Missouri Golf Courses - Recent Reviews
Moila
Location: St. Joseph, MO
Address: 701 N Noyes Blvd., St. Joseph, MO 64506-2812
Phone: (816) 232-9681
Type: Public
Rating (1 to 5):
For more information on this course: click here
Comments: Moila Golf Club in St. Joseph, MO is now public, after being private since 1920, and is being managed by the GoodLife folks. GoodLife also owns or manages St. Joseph Country Club and many other courses on the western part of Missouri.
Moila is one of the earliest Shriner chapters. It was founded on Dec. 1, 1887, and the chapter has been at its current location since 1920. The Shriners started in the 1870s as an offshoot of traditional Masonry. The organization in St. Joseph is best known for its golf course, swimming pool, parade antics and circus. However, it’s the members’ commitment to helping children receive affordable medical care that makes the organization notable.
The course is a classic old school country club with large trees lining the fairways, which makes it a very difficult course. The good news is that Moila GC has good bones and could, with a lot of money, regain its former glory. The bad news is that the course needs a lot of work, starting with an updated irrigation system (which is 40 years old) . . . or at least 20″ of rain spread out over the next several months. The entire NW corner of Missouri is in a 2-year drought and all of the courses in the area are feeling and showing the effects. Some of the courses have more water than the others. Moila needs a lot more. The greens are in fairly good condition but all other turf is struggling.
Regardless, the course is still fun and has a very challenging layout and some very difficult holes, such as the downhill 400 yard Par 4 14th. The mature tree-lined, narrow fairway doglegs to the right over a large lake in front of the green. I am an average golfer and I have a difficult time reaching 400 yard holes in 2, much less having to carry a lake on my second shot. I got a bogey and was happy.
The bottom line is that we recommend playing Moila Golf Club if you are in the St. Joseph area, but bring your A game. Let’s just hope that GoodLife brings its A game and nutures this course so that it can again become one of the elite courses in the region.
Tarkio
Location: Tarkio, MO
Address: 1106 Park St, Tarkio, MO 64491
Phone: (660) 736-4776
Type: Semi-Private
Rating (1 to 5):
For more information on this course: click here
Comments: We played Tarkio Golf Club in Tarkio, MO on a hot July day and the course, like all of the courses in NW MO, has been starved for water. Nevertheless, TCC has been judiciously watering the fairways and greens and the course is in surprisingly good shape. It is one of the top courses in extreme NW Missouri. The course is a mature course with wonderful quick greens. There are a few sand traps and lakes but, as long as you can keep your ball close to the fairway, you will be able to score well. We gave the course a 3 rating because of how we think the course would play and look with more rain, but right now it is closer to a 2.5. The fairways are not perfect, primarily due to the drought, but the tee boxes are generally in great condition.
See this course on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/mogolftour.
Rock Port
Location: Rock Port, MO
Address: 18757 North Country Club Drive, Rock Port, MO 64482
Phone: (660) 744-2590
Type: Public
Rating (1 to 5):
For more information on this course: click here
Comments: Rock Port Golf and Country Club in Rock Port, MO is a fairly hilly course about 5 miles from the Missouri/Nebraska border. It is the most westernly course in the state. The fairways and roughs are fairly fried (no measurable rain for the past few weeks) but the small greens are holding up pretty well. If you live in the immediate area RPGCC is a great choice.