Golf - Resort Public Course · 18 Holes · Par 70
Palm Harbor, FL
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Review and Rating of Innisbrook Resort’s North Golf Course
Innisbrook Resort is home to some great golf stay and play accommodations, excellent dining options, and lots of fun amenities (like tennis courts, pools, racquetball, a Spa, fitness center, and more), but best of all it has four outstanding golf courses.
Each of the four courses is very different from the others and each has it’s own unique personality and characteristics, for example:
The North Course, which some call Baby Copperhead, is very well maintained and scenic as it plays through the trees, most with draping Spanish moss, and lakes and ponds. There are no homes on the course but there are plenty of birds, squirrels, and even an alligator sunning itself on the bank of a pond. It’s quite, scenic, and serene making for a very enjoyable round of golf.
By today’s standards, Innisbrook Resort’s North Course is short from all tee boxes at 4955, 5580, 6070, and 6325 yards from the tips and it’s a par 70, but it is no walk in the park. Some would call it ticked up, others might say it is deceivingly hard, and most would say it requires some excellent course management and club selection skills if you want to score well.
We loved the North Course and really enjoyed playing it. From our perspective, some of what makes it both fun and demanding includes:
The second time you play the North Course, it should be a lot easier in terms of strategy, knowing what clubs to use, and where to place the ball. The layout of the North Course is unique and memorable and some of the holes that we really liked included
The North Course greens range from small to dime size, most are guarded, and all have some slope with subtle breaks. They were in good shape when we played but a tad bumpy and ran around an 8.5 to 9.
The fairways were in great condition and most were a little tight and all are tree or water lined. They range from flat to gently contoured. The rough was cut thin and very playable, but if you miss it you’re most likely gone. The fairways are lined with a variety of trees and lots of stately oaks with draping Spanish Moss.
The bunkers ranged in size and shape and lots of them had some very steep faces. The sand varied from soft and fluffy to thin with hard surface under it.
Bottom line - what a demanding shot makers course with some great holes that you'll want to play again
You’ll want to play the North Course a couple times and you should also play the other three courses, so why not stay a few days in one of the excellent lodging options at Innisbrook Resort. They have a great stay and play package, excellent restaurants, 6 pools, 3 bars, a spa, and lots of other recreational activities. Read our review of Innisbrook Golf Resort & Spa
Tee Box | Yardage | Rating | Slope |
---|---|---|---|
Blue | 6,070 | 69.8 | 127 |
White | 5,580 | 67.4 | 119 |
Gold | 6,325 | 71.1 | 131 |
Red | 4,955 | 69.4 | 121 |
Approximate Weekend
Rates: $100.00 to $150.00
Service is first class from the bag boys to the cart ladies. The Pro Shop is huge with everything you need to look good and play well. The practice facilities are excellent. The grill at the Clubhouse has a wide variety of excellent food and the bar and outside patio are excellent.
Here's How Texas Outside Determines the Scorecard RatingThe Texas Outside rating scale ranges from 1 to 10 – a perfect 10 course would be something like this: links along a cliff overlooking the Pacific ocean and bordered by tall trees; lush fairways on rolling hills with lots of natural hazards; water (which is crystal clear) on most of the holes; immaculate greens (but they are undulating and tough); lots of variety and character (each hole is completely different and includes blind shots, elevation changes, doglegs, and significant challenges); perfectly manicured traps with the whitest and prettiest sand you’ve ever seen; a nice club house with great food and a 19th hole; a GPS; plenty of beverage carts or your own cooler and ice; and it only costs $40 bucks! What this means is that you probably won’t find any 10s in Texas – try Cabo San Lucas, Pebble Beach, or some of the Hawaii courses!
All of the above determines the overall score for the golf course. In other words, we like courses that are pretty, fun, very challenging with a lot of variety, and fairways and greens in excellent condition – all for $40. We also tend to play the courses that are affordable for the masses, which means in the $30 to $80 range. We rate hard and we haven’t found a 10 in Texas yet – don’t worry we haven’t given up and we’re still looking.
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