Top of the Rock - Branson, MO

[Ryan Hillenbrand]

Recently returned from a Christmas trip to Big Cedar Lodge in Branson, MO. I wouldn't be surprised to see this start hitting the radar in the next few years as one of America's best golf resorts.

Bass Pro Shop owner Johnny Morris bought the neighboring Branson Creek golf course, a Fazio design traditionally ranked as a Top 100 public, and had it refurbished by Fazio last summer.

He also bought its sister course Murder Rock Golf Club, a so-called John Daly design, best known for big John giving a playing less from the pro shirtless, barefoot, and in a pair of jeans. Priceless. The course is shut down for renovation, and while a rumor that Coore & Crenshaw were leading the redo proved untrue, I was told it is being turned into a 12 hole course designed to be the more family friendly golf option at the resort. Which I thought was pretty cool.

The crown jewel however is the Top of the Rock complex which houses the clubhouse, restaurants, range and a 9 hole part 3 Jack Nicklaus course. I have not been to all the best resorts in the U.S. but the rustic opulence and attention to detail of this Big Cedar complex meets or surpasses in my opinion what I've seen at Pebble Beach and The American Club.

While its a little bit of Donald Trump meets the Ozarks, there are a few features I enjoyed and thought I'd share a few pics.

The range has 100% synthetic turf , other than one teeing ground, - including the faux sand traps. While we hear about golf in the future needing less water and brown being beautiful this is certainly another way to approach it. Not sure what the purists think.







Himalayas putting green by Tom Watson. 20 feet from the lowest to highest point






The pro shop is dubbed "Arnie's Barn". This was purchased from Arnold Palmer and moved from his Latrobe PA farm and reassembled by Amish carpenters.



While you won't find minimalist design and easily walkable layouts, this area does have a good mass of quality tracks now, and this part of the country may finally have a destination worthy of a golf trip.

[Sam Morrow]

I would love about an hour on that range.

[Ryan Hillenbrand]

$15 for 30 balls. But they give you complimentary use of a full set of Callaways if you don't have your sticks.

[Sam Morrow]

$15 for 30 balls. But they give you complimentary use of a full set of Callaways if you don't have your sticks.

In that case I won't be hitting balls.

[Russ Arbuthnot]

This is all a joke, right?

$15 for 30 balls at a faux grass range with a water fall?! Do you at least get to keep the balls when you're done?

[Tyler Kearns]

Ryan,

The 'Himalayas' putting green looks like a ton of fun, and is a concept I am very fond of.  I really enjoyed my time at Pinehurst's Thistle Dhu a few years ago.

Having well defined targets on the range is excellent and good for practice, however, the range looks to be labour intensive in terms of collecting balls at the end of the day, hence the high user fee.  That is not a step in the right direction for golf.

TK

[Paul Gray]

...........you can't buy it.

[Sam Morrow]

They should keep a beer cart next to that putting green, they could make a killing.

[Ryan Hillenbrand]

Ryan,

The 'Himalayas' putting green looks like a ton of fun, and is a concept I am very fond of.  I really enjoyed my time at Pinehurst's Thistle Dhu a few years ago.

Having well defined targets on the range is excellent and good for practice, however, the range looks to be labour intensive in terms of collecting balls at the end of the day, hence the high user fee.  That is not a step in the right direction for golf.

TK

According to the assistant pro most of the balls gather at the bottom of the hill and a standard range cart picks them up. Now, for the ones that gather in the ponds and waterfall......

I'm not arguing that this is a practical and pure approach to golf, especially on this forum. But it is something unique (I think) and thought it'd be worth discussion. No one will confuse Big Cedar with Bandon or Streamsong.

[Alex Miller]

This is all a joke, right?

$15 for 30 balls at a faux grass range with a water fall?! Do you at least get to keep the balls when you're done?

Wow did not think I'd see a worse rate than Trump LA's $25 for 100 balls but there you have it!

[Matt Elliot]

Top of the Rock is a magnificent place.  Some of the views are breath taking.  The driving range is wonderful at night when all lit up.  Johnny does not do things half way.  He tends to go all out around this area in everything he does!! I have not played a round here yet but I only live 25 minutes from the course and plan do so this spring.  Fazio's Buffalo Ridge course is a very nice track and an enjoyable one to play. I am interested to see what the old Murder Rock course eventually turns in to.   

[Wade Whitehead]

The practice range looks like a video game.

WW

[Carl Rogers]

The practice range looks like a video game.
WW

Wade, you are a kind person!
Does the facility actually have personnel wade into the ponds to retrieve the balls?
I don't know if I could play here ... I would gag laughing or crying.
What a nightmare!

[Ryan Hillenbrand]

The practice range looks like a video game.
WW

Wade, you are a kind person!
Does the facility actually have personnel wade into the ponds to retrieve the balls?
I don't know if I could play here ... I would gag laughing or crying.
What a nightmare!

Just to clarify - this is just a practice range, not a course. Unless you like to "play" a driving range.

At the very least I would prefer hitting balls here than playing TopGolf

[Carl Nichols]

If the ponds on the range are designed like funnels, maybe there's an ingenious way to get the balls out from the bottom/underneath. 

[Alex Miller]

The practice range looks like a video game.
WW

Wade, you are a kind person!
Does the facility actually have personnel wade into the ponds to retrieve the balls?
I don't know if I could play here ... I would gag laughing or crying.
What a nightmare!

Just to clarify - this is just a practice range, not a course. Unless you like to "play" a driving range.

At the very least I would prefer hitting balls here than playing TopGolf

Agreed. Looks like fun.

[Matt Elliot]

My company painted the bottom of the ponds in the driving range this past August.  The average depth is 12-18 inches.  The carts drive right through them to pick the balls up.  The range is unique but over kill in my opinion.  The par three course did seem to get good reviews from the Champions Tour guys that played it last June.

[Scott Weersing]

They could go with floating golf balls. There is a range in Anaheim, CA that is in an old quarry. I am not sure where they get the water during a drought. It could be next to a water treatment plant. But is actual, "The basin is a 125-acre groundwater percolation reservoir"

http://theislandsgolfcenter.com

[jeffwarne]

Looks like Coore and Crenshaw are designing a course there as well
Seeing them interviewed on TGC with the jarring electric green and bright white golf course background is quite jarring, then a few quick pictures of that awful astrorurf/lake driving range really makes one wonder

Should make for quite a contrast.

What a clash that white horribly shaped bunker disaster behind Ben is with...the rolling treed background behind and well....Ben

[Ryan Hillenbrand]

Great to hear that my original info was indeed true. I started thinking it was an urban legend.

As a point of reference the new C&C course and the current Fazio course is about a 10-15 drive from Top of the Rock, where this driving range is located. So if you're worried about the blinding green and white affecting your game, rest assured there will probably a legit grass range loaded with Missouri zoysia on site.