Took a short vacation to Branson with my family and some in-laws this past week. My brother in law and I played Payne's Valley and Ozarks National on Monday. We had an absolute blast. I've always appreciated these threads from others. Here come's a novel.
We did not stay at any Big Cedar Lodge properties so I can't comment on their services or anything related to booking tee times. I didn't have any major issues booking a tee time for two at both courses on the first day of their off property thirty day window. I just set a calendar invite and did them the morning they came open. Booking was easy. They want a little more information than your regular course, but no up front costs and they offer a 48 hour cancellation window. I booked an 8:30 tee time at Payne's and a 2:30 at Ozarks. 3 days out I sent an email to the provided caddie booking address and booked a forecaddie for our two rounds.
We arrived at the parking and drop off area on Monday at 7am. They had folks there to greet you and our cart was ready with a placard stating our tee time. They took the clubs, set them up in the cart, and we parked. It's a couple minutes up the hill and you check in at the "Mountain Top" grill & clubhouse. Settled up for the first round of golf and perused merchandise. They had a pretty good assortment of merchandise. I couldn't find a shirt I liked so I went with a hat instead. They had plenty of quality items from Peter Millar, Johnnie O's, etc. They are quite proud of their merchandise, even hats. My flexfit 110 hat was $50.
They have a full menu at that grill for breakfast along with quick items like breakfast sandwiches. Again, quite proud of their offerings as the sausage and egg biscuit was $10. They did have complimentary coffee out.
You hop back in the cart and go back to where you started to hit range balls. Decent Callaway practice balls are provided. We hit off mats. Looked like this may be the norm. There's a bunch of construction everywhere, including some huge dozers working right behind you on the range. Not ideal, but I get it. The putting green is back at the restaurant. They have a large practice green, along with a big putting course. Putting green was pristine and ran just like the greens at Payne's Valley.
We were summoned by the starter at about 8:15 and met our forecaddie and the folks we were paired with. We had four carts in our group as the other two players each brought along riders. As we played, I noticed extra riders are pretty common at Payne's.
We tee'd off on time on number one and had a very fun round of golf. I would rate Payne's as a fairly easy course. I play to about a nine handicap. We played up a tee (whites), but a low handicapper would have a lot of chances at birdie from the blue tees, or even the Tiger tees if you had a solid driver game. Fairway bunkers are well placed but there's hardly any rough. We had the forecaddie, but he wasn't truly needed there. We booked him all day simply because we were playing 36. Everything is pretty much in front of you and the greens aren't terribly hard to read. It's a damn fun course though. I thought only 11 and 13 were holes that weren't memorable. Holes 4-6 were the highlight of the front for me. The approach to the 6th green is pretty spectacular and is the first of several "infinity" type greens around both courses where the green seemed to hang on the edge of a cliff. The back starts with a great par 3 playing way down hill set against a huge water feature. The next few holes won't really wow you, but 12 is a driveable par 4 that is an easy birdie opportunity. The finishing stretch from 16-18 though is pretty awesome. You play around some large ponds and have a nice look at the large limestone formation they are uncovering. 18 is a great finishing hole.
The 19th hole is what everything builds toward and it didn't disappoint visually. You drive toward a large waterfall behind the left side of 18 green and pull up to the elevated tee area. There is a bridge that takes you to a bar and bathrooms. They also give you a pretty nice print of the 19th hole for free. The yardage was 125 from the highly elevated tee box. I took PW and promptly hit an adrenaline powered shot right over the flagstick into the water. Disappointing, but my playing partners hit the green and had decent looks. I hit a second ball....pin high...in the water left. Oh well, it was a lot of fun. The drive up the hill and through the caves is why they're getting people to pay $75 just to ride around for 5 hours in a cart.
Pace was great all day. Hardly waited to hit a shot. Conditions were immaculate even for a "young" course. You have a lot of options around the greens as its all closely mown areas so you can putt or chip from a lot of spots. Bunkers were perfect. A little wet as it had rained a lot. Having the forecaddie made it even nicer because we just played golf and didnt worry about anything else.
They have a halfway house at the 10th box where you can get complimentary hot dogs, tons of different snacks (they had frozen snickers which is unbeatable on the golf course) along with about anything you'd want to drink. Alcohol was the only thing not over priced in my opinion.
