Athletic and Golf Club at Maple Creek
My Review
The good news is that the Athletic and Golf Club at Maple Creek is not the worst course in Missouri. Other than that I will let the pictures and course info speak for themselves. Oh, one more comment: make sure your health insurance is paid up if you are going to take a golf cart. The roads in Baghdad are in better condition . . .
Twin Hills Country Club
My Review
Down in the SW corner of MO, Horton Smith’s name is mentioned quite often with reverence and many golf courses tout Mr. Smith’s connection with their course . . . and for good reason. Horton Smith, as you probably know, was the winner of the first and third Master’s. Well, apparently Mr. Smith was also the first pro at Twin Hills Country Club in Joplin, MO.
Twin Hills is the only private club in Joplin and it is an old school, elite-level country club. They are the real deal. They know who they are and they do not need to overtly brand their course. There are no tee markers and their internal self promotion is very subtle. Even their logo on the flags are black reversed out of a dark navy blue material. These guys are understated and just plain cool. There’s a great vibe here.
Twin Hills was originally formed as Oak Hill CC in 1911. In 1948, a second nine holes was added and the name was changed to Twin Hills Golf and Country Club. So, the course is typical of an old school high-end private course. The fairways are flanked by mature trees and it is maintained as well as you would expect. The tees, greens roughs, white fluffy sand, etc. are all in great condition. The greens are medium/large sized with gradual breaks, nothing too crazy, are omnipresent. This course can compete with any private club in the state. A point of differentiation, however, is that there are railroad tracks that split the course and the 160 yard par 3 18th hole. Also, interestingly, Twin Hills posts the daily Stimpmeter of the greens. On the day I played they had recently aerated the greens so the greens were very slow, rolling at 6′ 9″ (normally 9′). Who does that?
The pro, Doug Adams, was professional, accommodating and very knowledgeable; a great representative of the club. The one question I forgot to ask Doug was how they came up with the name Twin HILLS? There are no hills to be found on this course, which make it one of the most walkable private clubs in the state.
Schifferdecker Golf Course
My Review
Schifferdecker Golf Course in Joplin, MO is a good example of how you build and manage a municipal golf course. Built in 1922, many golfing legends have played on the course over the years including Horton Smith (winner of the first and third Master’s) and Hale Irwin.
For a muni, the course is in excellent condition, providing a great golfing experience and value to golfers of all skill levels. The greens are soft, roll well and are pretty quick for a municipal course. There are a few bunkers throughout the course and they are weed free, which you do not see often on a muni course. There are some water hazards (a huge friggin’ lake on the right side of the first fairway – be careful slicers), doglegs and plenty of trees. Both the fairways and tee boxes are fairly consistent.
History lesson (because I was curious): Charles Schifferdecker, a German who immigrated to this country at age 18, would amass a fortune after he arrived in Joplin in 1875. Everything he touched, from brewing to mining, would enhance his wealth and his ability to give back to the community. He helped build schools, a church, St. John’s Hospital and the Scottish Rite Cathedral. He helped establish the First National Bank of Joplin. You’re welcome.
All in all, I enjoyed playing Schifferdecker Golf Course and would enjoy playing it again and again.
Rangeline Golf Center
My Review
Rangeline Golf Center in Joplin, MO is a retailer of equipment. They may have a couple of very short holes but they are not a golf course.
Loma Linda South
My Review
We have not had the opportunity to play Loma Linda South in Joplin, MO. As soon as we have, we will add it to all of the other reviews of Missouri Golf Courses. Our goal is to provide useful information to golfers around the world about the 500 golf courses in Missouri. We will also take several photographs of the course and replace those posted here so that you will have a good understanding of the course and everything it has to offer. Please visit other sections of this website, which includes a list of the Best Golf Courses in the state of Missouri. Feel free to leave any comments about Loma Linda South at the bottom of this page.
