Golf Destination: Central Missouri's Lake of the Ozarks
 By BRIAN WRIGHT

With all the hassles associated with air travel — check-ins, flight delays, rental cars and other time-consuming variables — many golfers are opting for destinations that are easily accessible via a short drive. Lake of the Ozarks, less than a three hour drive from Kansas City or St. Louis, is one of the premier golf destinations in the country — and well worth a visit. The natural beauty of the area provides a backdrop from which an abundance of excellent courses have been carved.

Courses range from short par 3 courses that can be played in a little more than an hour, to magnificent 18-hole masterpieces that will challenge your "A game" to the limit. The basic elements of most Lake courses are tight tree-lined fairways, dramatic elevation changes, and fast undulating greens. Add to that one large water hazard (Lake of the Ozarks) which comes into play on many of the area courses, and you’ve got the recipe for some great golf.

In addition to the great golf — and several world-class resorts — there are dozens of superb restaurants and many excellent recreational and entertainment options as well. Following are course descriptions.

Bay View Golf Club
9 Holes - Par 35 - 2,747 Yards
Bay View is a scenic nine-hole layout located on State Road Y between Osage Beach and Camdenton. It is an enjoyable course featuring beautiful views of the Lake and surrounding vistas. A challenging yet uniquely playable course, Bay View offers three separate tee boxes which provide the golfer a choice of course yardages. A huge practice green overlooks several scenic miles of the Lake.

Bear Creek Valley
18 Holes - Par 72 - 6,800 Yards
Bear Creek Valley is the newest golf course at the Lake. Set to open mid-summer, this picturesque layout offers golfers a reasonably-priced "value" championship golf course. Featuring rolling zoysia fairways lined with mature oak trees, Bear Creek Valley has large greens and plenty of hazards to maneuver around. Located on the northern edge of Lake of the Ozarks State Park, facilities include a clubhouse, pro shop, driving range and practice green.

Club at Old Kinderhook
18 Holes - Par 71 - 6,855 Yards
Spectacular vistas, elevations and a championship layout meanders through the Ozark hills. Tom Weiskopf has designed another masterpiece at Old Kinderhook, turning the rolling topography, rock waterfalls and flowering trees into one of the Midwest’s finest courses. Each hole captures a special aspect of the terrain and offers an experience to delight golfers of all skill levels. Amenities include driving and practice ranges, two putting greens, short game and bunker practice area, clubhouse and pro shop.

Dogwood Hills Golf Club
18 Holes - Par 70 - 6,073 Yards
Dogwood Hills is nestled in the beautiful Ozark hills which form a dramatic backdrop. With its generous Bermuda fairways and well-conditioned bentgrass greens, Dogwood Hills is a delight to play. This popular course with gently rolling terrain provides a variety of different shots for golfers at any skill level. Dogwood Hills’ congenial professionals are experienced at organizing every detail of your golf outing, no matter how small or large. A lighted practice facility allows you to continue your golfing experience well into the evening.

Eldon Country Club
18 Holes - Par 71 - 6,373 Yards
Although somewhat off the beaten path, Eldon Country Club is worth a visit. This semi-private club features zoysia fairways and fairly large greens which roll true.
The course layout is very enjoyable with some terrific golf holes that will challenge even the best of players. It’s the oldest course in the area, and in addition to great golf, the complex includes a driving range, pro shop, clubhouse and snack bar. Very friendly staff.

The Oaks Golf Club
18 Holes - Par 71 - 6,432 Yards
The Oaks Golf Club at Tan-Tar-A Resort, Golf Club & Spa, designed by Bruce Devlin and Robert VonHagge, is a masterful design with demanding approach shots, strategically placed hazards, and engaging greens that will inspire even the finest golfer. This course was host to the 1994 National PGA Club Professional Championship tournament, has hosted several major college golf events, and is widely regarded as an outstanding golf course.

Hidden Lakes Golf Course
9 Holes - Par 35 - 3,015 Yards
Hidden Lakes, also located at Tan-Tar-A Resort, Golf Club & Spa, winds through the resort and features meandering fairways set amidst the beauty of gorgeous lake views, lily ponds, and menacing white sand traps. Both Tan-Tar-A courses have tree-lined fairways with multi-level tee boxes, dramatic elevation drops and scenic Lake of the Ozarks views to quicken your pulse.

