Lake Living at the Ozarks
Going for the Green
The lush surroundings at the Lake of the Ozarks make the perfect backdrop for a round of golf.
PHOTOGRAPHY
courtesy of the Lake of the Ozarks Golf Council

Central Missouri’s Lake of the Ozarks is a vacation favorite — that’s no surprise. When you start with rolling, forested hills, add the water fun of a sparkling lake, and set it all in a convenient location, you’re bound to draw a crowd.

In recent years, golf has become one of the Lake of the Ozarks’ strongest appeals. With 16 challenging courses and a season that runs virtually year-round, golfers can’t go wrong. Often, golfers at the Lake find themselves standing on elevated tee boxes, enjoying scenic vistas that stretch for miles over wooded countryside; in quiet solitude under blue skies, surrounded by trees and bluffs; or gazing at the Lake, where water laps at the edge of several courses.

They almost never find themselves wondering why they chose the Lake of the Ozarks. “Golfers love the Lake — our courses offer outstanding value and variety,” says Paul Leahy, director of golf at Tan-Tar-A Resort, Golf Club, Marina & Indoor Waterpark. “When you stay at the Lake, you could spend a week, play 36 holes a day   and never play the same hole twice.” Paul, who is also president of the Lake of the Ozarks Golf Council, notes that there’s a lot for golfers and their families to enjoy at the Lake. “We have water fun, shopping, dining, state parks and more. It’s a complete vacation destination,” he says.

For a golfer, however, tee time is the Lake’s main appeal. Here’s the current roster of courses at the Lake, with a brief description of each. For more details on the Lake’s courses and golf packages, request a free Golf Guide from the Lake of the Ozarks Golf Council at 800.490.8474 or www.golfingmissouri.com.
 

PUBLIC COURSES


Bay View Golf Course — 364 Sylvan Bay, Linn Creek. 9 holes. Bay View features a fun and challenging layout with narrow, tree-lined fairways, all amid scenic, hilly terrain. Spectacular lake views are a staple at Bay View, which also offers a pro shop, clubhouse, large putting green, swimming pool and snack bar. 573.346.6617
Bear Creek Valley Golf Club — 910 Highway 42, Lake Ozark. 18 holes. Bear Creek Valley offers golfers a reasonably priced championship course amid 250 acres of Ozarks forestland. Amenities include a full-service clubhouse, restaurant and lounge, banquet/conference room, as well as a pro shop, driving range, putting green and golf lessons. 573.302.1000 or www.bearcreekvalley.com

The Golf Club at Deer Chase — 770 Deer Chase Road, Linn Creek. 18 holes. Opened in 2004, Deer Chase offers a challenging track through the beautiful Auglaize River Valley and surrounding hills. The course features Bermuda fairways and  the largest bentgrass greens in the area, along with a driving range, practice areas and the Chase Tower Grill. 573.346.6117 or www.deerchasegolf.com
Dogwood Hills Golf Club — 1252 State Highway KK, Osage Beach. 18 holes. Dogwood Hills, a favorite at the Lake since 1962, provides variety for golfers at any skill level. The club offers a pro shop, lighted   driving range, practice area and lessons from PGA-teaching professionals as well as Mitch and Duff’s Restaurant and Bar. 573.348.3153 or www.dogwoodhillsgolf.com

The Oaks Course and Hidden Lakes Course — State Road KK, Osage Beach. 18 holes (The Oaks); 9 holes (Hidden Lakes). Tan-Tar-A Resort, Golf Club, Marina & Indoor Waterpark features two public golf courses. The Oaks, designed by Bruce Devlin and Robert Von Hagge, features dramatic elevation changes and scenic views of the lake. Hidden Lakes has been ranked by USA Today as one of America’s best 9-hole courses. Tan-Tar-A also offers a practice area, driving range, pro shop, clubhouse and restaurant. 573.348.8522 or www.tan-tar-a.com
Osage National Golf Resort — 400 Osage Hills Road, Lake Ozark. 27 holes. Osage National’s 27 holes can be mixed and matched to create three 18-hole combinations. The original 18 holes were designed by golf legend Arnold Palmer. Amenities include a 20,000-sq.-ft. clubhouse with pro shop, restaurant and lounge, two putting greens, driving range and golf lessons. 573.365.1950 or www.osagenational.com