Eagle Creek Golf Club
My Review
After playing primarily rural courses for the past week, Eagle Creek Golf Club in Joplin, MO looked like the Garden of Eden. The course is as well manicured and groomed as almost any other course in Missouri. Eagle Creek is part of the Downstream Casino Resort in Oklahoma which is owned and operated by the Quapaw Tribe. The course is only 3 miles away from the casino but, interestingly (at least for a St. Louis boy), you have to cut across the tip of Kansas to get there.
The course has some very challenging holes, numerous perfectly groomed white-sand bunkers, OB and several picturesque water hazards. The greens are as nice as you will find. They are quick, but reasonably so.
You would have to be an irritating nit-picker to find anything wrong with this course, but that’s what I do best. The tee boxes, while lush, have several bare brown spots. And, that’s about it.
Overall, Eagle Creek Golf Club is a resort style and quality course. It is so nice, it could be considered a destination course.
Oak Hills Golf Center
My Review
I last played Oak Hills Golf Center in Jefferson City about 10 years ago and the course has transformed into a top tier municipal course. In an era when many clubs’ infrastructure and membership are deteriorating, the Jefferson City Parks and Recreation is investing in this course. Under the leadership of the GM, Stephanie Bruemmer, the course has a whole new look and vibe. Several holes have been renovated and reconfigured. Hole #9 used to be a par 4 and is now a par 3 uphill to a green that has one of the steepest tiers I have ever played. If you are unfortunate to hit your ball on the upper tier and the pin is on the lower tier, you will most likely be chipping after your first putt. I am a fan of funky holes like this but I can assure you that the course will have a lot of push back from some players. The course was originally built in 1918 so it is a mature course with many large trees lining the fairways. The good: the tees, greens and fairways (for the most part) are in excellent condition. The bad: the cart paths need a lot of work – but this is a minor inconvenience that will have no impact on your score or the enjoyment of the course. Overall, Oak Hills Golf Center is a great muni course and should be played while you are in Jeff City.
Arcadia Valley Country Club
My Review
Arcadia Valley Country Club is a neatly manicured 9-hole course in Ironton, MO. The course is flat and is easily walked. The small greens are in good condition albeit fairly slow. Man-made hazards are kept to a minimum, with no sand and only one pond. Brandi, the clubhouse manager was very friendly, knowledgeable and a great representative of the club.
Innsbrook Golf Resort
My Review
Innsbrook Golf Resort is the whole package. It is a resort-style golf course nestled in the wooded, rolling hills of east-central Missouri. And, it’s a hop, skip and a jump from St. Louis.
The golf course is just one of many benefits of this vacation home community located 45 minutes west of St. Louis. Innsbrook’s 7,500 acres include recreational and residential properties, an event center, hiking trails, stables, etc.
From a golfing perspective, Innsbrook is one of the best values in the extreme west St. Louis area. It provides an excellent golf experience at a very affordable price. The course is in the midst of a major $1.4 million renovation, focused initially on installing a new irrigation system and new cart paths. The actual carts are as cushy as your favorite recliner at home. Most of the grasses are in excellent condition, especially the greens, which have a fairly high complexity level. So, one of your top priorities when playing Innsbrook should be to minimize the number of 3-putt greens. The bunkers are well manicured with a high quality of sand, even after a 2-week period of rain. The 3.5 overall golf ball rating will likely be a 4, after all of the improvements have been made. Regardless, we highly recommend that you make the trek to Innsbrook for golf. While you are there you might as well check out some of the cool vacation homes.
Twin Pines Golf Club
My Review
Twin Pines Golf Club in Harrisonville, MO is now the only golf course in this city of 10,000 residents. Although it is a 9 hole course, there are two sets of tees for each hole to give each hole two different looks. The zoysia tee boxes and fairways are in fairly nice condition, particularly considering the size of this community. The medium-sized greens, too, are in good condition, with some slope from back to front. For the most part the fairways are wide open with medium length and somewhat thick roughs – but not as punitive as many private clubs. There is a large lake adjacent to the course, which is likely the primary source of water to keep the grass in good condition.