Top Missouri Public Golf Courses

🏌️‍♂️ Top Missouri Public Golf Courses (According to Wikipedia & Course Profiles)

1. Ozarks National Golf Course
📍 Hollister, MO (Big Cedar Lodge)
🛠️ Designed by Bill Coore & Ben Crenshaw
⛰️ Routed through the Ozark Mountains with stunning elevation changes
🏆 Ranked among top public courses in the U.S.
💲 Public with resort access
🗒️ Wikipedia | Course site

2. Buffalo Ridge Springs
📍 Hollister, MO
🛠️ Redesigned by Tom Fazio, original by Tom Clark
🦬 Features roaming buffalo and native grasses
🏆 Former PGA Tour Champions host site
💲 Resort public access
🗒️ Course site

3. Branson Hills Golf Club
📍 Branson, MO
🛠️ Designed by Chuck Smith with Bobby Clampett
🏞️ Challenging, wooded layout with elevation swings
🏆 Regularly ranked #1 in Missouri by Golfweek
💲 Public daily fee
🗒️ Course site

4. Payne’s Valley Golf Course
📍 Hollister, MO (Big Cedar Lodge)
🛠️ Designed by Tiger Woods (TGR Design)
🌄 Dramatic scenery and signature 19th hole island green
🏆 First public-access TGR course in the U.S.
💲 Premium resort access
🗒️ Wikipedia | Course site

5. Dalhousie Golf Club
📍 Cape Girardeau, MO
🛠️ Designed by Gary Nicklaus (Jack Nicklaus family)
🏰 Scottish-inspired with dramatic fairway movement
🏆 Ranked top 3 in Missouri public courses
💲 Semi-private, public tee times available
🗒️ Course site

6. The Golf Club at Deer Chase
📍 Linn Creek, MO (Lake of the Ozarks)
🛠️ Designed by Roger Null
🌲 Wooded, secluded course with elevation and water features
💲 Public daily fee
🗒️ Course site

7. The Ridge at The Lodge of Four Seasons
📍 Lake Ozark, MO
🛠️ Designed by Ken Kavanaugh
🏞️ Rolling hills, rock walls, and wooded corridors
💲 Resort guest and public access
🗒️ Course site

8. Eagle Knoll Golf Club
📍 Hartsburg, MO
🛠️ Designed by Gary Kern
🌄 Dramatic layout with natural terrain and bluff views
🏆 Consistently ranked top 10 public in Missouri
💲 Daily fee
🗒️ Course site

9. Shoal Creek Golf Course
📍 Kansas City, MO
🛠️ Designed by Steve Wolfard
🌳 Parkland-style layout with pristine conditions
💲 Municipal public access
🗒️ Course site

10. Old Kinderhook Golf Course
📍 Camdenton, MO
🛠️ Designed by Tom Weiskopf
🌿 Lakeside resort course with elevation and water features
💲 Resort and public play available
🗒️ Course site

🧠 Why These Courses?

• Branson dominance: Big Cedar Lodge has 4 top-tier public tracks

• Design pedigree: Tiger Woods, Coore & Crenshaw, Fazio, Nicklaus

• Geographic variety: Ozarks, Lake of the Ozarks, Kansas City, Cape Girardeau

• Public access focus: Many high-end yet accessible experiences