PGA TOUR

2024 Valspar Championship: What is the snake pit at Innisbrook’s Copperhead golf course?

We’ve been hearing the commentators talk about the sinister part of the Copperhead golf course, but what exactly is it?

Joseph McMahon
jmcmahonztown
DOUGLAS P. DEFELICEAFP

It sounds like a place you want to avoid, but unfortunately players can’t play around the snake pit this week at the Valspar Championship. On other course players have to deal with the “Bear Trap” at PGA’s National Champion Course or the “Green Mile” at Quail Hollow and of course “Amen Corner” at Augusta National. They sound like tough stretches of golf real estate, but nothing as challenging as the “Snake Pit.”

On Saturday Keith Mitchell dominated the last three holes, shooting 4-under par with an eagle on No. 18:

What is the Snake Pit at Copperhead?

It is the last three holes at the Innisbrook Copperhead golf course. Holes, 16, 17 and 18 are brutal challenges to the golfers after having navigated the first 15 holes. No. 16 is a par-4 460-yard hole and is known as “Moccasin” and is one of the most difficult holes on the PGA Tour because of the narrow fairway with water on the right and lots of trees on the left. If players don’t find the fairway, it will be tough to make par. Some people have a hard time remembering what the final stretch is called:

No. 17, known as “Rattler” is a 215-yard par-3 with a well-protected green that can be more or less difficult depending on the pin location. Players will finish their round on the par-4 No. 18 that has the same name as the course, “Copperhead.” There are bunkers on both sides of the fairway and green goes downhill from back to front, which will force players to keep it short as going long is a no-no on the last hole of the course.

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