Big Cedar Golf: Nature’s Finest Big Cedar Lodge is building one of the premier golf destinations in the United States.

The new 13-hole Mountain Top Course designed by Gary Player opened in August 2017 and the 18-hole Ozarks National Course by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw is currently under construction, set to open on September 1, 2018.

In addition, Big Cedar Lodge has announced a partnership with Tiger Woods’ design firm TGR Design to create Payne’s Valley, the first-ever public access golf course designed by the 79-time PGA TOUR winner.

With these developments, Big Cedar Lodge more than doubles its golf offering and advances Johnny Morris’ vision to create a rich golf experience in Missouri to attract visitors from across the nation. These additions to the golf experience at Big Cedar Lodge will complement the existing and top-rated courses, Buffalo Ridge Springs and Top of the Rock, creating an unmatched golf getaway in the Ozarks.

Mountain Top Course designed by Gary Player Course opened August 2017

The 13-hole Mountain Top Course designed by Gary Player was created to challenge players of all skill levels while also allowing a more accessible experience to families, juniors and golfers who are learning the game. The course routes through unforgettable rock formations and includes some of the best vistas in the region from any angle. The views are endless from any direction.

Mountain Top will join Top of the Rock and Buffalo Ridge Springs as courses played during the 2018 Bass Pro Shops Legends of Golf at Big Cedar Lodge.

Ozarks National A Coore & Crenshaw Design Expected opening: Fall 2018

The golf course architect team of Coore & Crenshaw shares Johnny Morris’ passion and appreciation for nature and conservation. The design of the new course will be a striking display for the senses and a fitting tribute to the Ozarks region. It will test avid players and golf travelers from around the country and provide the perfect complement to the existing 18-hole layout at Buffalo Ridge Springs, designed by Tom Fazio. This new course will serve as a gateway to the Ozarks National Forest and cement Big Cedar Lodge’s place as America’s next great golf destination.

Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw have used the Ozark Mountains natural terrain to provide golfers of all skill levels unlimited ways to play their own games and challenge themselves to any degree they choose. Multiple tees, multiple angles into green complexes and firm fast turf conditions will provide exciting options for all players.

Ozarks National will play as a par 71 course stretching to 7,036 yards from the back tees and shrinking to 5,025 from the forward tees. A significant wooden beam and plank bridge was built to carry golfers walking or in a golf cart from the 13th tee to the 13th fairway. This bridge spans approximately 400-feet and at the highest point is 60-feet above the flowing creek below. An old house called “The Stone House” is located between the 5th and 16th greens. It sits in front of an irrigation lake stocked with bass and is reportedly 100 years-old.

The home has been completely refurbished, including an indoor fireplace, outdoor patio and fire pit, and may be a lodging options for guests. Those staying in the house may also have exclusive access to fishing on the lake.

Payne’s Valley Course by TGR Design Expected opening: 2019

Scheduled to open in 2019 and named in honor of the late Payne Stewart, the new Payne’s Valley golf course will be the first fully public-access course in the world completed by Tiger Woods’ design firm TGR Design. A partnership between Johnny Morris, Tiger Woods and the Payne Stewart Family, the course will showcase the region’s natural beauty through a 19-hole championship course, as well as a family-friendly par-3 short course. Payne’s Valley will pay tribute to the legacy of the late Payne Stewart, a friend of both Morris and Woods as well as an Ozarks native who won 11 PGA TOUR events, including three Major championships.

To further honor Stewart’s legacy, Morris is also creating The Payne Stewart Learning Facility, an extraordinary practice facility, located on the grounds of the Ozarks National practice area, that will contain a tribute museum displaying Stewart’s personal trophies, scorecards, apparel, equipment, photos and more.

Titled “The Rock,” the 19th hole of Payne’s Valley, designed by Johnny Morris, is a distinguishing feature that will complete rounds on the course. The hole is framed by 300-million year-old limestone rock rising over 200-feet above the green, including two caves and a waterfall that cascades down past the green.

Buffalo Ridge Springs Course re-opened: June 2014

Buffalo Ridge Springs Course is an 18-hole public golf course ranked by GOLF Magazine as the “No. 1 Public Golf Course You Can Play in Missouri” in 2016 and 2017. Following Big Cedar Lodge’s acquisition of the course in 2013, renowned course architect Tom Fazio and visionary conservationist Johnny Morris worked side-by-side to complete a major course renovation project. The layout brings players in close contact with nature and features pristine playing conditions.

Buffalo Ridge Springs, Top of the Rock and Mountain Top courses will all be used in the rotation for the 2018 Bass Pro Legends of Golf at Big Cedar Lodge. Herds of roaming North American Bison graze on the native prairie grasses that surround the golf course boundaries.

The renovation unveiled natural rock formations that have been incorporated into the routing of the course. Other improvements included the beautification and enhancement of all water features, the creation of new water features, and completely rebuilt bunkers with new white sand. Buffalo Ridge covers approximately 450 acres and the course measures 7,036 yards from the back tees.

Top of the Rock Course re-opened: June 2014

Top of the Rock is a true celebration of nature and Ozarks heritage, sitting at the highest elevation in Taney County, Missouri, overlooking the Ozark Mountains and Table Rock Lake. The components of Top of the Rock include: Lost Canyon Cave and Nature Trail; Cathedral of Nature, Top of the Rock golf course, practice facilities, and Pro Shop; Ancient Ozarks Natural History Museum; Arnie’s Barn Restaurant & General Store; Osage Restaurant; Buffalo Bar; “End of the Trail” All-American Wine Cellar; the Chapel of the Ozarks and the Top of the Rock Civil War-Era Cabin.
The course at Top of the Rock offers an unrivaled golf experience withunparalleled panoramic views that highlight the work of the legends of the game who collectively designed it:

• Jack Nicklaus – designed the 9-hole, par-3 golf course atop Table Rock Lake that plays co-host to the Bass Pro Shops Legends of Golf at Big Cedar Lodge, an annual event on the PGA TOUR Champions schedule.
• Arnold Palmer – created a practice facility that features 15 target greens ranging in length from 55 to 330 yards with synthetic and natural grass and water features that simulate a full round of golf.

The 9-hole, par-3 golf course at Top of the Rock co-hosted the first annual Big Cedar Lodge Legends of Golf tournament in June 2014.This two-man team competition played on the PGA TOUR Champions schedule was conducted over 54 holes and was the first and only PGA TOUR-sanctioned event to use a par-3 course in official competition. The tournament, now called the Bass Pro Shops Legends of Golf at Big Cedar Lodge, returned in April 2015, 2016 and 2017 and will be held for the next four years using Top of the Rock, Buffalo Ridge Springs and Mountain Top courses scheduled for April 16th – 22nd 2018.

ENDS