Tampa Two

Took two trips to the Tampa Bay area in the last week to play some golf at Media Day events.

The first was at Innisbrook for the upcoming Valspar Championship. The Copperhead course is a favorite among the Florida Swing venues — lush, rolling fairways and more elevation than typically found in Florida. The buildout is going full steam, and the clubhouse is being renovated at a frenetic pace as the tournament approaches March 21-24.

The primary takeaway from playing Copperhead that day was the rough. It was the first thing that emcee Gary Koch mentioned when he arrived at the podium to introduce defending Valspar champion Taylor Moore. Missing a fairway at Copperhead without marshals on the course produced a 50-50 chance of losing a golf ball. It’s gnarly, and it’s only February. Tournament PR director Rick Odioso pulled me aside before lunch and asked, “don’t you think this course could host a U.S. Open?”

The answer: maybe. Copperhead tips out at 7,209 yards and was the 7th-toughest course on the PGA Tour last year. There’s plenty of housing on the property and another 45 holes of golf at the Island, North, and South courses (although some of that land will eventually be developed for private homes). The challenges are in access — only two entrances to Innisbrook, and they’re both narrow residential streets, one of which spills out to the absurdly busy US Highway 19 — and the calendar. There’s a reason why U.S. Opens are rarely played south of Pinehurst. June in Palm Harbor, Florida can be brutally hot. That said, Innisbrook ownership is clearly floating the balloon.

The second stop on this Media Day tour was at Feather Sound Country Club in Clearwater, site of the upcoming Aramco Team Series Presented by PIF - Tampa. Yes, that PIF. The same Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund that floats LIV Golf started this series in 2021 as part of the Ladies European Tour. There are five events scheduled in 2024, with Feather Sound being the only stop in the US.

Each Aramco Series team features three professionals and one amateur. Prizes are awarded for both team and individual play over three days (sound familiar?). The Tampa event features a $1 million purse, which is roughly three times as much as the average LET event. Among the notables expected to appear: Lexi Thompson, Brittany Lincicome, Charley Hull, Megan Khang, and defending individual champion Carlota Ciganda.

First, the golf course. I vaguely recalled playing it before with my Tampa golf guru Todd Wright, who was my partner once again at the Media Day, along with Joey DiPompo from the Tampa Bay Downs golf practice facility (highly recommended). We were joined for the first nine holes by Feather Sound head golf professional Aaron Henson, who was a most gracious host and forecaddie. The course was playing firm and fast, with plenty of water to worry about on most holes. Multiple tee boxes allow the course to play anywhere from 5,000 to 7,200 yards. The greens are quick, but not terrifying. It will be a good test for the pros, and certainly for the amateurs.

In light of the current state of men’s professional golf, it was jarring to see the Aramco and PIF branding on the course. Golf Channel is carrying the tournament, which led Todd and I to speculate if this was the first time a PIF-funded entity would ever air on the channel. Turns out, it’s not, as this event was on GC last year with Sky Sports’ regular LET announcers providing the commentary. Having attended two LIV events myself, I can attest to the entertainment value of team golf, and wouldn’t mind seeing more events with a similar format. One mild objection — the Tampa tournament is the same week as the PGA Tour’s Arnold Palmer Invitational in Orlando, the PGA Tour Champions’ Cologuard Classic in Tuscon, and the Blue Bay LPGA in China, making for a crowded golf schedule. Further, going head to head with an LPGA event during the Asian Swing means the Aramco event loses potential star power, Lexi’s presence notwithstanding. Scheduling is hard, especially in golf, but maybe next year’s US stop can be rearranged.

Link: Aramco Team Series