Indian Rock Golf Club
18 Holes - Par 72 - 6,335 Yards
Indian Rock added nine holes to the existing layout in 1998, and now has 18-holes open for play. Spread over 300 acres, the scenic holes offer Bermuda fairways and elevated greens, and are separated by mature oak and hickory trees providing all the elements for a great golf experience. The signature par 3 hole is played over a clear lake to a green which is protected by giant "Indian Rocks." Play Indian Rock and you’ll add it to your list to play again.

Lake Valley Country Club
18 Holes - Par 72 - 6,405 Yards
Lake Valley Country Club is located near Camdenton and is set among rolling hills, woods, creeks and ponds. The course design is quite unique in that it has six par 3s, six par 4s and six par 5s. Several of the par 5s are reachable for the long hitter. The greens are large with considerable slope from back to front. This course is a pleasure to play for golfers of all abilities.

Lodge of Four Seasons RTJ
18 Holes - Par 71 - 6,567 Yards
Witch’s Cove at the Lodge of Four Seasons is a classic Robert Trent Jones, Sr. course. In the design of this course, Jones utilized several fingers of land that jut out into the lake creating challenging golf and some of the most beautiful golf course scenery in Mid-America. It has one of the Midwest’s toughest tests, the 217 yard 13th, which requires a carry of 180 yards over picturesque Witch’s Cove. Golf Digest and Golf Magazine both rate the RTJ Championship Course in the top 5 best courses in Missouri. It was selected as one of the three host courses for the 1994 National PGA Club Pro Championship.

Osage National Golf Club
18 Holes - Par 72 - 7,150 Yards
Osage National’s original 18-holes, designed by Arnold Palmer, feature zoysia fairways and bentgrass greens. An additional 9-holes (3,600 yards) were added in 1998. The entire complex is surrounded by rolling hills and majestic views of the Osage River Valley. A new practice facility and 20,000 square foot clubhouse enhance Osage National’s stature as one of the top facilities at the Lake.

The Club at Porto Cima
18 Holes - Par 72 - 7,118 Yards
The only 18-hole Jack Nicklaus Signature course in Missouri, Porto Cima is a spectacular layout. Nicklaus personally supervised the design and construction and the master crafted something special in the Ozark hills. Although the club is private, Porto Cima invitational memberships and special tour packages are available for a limited time. These opportunities open up a great chance for golfers to see and play one of the nation’s top courses. The course was just recently named as the fourth best new private course by Golf Digest and the four finishing holes on the course are unparalleled.

Rolling Hills Country Club
18 Holes - Par 71 - 6,392 Yards
Rolling Hills was established in 1957, and remains a local favorite. The rolling mature woodlands offer a parklike setting to golfers. The course is well-maintained and offers Bermuda grass fairways and bentgrass greens. This semi-private course is located north of the lake in Versailles.

Seasons Ridge Golf Course
18 Holes - Par 72 - 6,416 Yards
Seasons Ridge Golf Course is owned by Lodge of Four Seasons and is quite challenging. Open to the public, this course was designed by Ken Kavanaugh to accommodate golfers of all skill levels. Cut into Ozark timber, its hills and valleys boast more than 180 feet of elevation change, natural rock walls and a spring fed lake. By carefully incorporating multiple tee complexes, the design allows ladies, seniors and low handicap players all to have an enjoyable game. This popular course was rated by Golf Digest in 1996 as one of Missouri’s "Top 10."

Sycamore Creek Golf Club
18 Holes - Par 72 - 6,360 Yards
Sycamore Creek expanded to 18 holes in 1999. The course features zoysia teeing areas, Bermuda fairways and Crenshaw bentgrass greens. Beautiful native trees surround most of the fairways giving this layout its mature look. Water, provided by the ponds of the local fish hatchery and rolling Ozark Hills, adds to the challenge and appeal of this scenic course. Sycamore has been voted one of the two most popular courses in the Lake area the past three years. Sycamore Creek also features a very nice clubhouse with pro shop and snack bar and a large putting green – and excellent service as well.

Golf-A-Round Packages
To save time and money, one of the best ways to arrange golf at the Lake is through their golf-a-round packages. To receive a free copy of the Lake of the Ozarks Golf Guide for 2004, call 1-800-FUN-LAKE. You can also view golf information at the Lake’s web site www.funlake.com

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