Payne’s Valley Golf Course
My Review
After playing Buffalo Ridge a few years ago, I thought I had played the best course in Missouri. And, at the time, I had – but things change. Johnny Morris, the billionaire visionary behind the Bass Pro Shops juggernaut (and Buffalo Ridge), has outdone himself with the creation of Payne’s Valley Golf Course. Payne’s Valley pays homage to Ozarks-native and World Golf Hall of Fame member, Payne Stewart. It is the first public-access golf course designed by Tiger Woods and his golf course design firm, TGR Design.
By itself, PV would certainly be in the top 5 courses in the state but, what sets it apart from the rest of the field are all of the extras. Payne’s Valley is a cross between a world-class golf course, the log ride at 6 Flags and the cliff dwellings of Mesa Verde. PV is more than a golf course; it also offers guests a unique experience they will not find at any other course in the state or, quite possibly, the country. When you finish your round at PV, you leave with a sense of excitement; like you feel after attending the Cardinals winning game 1 of the World Series.
Even a bad round will be overshadowed by the experience of playing Payne’s Valley.
Since playing PV, I have had an on-going debate with one of my golf buddies who says the course is overdone. Too overdone to be ranked as the top course in Missouri. But, I hold firm in my conviction that PV’s course conditions, layout, grasses, etc. are just as nice, if not nicer, than the top courses in the state. It checks all of the boxes: Extraordinarily well-maintained course – check. Beautiful grasses – check. Challenging, fast greens that roll true – check. Interesting holes – check. Beautiful clubhouse and pro shop – check. Professional and accommodating staff – check. Stunning views – check. Check, check and check. But, then you have the extras, like the 19th hole, which you have seen in pictures, articles and television coverage. If you haven’t, look at the pictures in this posting.
The only knock on the course is the pace of play, but I am going to forgive PV for a 5 hour round since the overall experience more than compensates for this small inconvenience.
Most importantly, playing Payne’s Valley is simply Fun! Maybe more fun than I have ever had playing a golf course. If you have the opportunity to play Payne’s Valley Golf Course, take it. You will never forget it.
Mountain Top Golf Course
My Review
Mountain Top Golf Course is a 13-hole par, 3 course with an average distance per hole of 147. 11 out of the 13 holes are less than 100 yards. The course is simply a great, but basic par 3 course without the extreme bells and whistles you will find at Top of the Rock. As opposed to TOR, which is a life-size mini-golf course on steroids made for Richie Rich, Mountain Top uses only available resources provided by Mother Nature. The course meanders through, over and around the natural rock formations found on most holes. And, the course goes to great lengths to keep it as pure as possible. Motorized carts are prohibited, but golfers are provided with pushcarts if their bags are too heavy to carry. As the name implies, the course sits atop a (Missouri) mountain and has beautiful vistas on most holes. There are huge sand traps strategically placed and the tiered greens are fairly complex, with steep slopes increasing the likelihood of a few 3 putts. I would not make a trip to Branson just to play this course, but I would certainly use it as a warm up, or cool down, for any of Big Cedar’s other amazing standard length courses.
Ozarks National Golf Course
My Review
The slope ratings belie the difficulty of Ozarks National. It is a very difficult course, primarily because if any of your shots are off target, you are likely to find yourself (. . . if you can even find your ball) in some trouble, which will cost you a stroke or two; quite possibly a stroke or two . . . and distance. But, if you can keep your ball in play, you can score well at Ozarks. The course, designed by Ben Crenshaw, is extraordinarily well maintained and is one of the prettiest in the state. It is simply breathtaking. The course sits atop a Missouri mountaintop with spectacular vistas from almost every hole. The grasses are immaculate and the transition from the tee boxes to fairways are seamless since Meyer Zoysia* grass is used on both. And, the greens are quick, roll true and have a low to medium level of complexity.
As the rating implies, this is one of the top courses in the state and every golfer should carve out 3 or 4 days to play every course at Big Cedar. It’ll set you back a couple thousand dollars, for all expenses, but it is likely a once in a lifetime opportunity.
