Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Golf has continued to flourish as people look for ways to enjoy the outdoors safely. During the lockdown, more people went back to the game of golf or discovered the game for the first time in history, and it appears most are sticking around!
The number of rounds of golf being played is way up. The spike started in 2020 and has carried over into 2022. I’ve seen it all while living in Florida and traveling worldwide, covering golf courses and resorts. Believe it or not, most areas are complaining about a golf shortage. For the first time I can remember, the majority of private clubs all have a healthy waiting list, and the record number of rounds played is taking a toll on golf courses across the country.
When traveling on a golf vacation, the last thing you want to do is play a course in poor condition or struggle to get a decent tee time. As we get into the holiday season, Florida’s very active hurricane season has put even more stress on the market. Many courses in Florida suffered heavy damage from Hurricane Ian at the end of September. To make things even worse, Hurricane Nicole landed a month later, bringing more rain and heavy winds across the state.
My home course, Heathrow Country Club, was closed for a month as the water was drained from the golf course. While the course re-opened for play a few weeks ago, we still suffer from the effects of the hurricanes and the record number of rounds being played. Heading into December, there are still pumps on the course moving water around, trying to reclaim sections of the golf course that are still underwater.
With my home course closed, I looked for an alternative. I found Innisbrook Golf Resort, the ultimate golf escape outside Tampa, Florida. At first, I was shocked to see in my social media feed that Innisbrook Golf Resort was open and thriving the very weekend after Hurricane Ian. I live in Central Florida, and my course was devasted. How could a golf resort just outside Tampa close to the Gulf of Mexico be open?
As it turns out, Innisbrook has made significant investments in its golf courses over the past decade. Renovations focused on improved irrigation using less water and improvements in drainage, allowing Innisbrook to withstand the heavy rains accompanying a hurricane or tropical storm.
Innisbrook Golf Resort is not only home to the PGA Tour, and the Valspar Championship played on the famous Copperhead Course but is also home to three additional 18-hole championship golf courses! Seventy-two holes of golf allow Innisbrook to keep members happy and let the public stay at the resort and experience life as a member of Innisbrook. Having golfers spread across all four golf courses helps reduce the wear and tear across the property.
In early October, with my golf course closed and under several inches of water, I got to experience life at Innisbrook. I drove down on Saturday morning, giving me plenty of time to check in and relax before a 2 pm tee time on the Copperhead Course. Innisbrook is a condominium property, so when booking a room, you’re booking your own home away from home.
The condo was stunning! We had a 3-bedroom condo, 1660 sqft of living space, and a massive wrap-around balcony overlooking the 18th of the Copperhead Course. I can only imagine how cool it would be to stay in this condo during the Valspar Championship. It was indeed a home away from home. A gourmet kitchen, massive living room, and well-appointed bedrooms make you never want to leave.
We only had one night at Innisbrook, but we lived it up! Walking in the steps of the PGA Tour and experiencing the famous snake pit finish on the Copperhead Course was only the appetizer. After the round on Copperhead, what better way to cool down than jumping in the pool. With numerous pools to choose from, we ended up jumping into the Copperhead Pool, located just outside the pro shop. Very secluded and easy to relax after a daunting round of golf.
As day turned night, we dressed up and headed to Packard’s Steak House. Located right on the Copperhead Course, Packard’s Steakhouse is Innisbrook’s signature restaurant serving only the finest aged premium beef steaks and scrumptious cold water lobster tails. The menu is a perfect mix of steakhouse delights and seafood. We enjoyed some fantastic oysters on the half-shell to start and finish by sharing a 38oz Tomahawk Stake and a lobster tail! The ultimate surf and turf combination. Throw in a couple of bourbons from the bar, and we had quite the evening.
Innisbrook Resort had me at “We’re Open.” After spending the night and getting a taste of life at Innisbrook Golf Resort, they had me checking out listings for sale. I had several dreams that night about owning a condo at Innisbrook. I mean, what an escape—world-class location, golf, dining, and accommodation.
I travel all over playing golf but finding something as unique as Innisbrook is rare. As a guest, you get to relax in either a 1, 2, or 3-bedroom condo and enjoy some of the best weather, golf, and food in the southeastern United States. Finding great golf or accommodations is easy, but finding a perfect mix that gives you everything, like Innisbrook Golf Resort, takes time to come by.
Bring a buddy, bring the family, or get the extended family. Innisbrook has the layout and room to accommodate every type of vacation, from a quick weekend getaway to a massive family reunion. To book your Innisbrook vacation click here to check out their current special offers!