Kansas City - Best Golf/Country Club

Hello-

I've seen some past posts on Kansas City, but wanted to see if any have specific advice or thoughts. I'll keep it brief:

31 Years Old (Girlfriend who does not golf but would not mind a pool/gym)

5 Handicap

Relocating but have yet to find a place (likely Plaza, Crossroads, Union Hill, or maybe Overland Park for locations). Will be working downtown.

Items of importance: Golf Course, Membership, Location, Facilities

As of now, looking at the following courses:

1. Shadow Glen

2. Indian Hills

3. Loch Lloyd

4. Nickalaus at Lionshead

5. Wolf Creek

6. Kansas City Country Club

Any that you would eliminate? Any that you would add? Any that you would highly recommend?

Thanks in advance - feel free to message me if you don't want to reply. Looking forward to taking the plunge...

I just moved to KC as we'll and am looking into clubs. I live in plaza and looking now at Indian hills and hall brook. Have you visited either yet?

Indian hills is very tight and very short, old style mature course, tree lined fairways. My fav to play is Loch Lloyd, but Shadow Glen is beautiful and very nice as well. Wolf Creek is a bit of a drive, it is also nice, pretty long and very slick greens. Lions Gate is where they play the local web.com event, and it is also very nice. You might also look at Leawood South, they just refurb end their clubhouse and workout facility.
KH

Here are my thoughts on the choices you set forth in your post:

[size=3]1. Shadow Glen - Great club, course is in fantastic shape, no food minimums, [/size]reasonable initiation + dues, but it will be at least a 30-45 minute hike for you if you live in any of those locations you mentioned.

[size=3]2. Indian Hills - do you know any members? short course, good greens, lots of trees, $25k+++ initiation fee and definitely a more selective membership. this isn't a "walk in and plunk down the cash" type of club at all. location is good for the places you mentioned.[/size]

[size=3]3. Loch Lloyd - i am a member at loch lloyd (PM me if you want more details, i don't want to take up pages and pages on here). This is about 30-45 minutes drive from any of the places except Overland Park, which is where I live, and then its about 10-20 minutes depending how far west you are. Love the course, but my chief complaint with the club is that it is definitely more "lifestyle" driven than golf driven. gym, dining (high quarterly minimums) are good, but prepare to be nickel and dimed for everything. if you want to get in a round, let me know.[/size]

[size=3]4. Nickalaus at Lionsgate - i live 2 minutes from this course and i hate everything about it. it is walkable, but was built solely to sell houses. the membership is good, but the facilities are very corporate and lack the true country club feel. the layout is contrived and i despise it. your mileage may vary.[/size] initiation fee and dues are relatively reasonable.

[size=3]5. Wolf Creek - my brother in law is a member here and this is by far the best pure golf experience in KC. it is definitely a long way from any of the places you listed (except OP), but would absolutely be worh it, IMO. club is strictly men only, no women allowed anywhere on site. [/size]no gym, food minimums or other extraneous stuff, just golf and very good golf at that.

[size=3]6. Kansas City Country Club - i don't know you, but KCCC is one of those clubs that if you have to ask, you either can't afford it or they don't want you as a member. don't waste your time.[/size]


[size=3]PM me with any other questions.[/size]

[size=3]pda[/size]

FWIW, I agree with everything above other than Lionsgate sucking. I actually think it's one of the better courses around. Also super cheap in your age range (mine too). I'm probably joining there before next season.

there's a whole bunch of input on KC clubs over in the Great Plains sections.

KCCC i don't think quite fits your "demographic."

Loch Lloyd's new 18 i think will be (is) really good. I played there once, 9 of the original and 9 of the new.....really liked the new course. it's WAY out there though, and i think it's pretty spendy.

I enjoy Lions Gate, and think for what they're charging these days, it's a pretty good deal as far as overall experience. Clubhouse is great, practice facilities are solid, course is good (but unwalkable). I agree that is was built as a housing development though.

Wolf Creek is WAY out there too, and for a jr membership is the best golf course you're going to get for the money. Toughest track in town when the rough is up in my opinion.

Indian Creek I know almost nothing about.

I should add that it's pretty much a nightmare to get from the plaza to anywhere but downtown. so if golf is a priority, you might want to look at living elsewhere. basically from the plaza to get to Shadow, Wolf, or Lionsgate you're going to get on I70 or I35, which during rush hour is no good. And Loch Lloyd from there I think you want 71...no good there either.

A little off topic..... How does Tiffany Greens (public I know) rank among the places over there? I've been over there for lessons and was amazed that membership is under $3k for the facilities they have. A place like that in my neck of the woods would be $3,500 or more a year.

[quote name='Lefty Light HItter' timestamp='1415109756' post='10395141']
A little off topic..... How does Tiffany Greens (public I know) rank among the places over there? I've been over there for lessons and was amazed that membership is under $3k for the facilities they have. A place like that in my neck of the woods would be $3,500 or more a year.
[/quote]

It's not too bad. Decent course usually in decent shape and really good practice facilities. My only problem is the water hazards. They get very excessive at certain points. There's a stretch of back to back to back island greens which is a little annoying. But other than that, pretty good.

