notches that many here have but I have played some good courses including The Honors Course, The Farm, Holston Hills, the McLemore, Barnsley Gardens, Shoal Creek, Greystone (Birmingham), Ross Bridge, The Judge and The Senator on the RTJ Trail, Blue Canyon in Phuket. 

 

I definitely appreciate and enjoy the benefits of these great facilities (conditioning, service, pace of play, respect for the grounds, etc). Some rounds have cost as much as $200 which is pushing my limit for 4-5 hours of enjoyment.

 

A round of golf only includes so many elements, and the difference between an excellent course and a decent one is quantifiably smaller than the difference between a baseball and a softball. 

 

A $500 round of golf for me would likely be a once in a lifetime thing and I struggle to believe that the experience would justify the price on its own merits. Pebble Beach at $900 or whatever? Forget about it. 

I agree with you, some places can just never deliver on the high price tag. Pebble, TPC Sawgrass, Pinehurst #2 etc  are in no way worth the $500 - $700 ticket. However, I can say that Lahinch, Ballybunion, and Tralee were worth every penny of the $300 I paid imho. Even after our Irish friends told us how overpriced those courses were and that the likes of Carne, Enniscrone, County Sligo, are every bit as good at half the price. I’ve only seen pics and videos of the courses were playing in October, but based on that I agree with my Irish friends. We’re counting the days till we go.

Edited May 4, 2022 by hammergolf

[hammergolf]

11 hours ago, jerebear21 said:

Insert any pga tour course, not just innisbrook.  Played sawgrass last friday.  720 not including caddies.  Could play any 10 courses in Ireland for the same money.  Same logic. 

 

Copperhead is great.  Played it a couple weeks before the tournament.  Paid 85.  It’s a 200 dollar course in this environment. Money is cheap right now. Maybe things will change in 10 years.  

Even the most expensive in Ireland are still nowhere near $720. I think Adare Manor is the highest at around $500, but Ballybunion, Lahinch, Tralee, etc are all around $300. 

[me05501]

8 hours ago, hammergolf said:

       I was in Ireland last October for a week. We played Doonbeg, Lahinch twice, Ballybunion twice, and Tralee twice. Weather was great except for 1 day. But hey, everyone goes there knowing you’re gonna get rain at some point. I rented a house in Kilmihil for 3 nights, and a house in Listowel for 4 nights. Rented a 9 passenger van, and flew from Chicago to Dublin round trip. The total for everything including gas for the van was $3200 per person. We had 8 in our group and spent around another $150 each on food and drink. We cooked breakfast and dinner at the house, and ate lunch at the golf course. So all in that trip was $3400

      I just checked again at Innisbrook again, and the rates have actually went up for October. It’s $750 per night including golf, breakfast and lunch now. The flight from Chicago to Tampa is about $500. So all in figuring another $50 a night for dinner and drinks per person, another $80 per person for rental car, and you’re looking at around $3800 per person for 4 days at innisbrook. So, we decided to go back to Ireland again this October. Knowing that the courses in NW Ireland cost less to play than those in the SW I began doing some research. Basically we can fly non stop from Chicago to Dublin, play Esker Hills, County Sligo, Carne, Strandhill, Enniscrone, Donegal, and Narin & Portnoo, rent a house in Sligo for a week, rent a van again for about $1950 per person for the week. Then add another $350 a man for food, gas, and drinks and were at $2300. NO BRAINER…. 

This is why I suspect I’ll never make it to Bandon Dunes. The UK would be less expensive and easier to get to. 

Edited May 4, 2022 by me05501

[hammergolf]

9 minutes ago, me05501 said:

This is why I suspect I’ll never make it to Brandon Dunes. The UK would be less expensive and easier to get to. 

Before we decided to go to Ireland last year, I looked at the the prices to do Bandon vs Ireland. The guys in my group are all Midwest/East coast. The flights were about the same to Oregon as they were to Ireland. Rental houses were much less in Ireland. Rental vans were a little higher in Ireland. Green fees were a little less in Ireland. Gas was higher in Ireland, but food was less. In the end it was about $300 per man cheaper to go to Ireland. I’ve been to Bandon a couple times, and it’s great, but the courses in Ireland are better in my opinion. 

Edited May 4, 2022 by hammergolf