During my round, I spoke with several other players and not one single person or group was from Missouri. There were groups from Houston, San Antonio, Wisconsin, Florida and Oklahoma. This means that Missouri, and specifically Big Cedar, is now one of the top golf destinations in the country, competing with the likes of Kohler, Bandon Dunes, Tennessee Golf Trail, etc.
*Meyer Zoysia also known as Z-52, has been a successful medium bladed zoysia grass for over 60 years throughout the southern United States. This grass was selected primarily for its texture, color, and vigor compared to other zoysia grass selections. Meyer Zoysia develops a very dense turf, demonstrates good cold tolerant and grows well in partial shade. Meyer Zoysia grass is best adapted to the transition zone where summers are too hot and humid for cool season grasses and winters too cold for Bermuda grass.
Tiburón Golf Club
My Review
Located in Naples, Florida, Tiburón Golf Club features two 18-hole, Greg Norman-designed golf courses, The Gold and The Black. Tiburón is home to the LPGA Tour’s CME Group Tour Championship and the PGA TOUR’s QBE Shootout and is consistently rated among the top 20 golf facilities in Florida by Golf Digest and GOLF Magazine.
Rarely will you find a better manicured and maintained course than Tiburón – The Gold Course. Typically, every golf course will have a few brown spots on greens or fairways. Not Tiburón. True to the Ritz brand, Tiburón was almost perfect. The TifEagle Bermuda greens were as consistent as you will find, anywhere, with few straight in putts, although the breaks were somewhat subtle. The balls sat up nicely on the lush Bermuda fairways. The 121 slope rating on the white tees belies the difficulty of the course. It is highly unlikely that you will finish the round with the same ball . . . there are just too many ways to lose your ball. And, if you do not lose your ball, it is unlikely that you will avoid the multitude of other hazards, including white fluffy sand traps, natural grass areas, water, OB and the purple Mulea Grass which added color to every hole. All in all, Tiburón offers an excellent golfing experience, which doesn’t come cheap but it is worth paying a little extra for the Tiburón experience.
The entire team at Tiburón was professional and focused on customer service, from the initial call to secure a tee time to the bag drop to the gentlemen in the pro shop to the starter and marshal. Each point of contact was professional, accommodating (within reason), very nice and an excellent representative of the Ritz-Carlton brand.
Indian Tree Golf Course
My Review
Indian Tree Golf Course is a few miles east of Crane, MO, which is deep in rural Missouri, equally distanced from Springfield and Branson. Crane has a population of 1,425. So, Indian Tree doesn’t have huge population base from which to draw. Nevertheless, the course is relatively well manicured and groomed. It currently has only 15 holes but has plans for the additional 3 holes. The course is mostly open but the medium-sized greens and zoysia fairways are protected by large and, at times, deep traps. The back 6 holes are much hillier than the front and has some interesting holes. The wide concrete cart paths provide easy navigation around the course. While we rated Indian Tree as 2.5 balls out of 5, if it were a full 18 the rating would be higher. All in all, Indian Tree offers a nice golfing experience to rural residents of SW Missouri.
Shiloh Springs Golf Course
My Review
When I visit my hometown, Kansas City, I try to play golf with my family. Since they live in Liberty we typically play a local course but, as of today, we have a new favorite course . . . Shiloh Springs Golf Course in Platte City, MO. This course, which is just north of the KCI airport, is a lot of fun to play. There are a number of quirky holes and every hole has a its own personality; no two holes are similar. The course is also deceptively hard. The greens for example are medium size and “look” flat. They may look flat but they have many a wicked break. I haven’t 3-putted so many greens all summer. While the tee, green and fairway grasses are mostly very nice this course will never compete with the elite courses in the Northland – but I would still highly recommend playing Shiloh Springs anyway, even if you are a member at a private club. It really is a lot of fun to play. You’re welcome.