[quote name='Lefty Light HItter' timestamp='1415109756' post='10395141']
A little off topic..... How does Tiffany Greens (public I know) rank among the places over there? I've been over there for lessons and was amazed that membership is under $3k for the facilities they have. A place like that in my neck of the woods would be $3,500 or more a year.
[/quote]

I joined TG this year and have been pretty happy overall. The major complaint I have is the amount of play the course gets, but that's to be expected from a semi-private course. I would say it's a little more than most would expect, however, because they are also part of the Club program (https://theclubmember.com/index.php) and they get a lot of play from that. It requires you to plan ahead a bit more and get times more than 4 days in advance if you're a member and want to ensure you can play, especially on a weekend. The facilities overall are always in great shape in my opinion. Only complaint with course condition is that the sand traps have been in pretty rough shape at times this year, but they've indicated that is a point of emphasis going forward.

For the price they charge, it's a really good deal. If you're looking for a place to just play and practice at a place that's very well kept and for a good price, TG might be the place for you. Feel free to shoot me a PM if you have any questions, and I'll be happy to answer.

I think TG gets a lot of public play due to it's proximity to the airport. I no longer live in KC, but when I come back to visit friends I often find myself playing there on the day of my flight due to convenience.

I'm looking at joining Brookridge here in a couple weeks. Great setup with 27holes. Price for juniors is very fair as well.

Only concern is membership volume... I'm hoping course isn't packed consistently. Main priority is to join a course where it's not an all day event for a round... Pisses my wife of - ugh

I'm looking at joining Brookridge here in a couple weeks. Great setup with 27holes. Price for juniors is very fair as well.

Only concern is membership volume... I'm hoping course isn't packed consistently. Main priority is to join a course where it's not an all day event for a round... Pisses my wife of - ugh

I used to be a member at Brookridge, I would push them very hard on what their long term plans for the club are and amend your contract to make sure you have a way to get out of it that you're comfortable with. I had thought they just sold to a land developer and were going to tear the place down?

I enjoyed my time there, but when I heard they sold out I was a little......confused.

I used to be a member at Brookridge, I would push them very hard on what their long term plans for the club are and amend your contract to make sure you have a way to get out of it that you're comfortable with. I had thought they just sold to a land developer and were going to tear the place down?

I enjoyed my time there, but when I heard they sold out I was a little......confused.

That's correct. Here is what I was told:

Developer was looking to build a "Plaza" like area. But, push back from the city and community has stopped the plans, might be a in ten years thing. So, completely not out of the plans but is for the immediate future.

No contracts. 60 day notice required when for membership termination. Each member signs up for 1 year at a time, automatic renewal unless notified.
You can do month to month but initiation fee is involved. Probably to reduce seasonal members.

I'll definitely ask more about it. Get a better idea of what sort of plans exist for the club and get a better understanding of their timelines. Thanks

That's correct. Here is what I was told:

Developer was looking to build a "Plaza" like area. But, push back from the city and community has stopped the plans, might be a in ten years thing. So, completely not out of the plans but is for the immediate future.

No contracts. 60 day notice required when for membership termination. Each member signs up for 1 year at a time, automatic renewal unless notified.
You can do month to month but initiation fee is involved. Probably to reduce seasonal members.

I'll definitely ask more about it. Get a better idea of what sort of plans exist for the club and get a better understanding of their timelines. Thanks

I wouldn't be so sure about the development waiting for ten years or so. I believe the public hearing was continued to May, but from what I hear, all signs are a go. The developer paid an absolute fortune for the property (I believe $10MM more than what it sold for less than 5 or 6 years ago) with plans on tearing it down and rebuilding with his grand project. The revenues coming in from the club are hardly enough to cover debt service, let alone keep the club up and running for any extended period of time. I was a social member back in 2011-12 with plans of joining as a golf member, but the club always felt....strange. The gym replaced formal dining, and the place was always packed with people. I think it was overly saturated then, and I can't imagine it's any better now. See the link below for the most recent story I could find on it. I would want much less than a 60 day out provision, as I would imagine things will move quickly once the plan gets approved. I would just be afraid of joining for 3-6 months, meeting new people, etc., then having to jump ship when the plan inevitably gets adopted. Just my two cents.

http://www.kansascity.com/news/business/development/article16170035.html

I wouldn't be so sure about the development waiting for ten years or so. I believe the public hearing was continued to May, but from what I hear, all signs are a go. The developer paid an absolute fortune for the property (I believe $10MM more than what it sold for less than 5 or 6 years ago) with plans on tearing it down and rebuilding with his grand project. The revenues coming in from the club are hardly enough to cover debt service, let alone keep the club up and running for any extended period of time. I was a social member back in 2011-12 with plans of joining as a golf member, but the club always felt....strange. The gym replaced formal dining, and the place was always packed with people. I think it was overly saturated then, and I can't imagine it's any better now. See the link below for the most recent story I could find on it. I would want much less than a 60 day out provision, as I would imagine things will move quickly once the plan gets approved. I would just be afraid of joining for 3-6 months, meeting new people, etc., then having to jump ship when the plan inevitably gets adopted. Just my two cents.

http://www.kansascity.com/news/business/development/article16170035.html

Yikes... Thanks for sharing

If they are open to negotiating I will definitely ask for 30 day out clause.
Anyone know what lionsgate junior member fees and policies are? Might want to look there also if this is happening.