Overall, I give Payne's valley a 9/10. I played well overall, but poorly off the tee on my way to shooting an 80 with no birdies. Only thing holding it back is its really not a course I'd go pay $325 to play over and over again.
Here's some pics from Payne's
Approach on 4 and 5 box in the back left
10 tee
Approach on 18
19th hole ground level, tee box, and from "the cave"
I'll try to be more brief on Ozarks. There's a small clubhouse and bar where you start. There's halfway house again here with complimentary hot dogs, snacks, and drinks. This halfway house is a bit more accessible through the round than the one at Payne's. I did my best to get my money's worth of free hot dogs and snacks.
Quite simply, this course is far and away better than Payne's Valley. The second hole is an afterthought but just about everything else is absolutely perfect golf. Interesting front with 3-3-3 on the 3s 4s and 5s.
7, 8 & 9 are awesome holes to finish the front nine, with nine being very deceiving off the tee with a huge bunker on the lower left side of the fairway. It takes two really good shots to be in position to have a good look at the approach and get a birdie look.
The 12th hole is a long par 3 that looks really imposing off the tee. Leave it to me to finally make the first birdie of the day here. Forecaddie had seen enough of my game at this point that he told me pull six and just get it on the surface on the right side and it'll funnel. I did just that but still had about a 30 foot double breaker. He said one cup right, 80% to the hole. I hit it dead on his read and jarred it. If you go here and get a forecaddie, make sure you request Keno. He was absolutely nails all day and a really fun guy.
Holes 13-16 are why you need a forecaddie here. Insane blind tee shots and approaches. 16 is an absolute beast. I was in the fairway off the tee and still made triple.
17 is an amazing par 3. Another "infinity" green. And 18 is a great finishing hole that plays straight up into the sky and the little clubhouse they have there.
I put the headcover on my driver for the round at Ozarks and hit almost every fairway with my 3 wood. Caddie told me on 7 after piping a drive that I should throw my driver in the woods! Shot 81 on the "harder" course. Kicked myself because I probably could have broken 80 on Payne's if id hit 3 wood all day.
Couple shots from Ozarks
Approach on 3
Approach on 7
12th box (glad I took this pic)
17th box
Approach on 18
Post round makers on the porch at Ozarks looking back at 18
Very long story short, both courses are great and absolutely worth playing.
We did not stay at any Big Cedar Lodge properties so I can't comment on their services or anything related to booking tee times. I didn't have any major issues booking a tee time for two at both courses on the first day of their off property thirty day window. I just set a calendar invite and did them the morning they came open. Booking was easy. They want a little more information than your regular course, but no up front costs and they offer a 48 hour cancellation window. I booked an 8:30 tee time at Payne's and a 2:30 at Ozarks. 3 days out I sent an email to the provided caddie booking address and booked a forecaddie for our two rounds.
We arrived at the parking and drop off area on Monday at 7am. They had folks there to greet you and our cart was ready with a placard stating our tee time. They took the clubs, set them up in the cart, and we parked. It's a couple minutes up the hill and you check in at the "Mountain Top" grill & clubhouse. Settled up for the first round of golf and perused merchandise. They had a pretty good assortment of merchandise. I couldn't find a shirt I liked so I went with a hat instead. They had plenty of quality items from Peter Millar, Johnnie O's, etc. They are quite proud of their merchandise, even hats. My flexfit 110 hat was $50.
They have a full menu at that grill for breakfast along with quick items like breakfast sandwiches. Again, quite proud of their offerings as the sausage and egg biscuit was $10. They did have complimentary coffee out.
You hop back in the cart and go back to where you started to hit range balls. Decent Callaway practice balls are provided. We hit off mats. Looked like this may be the norm. There's a bunch of construction everywhere, including some huge dozers working right behind you on the range. Not ideal, but I get it. The putting green is back at the restaurant. They have a large practice green, along with a big putting course. Putting green was pristine and ran just like the greens at Payne's Valley.
We were summoned by the starter at about 8:15 and met our forecaddie and the folks we were paired with. We had four carts in our group as the other two players each brought along riders. As we played, I noticed extra riders are pretty common at Payne's.
