Payne's Valley

[endy]

On 5/3/2022 at 3:47 PM, DallasDan said:

If you stay at Angler's Lodge you can lock in advanced tee times and it's WAY cheaper than Big Cedar Lodge. I'm staying 3 nights in late June at $265/night for a double queen. I had to call 10 months in advance to get it. I also go all the tee times that I wanted. Playing Thu afternoon, Fri AM and PM, Sat AM and PM, then Sun morning. Plus Angler's Lodge is located more centrally than Big Cedar if you are going to play BR, ON, PV and the two par 3 courses.

Are they still offering the package deals or have those disappeared? 

[LBRMGR]

Just got back from Big Cedar. Really enjoyed all 5 courses. All very different styles.  Found Payne's to be the most resort-like with wide fairways, Ozarks to be the hardest with many signature Coore/Crenshaw features and blind shots, and Buffalo Ridge to be the most fun.

 

Shuttle service from Big Cedar Lodge was kind of challenging for our group of 12 - lots of delays but the golf itself was solid. We did:

 

Day 1: 18 PV, Day 2: 13 MT, 18 PV, Day 3: 13 MT, 18 ON, Day 4: 9 TOR, 18 BR

 

 

Edited June 6, 2022 by LBRMGR

[endy]

4 hours ago, LBRMGR said:

Just got back from Big Cedar. Really enjoyed all 5 courses. All very different styles.  Found Payne's to be the most resort-like with wide fairways, Ozarks to be the hardest with many signature Coore/Crenshaw features and blind shots, and Buffalo Ridge to be the most fun.

 

Shuttle service from Big Cedar Lodge was kind of challenging for our group of 12 - lots of delays but the golf itself was solid. We did:

 

Day 1: 18 PV, Day 2: 13 MT, 18 PV, Day 3: 13 MT, 18 ON, Day 4: 9 TOR, 18 BR

 

 

Sounds like you guys made the most of the trip!! Did you just book everything separately or are they still doing package deals? 

[LBRMGR]

3 minutes ago, endy said:

Sounds like you guys made the most of the trip!! Did you just book everything separately or are they still doing package deals? 

everything was separate, no packages.

[endy]

Just now, LBRMGR said:

everything was separate, no packages.

Gotcha. We did a Tiger Experience Package last June, but I didn’t see it on their website last I checked so they must have done away with those. 

[DallasDan]

I'm heading to MO for my annual buddys' golf trip. One question: Is the driving range at Payne's Valley still under construction or is it open now?

[asnyder81]

Under construction. Range is still at ON.

[bd59]

Anyone have any recommendations on who they used to book a trip with? Lodging is ridiculously high but wanted to see if someone had a loophole or something to help.

[KC4441]

8 hours ago, bd59 said:

Anyone have any recommendations on who they used to book a trip with? Lodging is ridiculously high but wanted to see if someone had a loophole or something to help.

With the greens fees increasing by over $100 this year I’m pretty sure deals for lodging will also be hard to find unfortunately (at least on property) 

[vernon]

The name Johnny Morris and "deals" will never be mentioned together in the same sentence.......

[bd59]

57 minutes ago, vernon said:

The name Johnny Morris and "deals" will never be mentioned together in the same sentence.......

True… very true. We have been twice and used the same golf package and they’ve been great. I was just seeing what everybody else has used or if there was a better way getting tee times other than being forced to stay on the property.  Not crazy about paying 5-700 per night for a room. 

[vernon]

Can anybody comment on the condition of the greens at Buffalo Ridge?

 

When we were there last September they had pretty much lost them all.

 

In fact it looked as though they were about to completely resod number thirteen and it wasn't even the worst of them.  

 

We were the last group of the day and a maintenance a crew of about twenty guys with lots of machinery and sod rolls were sitting off to the side waiting for us to putt out before they started ripping it up.

 

We're scheduled to play there again in two weeks and was curious how they were nearly a year later.

 

Hopefully they're back to the way they used to be.

 

$225 is a lot of money to putt on goat track greens!

[tlknight]

4 minutes ago, vernon said:

Can anybody comment on the condition of the greens at Buffalo Ridge?