Yikes... Thanks for sharing

If they are open to negotiating I will definitely ask for 30 day out clause.
Anyone know what lionsgate junior member fees and policies are? Might want to look there also if this is happening.

there's a guy on here that joined lionsgate recently who was at brookridge with me for 3 years or so before we moved. he'll probably find this eventually.

i was there for maybe 4 years after the clubhouse remodel....i'd be really surprised if they weren't making decent money on the place. golf membership was full the entire time i was there, for both the 18 and the 9 hole side, F&B was a breakeven (good for private clubs), and they kept raising dues. if it was such a horrible business model and they were doing poorly, i don't know why the same owners would buy Leawood South and do the exact same thing.

i was on the "member advisory board" for a couple years as well, and since it was a privately held club i didn't know the exact financials, but i certainly didn't get the impression they were struggling for cash flow.

and the gym was GREAT. i don't remember it really ever being prohibitively busy...except for Jan 2 through March 1, as is typical, and it wasn't even that bad then.

i'd join there again if the price was right and i had a good way out if the developer decides to shut the place down.

there's a guy on here that joined lionsgate recently who was at brookridge with me for 3 years or so before we moved. he'll probably find this eventually.

i was there for maybe 4 years after the clubhouse remodel....i'd be really surprised if they weren't making decent money on the place. golf membership was full the entire time i was there, for both the 18 and the 9 hole side, F&B was a breakeven (good for private clubs), and they kept raising dues. if it was such a horrible business model and they were doing poorly, i don't know why the same owners would buy Leawood South and do the exact same thing.

i was on the "member advisory board" for a couple years as well, and since it was a privately held club i didn't know the exact financials, but i certainly didn't get the impression they were struggling for cash flow.

and the gym was GREAT. i don't remember it really ever being prohibitively busy...except for Jan 2 through March 1, as is typical, and it wasn't even that bad then.

i'd join there again if the price was right and i had a good way out if the developer decides to shut the place down.

I would come in as a junior member so the fees were very acceptable.

I'm meeting with their membership director Friday to go over the details and paperwork. I was excited before today, now I'm slightly skeptical.

I'd love to visit with the Lionsgate member to get an idea of their situation before I waste their time and mine. If, tnord, you remember the members name please pass it along or pass mine to him if you feel that's more appropriate?

I would come in as a junior member so the fees were very acceptable.

I'm meeting with their membership director Friday to go over the details and paperwork. I was excited before today, now I'm slightly skeptical.

I'd love to visit with the Lionsgate member to get an idea of their situation before I waste their time and mine. If, tnord, you remember the members name please pass it along or pass mine to him if you feel that's more appropriate?

Callawaylefty that has posted above in this thread is a Lions Gate member. I've played there a number of times...with Brookridge being an unknown, it's probably the best club per $ in town in my opinion.

The other thing is, have you played Brookridge before? There are other better courses in town for sure (like Lions Gate), but i used to live at 90th & Antioch so it was super convenient for me. I think there were basically 7 good holes (2, 5, 8, 9, 11, 16, 18), 7 decent holes (1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 13, 15, 17), 2 kinda nothing holes (10, 12, and one stupid hole (14).

It's enjoyable enough as a course day in and day out, but just know what you're getting into.

Callawaylefty that has posted above in this thread is a Lions Gate member. I've played there a number of times...with Brookridge being an unknown, it's probably the best club per $ in town in my opinion.

The other thing is, have you played Brookridge before? There are other better courses in town for sure (like Lions Gate), but i used to live at 90th & Antioch so it was super convenient for me. I think there were basically 7 good holes (2, 5, 8, 9, 11, 16, 18), 7 decent holes (1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 13, 15, 17), 2 kinda nothing holes (10, 12, and one stupid hole (14).

It's enjoyable enough as a course day in and day out, but just know what you're getting into.

I'll reach out to him, thanks.

I have not played the course yet. Will try and get a few holes in Friday.

I typically play OP, deer creek and heritage. I'm on 159th and Antioch. But it's now to the point where a round of golf at these places takes 5 hours...

I'll reach out to him, thanks.

I have not played the course yet. Will try and get a few holes in Friday.

I typically play OP, deer creek and heritage. I'm on 159th and Antioch. But it's now to the point where a round of golf at these places takes 5 hours...

If I lived at 159th and Antioch, I would be joining Wolf Creek. Last I heard, their junior memberships were very reasonable considering the quality of coarse.

If I lived at 159th and Antioch, I would be joining Wolf Creek. Last I heard, their junior memberships were very reasonable considering the quality of coarse.