We tee'd off on time on number one and had a very fun round of golf. I would rate Payne's as a fairly easy course. I play to about a nine handicap. We played up a tee (whites), but a low handicapper would have a lot of chances at birdie from the blue tees, or even the Tiger tees if you had a solid driver game. Fairway bunkers are well placed but there's hardly any rough. We had the forecaddie, but he wasn't truly needed there. We booked him all day simply because we were playing 36. Everything is pretty much in front of you and the greens aren't terribly hard to read. It's a damn fun course though. I thought only 11 and 13 were holes that weren't memorable. Holes 4-6 were the highlight of the front for me. The approach to the 6th green is pretty spectacular and is the first of several "infinity" type greens around both courses where the green seemed to hang on the edge of a cliff. The back starts with a great par 3 playing way down hill set against a huge water feature. The next few holes won't really wow you, but 12 is a driveable par 4 that is an easy birdie opportunity. The finishing stretch from 16-18 though is pretty awesome. You play around some large ponds and have a nice look at the large limestone formation they are uncovering. 18 is a great finishing hole.
The 19th hole is what everything builds toward and it didn't disappoint visually. You drive toward a large waterfall behind the left side of 18 green and pull up to the elevated tee area. There is a bridge that takes you to a bar and bathrooms. They also give you a pretty nice print of the 19th hole for free. The yardage was 125 from the highly elevated tee box. I took PW and promptly hit an adrenaline powered shot right over the flagstick into the water. Disappointing, but my playing partners hit the green and had decent looks. I hit a second ball....pin high...in the water left. Oh well, it was a lot of fun. The drive up the hill and through the caves is why they're getting people to pay $75 just to ride around for 5 hours in a cart.
Pace was great all day. Hardly waited to hit a shot. Conditions were immaculate even for a "young" course. You have a lot of options around the greens as its all closely mown areas so you can putt or chip from a lot of spots. Bunkers were perfect. A little wet as it had rained a lot. Having the forecaddie made it even nicer because we just played golf and didnt worry about anything else.
They have a halfway house at the 10th box where you can get complimentary hot dogs, tons of different snacks (they had frozen snickers which is unbeatable on the golf course) along with about anything you'd want to drink. Alcohol was the only thing not over priced in my opinion.
Overall, I give Payne's valley a 9/10. I played well overall, but poorly off the tee on my way to shooting an 80 with no birdies. Only thing holding it back is its really not a course I'd go pay $325 to play over and over again.
Here's some pics from Payne's
Approach on 4 and 5 box in the back left
10 tee
Approach on 18
19th hole ground level, tee box, and from "the cave"
I'll try to be more brief on Ozarks. There's a small clubhouse and bar where you start. There's halfway house again here with complimentary hot dogs, snacks, and drinks. This halfway house is a bit more accessible through the round than the one at Payne's. I did my best to get my money's worth of free hot dogs and snacks.
Quite simply, this course is far and away better than Payne's Valley. The second hole is an afterthought but just about everything else is absolutely perfect golf. Interesting front with 3-3-3 on the 3s 4s and 5s.
7, 8 & 9 are awesome holes to finish the front nine, with nine being very deceiving off the tee with a huge bunker on the lower left side of the fairway. It takes two really good shots to be in position to have a good look at the approach and get a birdie look.
The 12th hole is a long par 3 that looks really imposing off the tee. Leave it to me to finally make the first birdie of the day here. Forecaddie had seen enough of my game at this point that he told me pull six and just get it on the surface on the right side and it'll funnel. I did just that but still had about a 30 foot double breaker. He said one cup right, 80% to the hole. I hit it dead on his read and jarred it. If you go here and get a forecaddie, make sure you request Keno. He was absolutely nails all day and a really fun guy.
Holes 13-16 are why you need a forecaddie here. Insane blind tee shots and approaches. 16 is an absolute beast. I was in the fairway off the tee and still made triple.
17 is an amazing par 3. Another "infinity" green. And 18 is a great finishing hole that plays straight up into the sky and the little clubhouse they have there.
I put the headcover on my driver for the round at Ozarks and hit almost every fairway with my 3 wood. Caddie told me on 7 after piping a drive that I should throw my driver in the woods! Shot 81 on the "harder" course. Kicked myself because I probably could have broken 80 on Payne's if id hit 3 wood all day.
Couple shots from Ozarks
Approach on 3
Approach on 7
12th box (glad I took this pic)
17th box
Approach on 18
Post round makers on the porch at Ozarks looking back at 18
Very long story short, both courses are great and absolutely worth playing.