By Fred Altvater
Two Salamander Resorts, Hammock Beach on the Atlantic Coast and Innisbrook, home of the PGA Tour’s Valspar Championship, near Tampa, provide two luxurious resorts perfect for escaping cold winters in the north.
Hammock Beach Resort 
The Hammock Beach Resort includes two fantastic courses, plus the beautiful Hammock Beach Hotel. They have various types of accommodations to handle any size group, including mult-bedroom condos with a full kitchen, sitting room and balconies overlooking the Atlantic.
The Ocean Course was recently renovated by jack Nicklaus. It is the only course in Florida that can boast six holes that border the Atlantic Ocean. It is a wonderful golf course with fantastic views and a joy to play.
Golf Digest gave the Ocean Course at Hammock Beach an Editor’s Choice award in 2018, plus Golfweek, Links Magazine, Golf for Women and Golf Magazine have listed the Ocean Course on their various “Best Of” lists.
Being on the ocean winds are the norm. There are few trees on the course, but water, bunkers and sloping greens keeps every golfer on their toes.
A second course at Hammock Beach is the Conservatory, which sits farther inland. It is a beautiful combination of winding fairways, with sculptured bunkering and plenty of water to drown a wayward golf ball.
As great a golf course as the Ocean Course is, most members have told me they enjoy the Conservatory course over the Ocean.
Six dining options await guests. The Atlantic Grille offers the finest seafood. The restaurant sits near the beach and diners are rewarded with a full view of the ocean.
Innisbrook Resort
Innisbrook on the Gulf side of Florida in Palm Harbor just a north and west of Tampa, is a massive complex sitting on 1,000 acres of palm trees, lakes. It is like a serene park and once you park your car, every amenity awaits each guest.
The resort features four championship courses, North, South, Island and Copperhead. The crown jewel of Innisbrook is of course, the famous Copperhead Course that hosts the Valspar Championship every year during the PGA Tour’s Florida Swing.
I found the Copperhead Course to be one of the best conditioned and maintained courses I have ever played in Florida.
As for the other courses they are a treat and will challenge any golfer. Several college tournaments, Symetra Tour and amateur events have been competed on the Island Course.
Dining is an experience at Innisbrook, several dining options will please any palate. We recommend a quiet meal at Packards near the Copperhead Course. There is more casual dining in the Osprey Clubhouse, plus a bakery to satisfy those sweet cravings.
Once you enter the property you never even need your car as shuttle buses transport guests to any destination within the huge complex.
Innisbrook is also perfect for business meetings or conventions. Check with resort staff for their accommodations and rates.
