Sometimes you have to risk it all for a vision no one can see but you.

#871 Colbert Hills GC 10/8/21

Colbert Hills GC in Manhattan, KS, which is the home course of Kansas State, was the last course I played on my Fall trip and was one of the most refreshing and enjoyable. This top 10 in state 2000 Jeff Brauer and Jim Colbert design had all the elements that lights my fire: forced carries, risk/reward, rolling terrain, defined fairways that requires accuracy of the tee, aesthetic bunkering, demanding shotmaking, water hazards, and very well conditioned. Today's architects are producing a similar look of huge undefined fairways, lack of forced carries, minimal chance of losing your golf ball, and huge undulating greens. Not that I don't appreciate these new links style courses but I really like the challenge of standing over shots knowing that one little miscue your $5 ball maybe going to golfball heaven. Pressure is what makes me really focus and produce exciting shots that I will always remember.

In 2006, on my only trip to Pebble Beach I came to the blind eighth tee shot and had no idea where the drive would end up. How exciting it was to see it in the FW and 192 yds from the hole. I pulled out my 4 hybrid, which I still have in my bag but now only hit 170 yds, and nearly holed it to the dangerous right pin location (see Pebble Beach Slideshow} for a tap in birdie. I will never forget that shot and will always enjoy courses like Colbert Hills where there is some element of risk. This is one that I could play regularly. Blue rated

The world class display of monster Bucks are from my old classmates trophy room. All taken with bow from his Kansas farm. The next day we enjoyed a come from behind Michigan Wolverine victory over the Huskers. What a wild gameday experience we had.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/RZXy1EcHbDzsety59

#870 Branson Hills GC 10/6/21

After checking out of the upscale Angular's Inn at Big Cedar I headed north and stopped by Branson Hills GC, a 2009 Chuck Smith and Bobby Clampett design in Branson. After 3 days of great weather today was a dreary day with rain probable. When I arrived and was told it was $199 instead of the $139 I had been quoted, I almost got back in my SUV. I decided to play and hope I would beat the rain. I made it to hole 15 before the rain came and took the photo's of the last holes from my cart. With the ability to edit my photo's I added lots of light and they appear as it was a much brighter day. The course is challenging with lots of variety, rolling terrain, and average conditiong but it is overpriced. Blue

https://photos.app.goo.gl/5wrziAjC6VjbEVbB6

#869 Mountain Top Short Course (13) 10/5/21

Mountain Top is a 13 hole non-tradtional short course at Big Cedar Lodge that was designed by Gary Player in 2017. Unlike Top Of the Rock, you can walk and are not restricted to a concrete cart path. The elevation changes, quirkyness of some of the holes, scenic views, and rolling greens are what I look for in today's short courses. For half the price you will have more fun right here at the main lodge. I would skip Top of the Rock. Gold rated.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/CVES9xHY8xsgVaeP8

#868 Payne's Valley 10/5/21

Payne's Valley, 2020, is Tiger Woods first public design in Hollister, MO. It is a resort style course with wide fairways, very playable, and large greens. Lots of eye candy here: aesthetic bunkering, waterfalls, and the backdrop of a large limestone shelf with the clubhouse overlooking the entire complex. A fantastic looking practice area was being sculpted out of the limestone. Apparently, Johnny Morris has no budget in creating one of the top golf resorts in the world at Big Cedar Lodge. Black**

https://photos.app.goo.gl/zYEuUs6MKhLaJwtBA

#867 Top of the Rock (9) 10/4/21

Top of the Rock is a 9 hole short course designed by Jack Nicklaus in 1996. It is located about a 15 minute drive from Big Cedar Lodge in Ridgedale, MO with great views from the highest point in the county. The holes here are a very traditional design, contained inside of concrete cart paths with curbs which limit you from leaving the path. It is like going to a kiddy amusement park where your car is attached to rails underneath it. The holes are very aesthetic, well conditioned, and I would guess this is the most expensive 9 hole short course ever built.

Short courses are all the craze now and I have played several of them. My expectation is that when I play one I want to see some really wild and crazy non-tradtional stuff. Ballyneal Mulligan and Bandon Preserve are two that I had a fun time trying to negotiate challenging green contours and elevation drops. Top of the Rock at $165 is to tame and expensive for me to come back and play again. There is a nice restaurant with scenic views, ancient museum, and cave tour you could partake in here. Blue rated

https://photos.app.goo.gl/CTm47b7nprzfmDxCA

#866 Ozarks National 10/4/21

Ozarks National, near Branson, MO, is a 2019 design of Coore and Crenshaw at Red Cedar Lodge resort. CC are one of my top 5 modern architects and I have played 10 of their courses to date. Very minimal earth movement is their trademark. Talking Stick North was my first exposure of the duo and my first impression was "This course is flat as a pancake and about as minimal as you could ever play." I was underwhelmed. With time I have come to appreciate the subtleness of their genius.

After playing the visually stimulating Buffalo Ridge course the day before, I was again a bit underwhelmed on the first tee here. When I got to #4 with its infinity green, that was the first hole I really liked and one my favorites on the F9. As you may have noticed, I love most short 4's and #5 is one of the better ones I have played. #8 is the best par 3 IMO and #9 is a nice finish to the F9. The B9 has a nice variety of holes with two ballbusters at the 254 yd #12 and 480 yd #13. At the long, uphill, dogleg left thirteenth, I hit my two best shots and still was short. Par 4 #15 incorporates a blind tee shot and finishes next to the halfway house which allowed me to grap another couple bags of the delicious Bass Pro steak jerky.

The weather was perfect my day at Ozarks National and I place it in the middle of all the CC courses I have played. All three championship courses at Big Cedar Lodge rank as low Black** with Ozark at the top. I am very much impressed with the assortment of golf, variety of activities in the area, and quality of everything associated with the resort.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/TzGE3MEhyrX7FvYH6

#865 Buffalo Ridge 10/3/21

Buffalo Ridge is part of The Big Cedar Lodge resort in Hollister, MO. Originally, the 1999 Tom Fazio design was called Branson Creek but Johnny Morris bought it and re-imagined it in 2014.

I have played almost 40 of Tom Fasio's designs and he is one of my top 5 architects. His courses are always very playable with aesthetic bunkering and a couple of good short par 4's. I really thought the front 9 here was one of his better ones I've played, great variety and all holes memorable. The best holes on the back are 14, 15, 17, and 18 which reminded me of his finishing hole at Tree Tops. Of the three Championship courses here I thought this was a close second to Ozark National. Black** rated

https://photos.app.goo.gl/x21RZ9UXAPhtRCqC7

"There are two ways to get enough. One is to continue to accumulate more and more. The other is to desire less."- G.K. Chesterton

#864- Ozaukee CC 10/1/21

The green complexes of this 1922 Langford and Moreau design, in Mequon, WI, are very muted compared to most of their others I have played. Maybe there has been a redesign in the past, but it seemed like most of the tops of the greens have been chopped off. No dramatic deep bunkers here, which was somewhat disappointing even though this is a very upscale country club. Conditions were great with a nice, interesting, variety of holes. If you can play here I would jump at the chance but the greens here are different than the architects other 7 designs I've played. Blue rated

https://photos.app.goo.gl/YwAb14e62zcjyRjs8