March 5 -- Many golf fans might recognize Jay Overton's name as one of the game's elite players, a veteran of more than 100 PGA Tour events and 25 major championships. But just as important to the golf community is the tireless work he performs as the PGA Director of Golf at Innisbrook Resort, one of Florida's great golf venues. He took some time to talk with John Kim, the Coordinating Producer of PGA.com, to discuss the this week's PODS Championship, why the resort continues to excel, and why the Copperhead course, despite being a Florida icon, is probably out of place in the Sunshine State.

PGA.com: Jay, it's often said that the Copperhead course isn't really a Florida course. I know my geography skills can often be lacking, but Innisbrook is just outside of Tampa, how can it not be a Florida course?

Mark Calcavecchia, the 2007 champion, was the first American born player to win the PODS Championship since 2000. (WireImage.com)

Overton: There are a few reasons why people say the Copperhead course isn't a Florida course. First, there are thousands of pine trees on the layout, but very few palm trees. Second, unlike many Florida resorts, the greens and the tee boxes are actually pretty close together. Many resorts are built around neighborhood or other real estate complexes so the holes are often very spread out. That's not the case with the Copperhead course. And maybe most notably, the topography of this course is very different than you'll find around the rest of the state. We are located along a fault or ridge line that creates a rolling layout on the course, something you would be more likely to see in the Carolinas rather than Florida. We have elevation changes here of almost sixty feet on some holes. So certainly, when these factors are considered, you could say the Copperhead course is atypical of Florida.

PGA.com: Many players say you may have the toughest stretch of finishing holes on the PGA Tour. Is that a fair assessment? What makes them so hard?

Overton: Oh yes, I think that's fair. We have worked to bring the course, especially the last three holes, back to the original design of Larry Packard, and we completed that in 2004. The golf ball is going further now, that's a given, so we have to add some length. On no. 16, we've moved the tees back and to the right. Not only does that increase the distance of the hole, but it changes the angle for a good tee shot and creates a smaller margin for error. We also added a tree by the lake that players have to factor as they play the hole so that their line to the green isn't blocked. I'd say it's a two club difference from where it was. We did not have an opportunity to extend the tees back on no. 17 so we made the green 40 feet deeper. That's almost another 15 yards to consider, uphill, so that could be a club or two difference in your approach. And the closing hole, we added 40 yards and added three bunkers to the right. It's an uphill blind shot to the green. There is no let up here, no safe shots. Anything can happen on these closing holes, which is part of the drama and greatness of the tournament.

PGA.com: And what about for the Tour player trying to hold a lead during the final round?

Overton: You can't just protect a lead in this stretch, there's no way to play conservative. No. 18 is so narrow, all your shots have to be so precise; in direction and distance. When you stand on the 16th tee box, you know you have to be aggressive and find the fairways. There just aren't any birdies out there to finish the round, but there are a lot of high numbers waiting.

PGA.com:The exposure and the glamour of having a Tour event on your course is invaluable I'm sure, but March is also a typically busy time in the golf playing season for your course. What challenges do hosting the tournament bring?

Overton: That's one of the great misconceptions about our resort. We do not shut down like a lot of other courses do when they get ready to host big events. On the Copperhead course, we are taking tee times up until noon of the Sunday before the event. We can do this because other than letting the rough grow out a bit, the course is kept in the same type of conditions year round. The course you see on t.v. this week is pretty much the same course you'd find when you come here on your golf vacation.

PGA.com: What word of advice would you give to one of the Tour players who might be seeing your course for the first time this week?

Overton: I'd give them two important pieces of advice. First, have a finite game plan of what you are going to do off the tee on each hole. You can pretty much figure that out with one practice round with a good caddie. Secondly, spend as much time as you can around the greens. These greens are not what most players expect from Florida greens. They roll very fast -- will roll around a twelve on the stimpmeter for the week. These greens were created as surface drain greens, so they are designed to not allow for any standing water. The contour of the greens can be subtle but it's there. Make sure you know which way is west as the grass tends to lay towards the setting sun, and that will help you read the grain -- and chip and putt as much as you can.

PGA.com: With your four courses there, do the guests at the resort have a special affinity for the Copperhead course because it's the one they see on t.v. during the week, even though it's such a stern test of golf?

Overton: You would think so, but as crazy as it sounds, that's not the case. The Island course actually is the most popular to play among our members and our guests. We did a similar renovation on it that we did with the Copperhead course. They are both very popular, but in all honesty, I think the Island course is a little more in demand.

For more information on Innisbrook resort, visit their website.