 

When we were there last September they had pretty much lost them all.

 

In fact it looked as though they were about to completely resod number thirteen and it wasn't even the worst of them.  

 

We were the last group of the day and a maintenance a crew of about twenty guys with lots of machinery and sod rolls were sitting off to the side waiting for us to putt out before they started ripping it up.

 

We're scheduled to play there again in two weeks and was curious how they were nearly a year later.

 

Hopefully they're back to the way they used to be.

 

$225 is a lot of money to putt on goat track greens!

Played there last week and they were good. Definitely a few spots that looked stressed and a few small areas where they had resodded but nothing that affected play. 

[KC4441]

Played Ozarks National Monday in 104 degree heat.. greens were ok, but pot marked like crazy!  The bunkers looked nice but were extremely inconsistent.  Luckily I was only in 2, but one had zero sand and my wedge just skipped, and the other it was near perfect. Playing partners said the same thing.  Just a little disappointed as usually everything is in great shape.  

[vernon]

Thanks for the input.  I'm not sure what happened last year but they were really, really bad and nobody in the shop said a word and charged us full boat.

 

When we were making the turn the guy that checked us in was getting in a golf cart and said he was going out to check on the greens and that somebody had complained that they were pretty bad.

 

What?!?!

 

At least a third of some of them were dirt and that didn't happen overnight.

 

Really miss the days when we could go walk on Buffalo Ridge (or Branson Creek) pretty much any weekday afternoon for $65 and there would be hardly anyone else there.

 

While I realize that is obviously unsustainable and the reason that Johnny owns it all now I miss it nonetheless!

 

Looks like they're aerifying the 14th and 15th.

 

 

 

 

[nova6868]

Buffalo Ridge was a dream come true about 10 years ago. It was in pristine shape, could find deals to play it for like $50-60, and it was nearly empty every time we played. This was back when they didn't even have a clubhouse, it was just a trailer where you checked in. But the course was beautiful and so much fun to play. 

[ldy]

Just golfed Paynes, Ozark National and Buffalo Ridge last weekend.  The property is a premier golf destination, we were all super impressed with the courses and the facilities.  Although I really liked the design of Buffalo Ridge, many of the greens were in terrible shape, some we couldn't really putt on because of how bad they were.  Of the three, I preferred Ozark National but we thoroughly enjoyed every course, even Buffalo Ridge.  We had a forecaddie at Ozark National and we were so happy we made that decision, saved us many strokes and made the round so much more enjoyable.

[Rory4Pres]

Nothing would ruin a golf experience faster than poorly conditioned greens.  I'd rather play a course with smooth, glass-like greens and dead grass fairways with no sand in the bunkers versus the opposite with Master's-like conditions everywhere except awful greens.

[vernon]

On 9/12/2023 at 8:56 AM, ldy said:

Just golfed Paynes, Ozark National and Buffalo Ridge last weekend.  The property is a premier golf destination, we were all super impressed with the courses and the facilities.  Although I really liked the design of Buffalo Ridge, many of the greens were in terrible shape, some we couldn't really putt on because of how bad they were.  Of the three, I preferred Ozark National but we thoroughly enjoyed every course, even Buffalo Ridge.  We had a forecaddie at Ozark National and we were so happy we made that decision, saved us many strokes and made the round so much more enjoyable.

We played Ridge a week ago Monday and while I agree the greens weren't very good they were light years better than last September.  I know we've had some pretty severe heat off and on for the last month but I still don't understand how with the funding and manpower that course has that they can't get the greens back to somewhere close to what they used to be.

 

It seems like since they lost The Legends of Golf deal, conditions have become pretty mediocre which is ridiculous for a golfing "destination" that's charging over two hundred bucks a round.

 

We're going back down next week to play Payne's Valley but will certainly skip Ridge this time around.  Probably play Branson Hills and maybe go up to Rivercut for a round and possibly Osage National.

 

Rivercut feels like playing for free compared to Big Cedar golf and even Branson Hills at $140 seems cheap.

 

First World problems.......