Seasons Ridge Golf Club — Horseshoe Bend Parkway at Duckhead Road, Lake Ozark. 18 holes. Designed by Ken Kavanaugh, Seasons Ridge at The Lodge of Four Seasons has been rated among the top 10 public courses in Missouri. On-site facilities include a pro shop, putting green, large driving range and grill. 573.365.8544 or www.4seasonsresort.com
Sycamore Creek Golf Club — 1270 Nichols Road (Lake Road 54-56), Osage Beach. 18 holes. Voted the favorite golf course in the Lake area by a local survey for eight straight years, the Sycamore Creek course winds through a working aqua-culture habitat (fish hatchery). Amenities include a clubhouse, pro shop with golf lessons, snack  bar, and warm-up area with a putting and chipping green. 573.348.9593 or www.sycamorecreekgolfclub.com

SEMI-PRIVATE


Eldon Country Club — 35 Golf Course Road, Eldon. 18 holes. Eldon Country Club features zoysia fairways and an upgraded bunker system, leading to    accommodating greens. On-site amenities include a full driving range and practice area, golf lessons, swimming pool, snack bar and pro shop. 573.392.4172 or www.eldoncountryclub.com
Indian Rock Golf Club — State Road O, Laurie. 18 holes. Indian Rock’s signature 17th hole, guarded by a lake and towering rocks, symbolizes the layout’s scenic    appeal and challenge. A clubhouse with pro shop, lessons and a full practice facility awaits golfers, along with Mulligan’s Sports Bar & Restaurant. 573.372.3023 or www.indianrockgolfclub.com

Lake Valley Golf & Country Club — Lake Road 54-79, Camdenton. 18 holes. Lake Valley features an unusual balance of six par threes, six par fours and six par    fives. Facilities include a pro shop, practice putting green and driving range, swimming pool, tennis court and the full-service Greenside Bar & Grill. 573.346.7218 or www.lakevalleygolf.com
The Club at Old Kinderhook — Lake Road 54-80, Camdenton. 18 holes. Old Kinderhook features a Tom Weiskopf-designed course with spectacular vistas, rock waterfalls and rolling topography. The championship-level course also offers a complete practice facility, two putting greens, pro shop, swimming/tennis/health area and a restaurant. 573.346.4444 or www.oldkinderhook.com

Rolling Hills Country Club — Highway 5 North, Versailles. 18 holes. Rolling Hills boasts some of the Lake’s best bentgrass greens, surrounded by Ozarks woodland and strategically placed bunkers. The Country Club features a pro shop, driving range, golf lessons, swimming pool and snack bar. 573.378.5109 or www.playrollinghills.com
Witch’s Cove — Horseshoe Bend Parkway, Lake Ozark. 18 holes. Witch’s Cove, at The Lodge of Four Seasons, is a Robert Trent Jones Sr. Signature Course that is closed for renovations through mid-summer 2009. Rated by Golf Digest as one of the top courses in Missouri, the extremely challenging layout provides true lake       ambience on virtually every hole. Golfers will find a driving range, putting green, nine-hole short game course and full-service pro shop, along with the Sand Trap Lounge. 573.365.8544 or www.4seasonsresort.com

 

PRIVATE

The Club at Porto Cima — State Road MM, Lake Ozark. 18 holes. The first Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course in Missouri has been rated as the No. 4 best new private golf course in America by Golf Digest. Porto Cima offers a practice area and a 17,000-square-foot clubhouse with a mixed grill room, lounge, pro shop, and men’s and women’s locker rooms. 800.850.5253 or www.portocima.com