Lost Woods Golf Course
My Review
So far, this was the most difficult course to find and deep in south central Missouri. In fact, my GPS directed me to 10 miles away from the course. Hence the name of the course; little did I know that it was me who was going to be “Lost in the Woods.” When playing I noticed a long 30′ wide fine-gravel strip in the middle of the course. After asking the greenskeeper and manager, Matt Shockey, about it he confirmed my suspicion in that it is an old runway. Here’s the story: In the early 70’s a land owner divided up a large section of land adjacent to Bull Shoals Lake. He built the runway, golf course and club house. The club house was only a shell to give the impression that this was a happening place. Only on Fridays, workers would show up to work on the course and clubhouse. Also only on Friday’s he would fly in prospective lot owners to the “resort” to convince them to be one of the first to get in on this “hot” real estate buying opportunity. As soon as he had amassed $6 million in deposits, he skipped town with the money. While Lost Woods is difficult to find, it is worth it once you do. It is a hidden gem. The new owner has spent a lot of money improving the course. It is not perfect, but it is a very nice, well maintained course. The fairways on the first few holes are very narrow with woods on both sides of the fairways. There is no sand and only a few water hazzards. But, the fairways and greens are great, particularly for the area. If you are in the area, it is worth seeking out this course for a quick round. Lost Woods Golf Course is in Theodosia, Missouri
Shoal Creek Golf Course
My Review
Shoal Creek Golf Course is a great semi-private course in North Kansas City, Missouri and has amassed numerous honors and awards. The fairways are beautiful, lush and fairly wide. If you happen to spray your ball into the rough, it is not terribly punitive. The greens are large with some complexity but not crazy. It is a “must play” whether you belong to a private club or play public. It is worth a longer drive to play this course. I had the great fortune to play with longtime friend BJ Sullivan and 10 of his golf buddies. The average age of the group was close to 80 as was their scores (and the number of sarcastic remarks per minute). These boys can flat out play some golf. It was quite an enjoyable morning of golf.
Turkey Creek and Ken Lanning Golf Center
My Review
Technically, the center is not a golf course but I believe it is noteworthy and should be included on MoGolfTour.com for two reasons. First, the Turkey Creek Golf Center portion of the complex is the largest teaching and practice facility within 100 miles. They have 50,000 balls, numerous bays from which to hit (both covered and uncovered), several types of grass from which to hit, plus access to some of the best golf instructors in the region. Secondly, and most importantly, is the recent addition of the first course in the U.S. to provide anyone with a disability the opportunity to learn and play golf. This 9 hole course is 100% handicap accessible. So, anyone with a special need or challenge can drive anywhere on the course . . . including on the synthetic greens. The Ken Lanning Golf Center is free for active military, veterans and anyone with special needs. My understanding is that the Missouri Golf Association is behind this unique and inspiring facility. For more information about the Ken Lanning Golf Center visit www.golfforreal.org.
Triple Creek Golf Course
My Review
I played Triple Creek Golf Course during the last week of July with one of the original board members, Leonard Creek (Leonard has 2 brothers. 3 Creeks. Triple Creeks. Coincidence?) Leonard was an excellent host/guide and quite the gentleman. Triple Creek was opened in 2010 and was the vision of several enterprising men from Cole Camp. They did a lot of the work themselves and spent a fraction of what courses typically cost to build. For a course in a town with a population 1,000 Triple Creek is extraordinary. The zoysia fairways are lush and wide and the bent grass greens are as soft as a feather pillow. Triple Creek is basically a nine hole course but the group who built this course spent a great deal of time figuring out how to give the 9 holes an 18 hole course feel. Every hole has 2 separate tees for each level and the position of the tees give the holes a completely different feel. The tees for holes 9 and 18, for example, are on opposite sides of the green which is protected by a large lake. Hole 9 is a par 3 and 18 is a par 4. Both holes are excellent and very, very different considering they use the same green. This is a great course and you should take the time to find it and play it. Downtown Cole Camp, Missouri is as Americana as you will find and there are a few excellent restaurants and bakeries. Jill and I went to Maple Street bake shop and had a tasty homemade muffin and coffee afterwards.