[ldy]

1 hour ago, vernon said:

We played Ridge a week ago Monday and while I agree the greens weren't very good they were light years better than last September.  I know we've had some pretty severe heat off and on for the last month but I still don't understand how with the funding and manpower that course has that they can't get the greens back to somewhere close to what they used to be.

 

It seems like since they lost The Legends of Golf deal, conditions have become pretty mediocre which is ridiculous for a golfing "destination" that's charging over two hundred bucks a round.

 

We're going back down next week to play Payne's Valley but will certainly skip Ridge this time around.  Probably play Branson Hills and maybe go up to Rivercut for a round and possibly Osage National.

 

Rivercut feels like playing for free compared to Big Cedar golf and even Branson Hills at $140 seems cheap.

 

First World problems.......

We also played Branson Hills, which was a great track and compared to the Big Cedar course was a great deal.  Even though Big Cedar was expensive, it was such a great experience we would do it again in a heartbeat.

[vernon]

Played Ozarks National on Monday and Payne’s Valley on Tuesday during the aeration recovery period which is about the only way we can afford to play ‘em anymore.

 

Greens were punched last Monday and Tuesday but were already in pretty good shape and with last nights rain and the cooler temperatures should be back to normal soon.

 

Lots of winter kill in the fairways at National and quite a bit a Payne’s Valley as well.

 

Perfect weather both days although we bumped up our tee time at Payne’s Valley from Thursday to Tuesday in anticipation of the rain and are glad we did.  1.65 inches last night would surely mean cart path only today and likely tomorrow with more rain forecast for the next few days.

 

I would NOT want to play any of the Big Cedar courses while restricted to the cart paths.  It was bad enough walking the few extra holes that were path only due to the winter kill issues.

 

Payne’s Valley has also gone from fifteen minute tee time intervals to ten minute which we didn’t much care for.  In the past the starter encouraged players to take their time and take lots of photos and enjoy the experience but that’s not the case anymore.

 

It was still about a five hour round and we had a twosome behind us that was up our asses all day long that was pretty annoying on a packed golf course.

 

Nonetheless it was a great couple of days on two fun golf courses.  I could play Payne’s Valley everyday of the week and not get tired of it.

 

I’d be broke in a week but I could still do it……..

[Bonneville85308]

I played Ozarks National last week, first time. I was able to score a spot as a single with a threesome about a week out. The weather was beautiful, highs in the upper 80s, sunny, little to no wind. This is probably in my top 15 public courses played. Lots of holes where you think to yourself "I'd play that one differently next time" after holing out. 

 

Fairways & tees were great all around, I love playing off Zoysia. A few fairways especially on the back had some small bare/thin spots, nothing major. Greens were apparently aerated weeks ago but seemed back to normal. I was in three greenside bunkers and all had good sand. The course was playing dry and slightly firm.

 

Pace was 4:45 with a mid-morning tee time, lots of waiting mostly on the front nine. I swear it took us 30 minutes to get through #7 (which was CPO) from the time we got to the tee to the time we walked off the green. The threesome had a forecaddie who was very personable, helped me a bit and I tipped him, but I don't think it's a must-have part of the experience that adds much value. The forecaddie rides on his own cart and goes ahead to forecaddie on many holes. Speaking of carts, I was given a solo cart without asking, which I'd expect for the price.

 

I'm really glad I played it, loved the course, but I don't see myself paying $265+ again.

 

 

Edited October 2, 2023 by Bonneville85308

[Lefty_3Jack]

On 5/3/2022 at 3:47 PM, DallasDan said:

If you stay at Angler's Lodge you can lock in advanced tee times and it's WAY cheaper than Big Cedar Lodge. I'm staying 3 nights in late June at $265/night for a double queen. I had to call 10 months in advance to get it. I also go all the tee times that I wanted. Playing Thu afternoon, Fri AM and PM, Sat AM and PM, then Sun morning. Plus Angler's Lodge is located more centrally than Big Cedar if you are going to play BR, ON, PV and the two par 3 courses.

That used to be a $90/night La Quinta before Bass Pro bought it.