Top of the Rock and Buffalo Ridge courses set to host Big Cedar Lodge Legends of Golf presented by Bass Pro Shops to benefit College of the Ozarks Ì¢?å¬and National Fish and Wildlife Foundation; Sponsorship opportunities also announced
RIDGEDALE, Mo. (April 14, 2014) – Today, tickets officially go on sale for the Big Cedar Lodge Legends of Golf Tournament Presented by Bass Pro Shops, hosted at the soon to open world-class golf complex that features Top of the Rock and Buffalo Ridge.
Morris, with Nicklaus, Watson and Palmer have spent the past seven years creating Top of the Rock, one of the most amazing golf experiences ever developed.
Top of the Rock, known as the first-ever Par-3 course to be included in a professional championship, features nature and golf at its finest. Perched high above Table Rock Lake, the peaceful waterfalls, wandering creeks, bass-filled ponds and pristine lakes of Top of the Rock complete a true celebration of nature, the Ozarks and the game of golf. The experience includes Top of the Rock, a Jack Nicklaus Signature Course, an Arnold Palmer-designed Practice Facility, Tom Watson’s 70,000 square-foot putting complex called the “Himalayas,” and Arnie’s Barn, a magnificent 150-year-old barn re-located from Arnold Palmer’s backyard in Latrobe, Penn., complete with historic photos and memorabilia from Palmer’s career achievements.
In the words of PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem, “If there was ever a Par-3 course worthy of PGA TOUR tournament play, Top of the Rock is it.”
Matching the beauty of Top of the Rock is the redesigned Buffalo Ridge (Springs Course, formerly Branson Creek). Already acclaimed as the region’s top golf course, Buffalo Ridge has been transformed by the guiding hands of visionary conservationist Johnny Morris and renowned golf course architect Tom Fazio. Adding new approaches, water features and bunkers, Morris and Fazio have redesigned the course layout to bring players in close contact with nature, native grasses and free-ranging buffalo from nearby Dogwood Canyon Nature Park.
“Big Cedar Lodge is really an iconic place and the natural beauty is spectacular,” says golf legend Tom Watson, winner of five Open Championships. “Wait until you take the cart ride from the parking lot up to Top of the Rock. You’ll enjoy a two-mile trail that includes scenic overlooks, caves, crevasses and stunning views of Table Rock Lake – it is truly amazing.”
From the beginning, Morris and the Big Cedar Lodge team set out to create a beautiful, challenging and spectacular golf experience, and they have delivered. Morris has not only spent significant resources enhancing and developing the new courses from a design perspective, but also created an atmosphere that immerses players in nature like never before.
“This has been one of the most rewarding projects that I have ever worked on,” said architect Tom Fazio. “The natural surroundings and undulating terrain are very unique to deliver an extraordinary golf playing experience. On top of it all, its location, in the middle of the Missouri Ozarks, is unprecedented.”
In addition to creating a brand new playing course, changes have been implemented to specifically benefit the fans. Special attention has been given to add knolls so that spectators can easily watch the greatest golf legends in the world as they compete at the Big Cedar Lodge Legends of Golf, presented by Bass Pro Shops. Big Cedar Lodge’s commitment to cater to all of its guests needs, players and spectators alike, is perfectly aligned with the lodge’s dedication to provide personalized service on every level.
Top of the Rock golf course is located within the peaceful grounds of the newly developed Johnny Morris Ozarks Heritage Preserve which includes:
• The magnificent Osage Restaurant at Top of the Rock overlooking Table Rock Lake, Buffalo Bar and “End of the Trail” All-American Wine Cellar
• The Ancient Ozarks Natural History Museum featuring full skeletal remains of wooly mammoths, giant cave bears, hell pigs, bear dogs, terror birds and one of America’s most significant collections of prehistoric and Indian artifacts tell the incredible history of the earliest people of Missouri’s White River Basin
• The Trail of Tears a 22-foot bronze sculpture located on the patio level of the Top of the Rock restaurant stands as a tribute to Native American Indians
• A two-mile natural wonder of the Lost Canyon Cave Trail, which winds through the remarkable, 10-story tall Lost Canyon Cave
• The Ozarks Heritage Preserve, which passes over bridges that span 100-feet-deep crevasses and along breathtaking “table rock” limestone formations
• The remarkable Chapel of the Ozarks Wedding Chapel and Honeymoon Cabin
All ticketed fans will be eligible to be drawn and be paired with a Legends Golf Professional to win up to $333,333.33 of the $1 Million Shootout prize money. The $1,000,000 will be split equally between the Fan, the Legends Professional and the tournament charities, College of the Ozarks, and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.
A free golf clinic will be held for ticket holders on Friday at Top of the Rock, after tournament play concludes.
The Big Cedar Lodge Legends of Golf will be providing three spectacular ticket options:
• Buffalo Ridge Ticket: Allows access to Buffalo Ridge Golf Course- Tickets Start at $25
• Top of the Rock and Buffalo Ridge Gold Combo Tickets: Allows access to both world-class golf courses, Top of the Rock and Buffalo Ridge- Tickets Start at $50
Due to space limitations, a limited number of tickets will be sold for Top of the Rock Golf Course.
• Platinum Level Sponsorship and Ticket Packages- Allows special VIP access to the Top of the Rock Nature Preserve and Golf Course and Buffalo Ridge Golf Course. For packages and sponsorship information visit http://www.bigcedarlegends.com/
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit http://www.bigcedarlegends.com/ or http://www.basspro.com/ or call 1-888-347-4426.
For additional sponsorship and tournament information please contact Kirk Elmquist, tournament director, at 417-339-5379 or keelmquist@big-cedar.com
Bass Pro Shops and Big Cedar Lodge are providing free tickets to military and youth on certain days at Buffalo Ridge. Also, see and meet many celebrities.
About Big Cedar Lodge
Bass Pro Shops’ Big Cedar Lodge has offered guests rustic elegance in the heart of the Ozark Mountains since 1988. John and Jeanie Morris, inspired by their love of the area, created the popular vacation spot as a special place where conservation, preservation, and family traditions meld. The luxury resort-complete with nearby Dogwood Canyon Nature Park (http://www.dogwoodcanyon.org/) – has a full service marina, horseback riding, world-class fishing, and trails suited for walking, biking, and hiking. Soon to open is Johnny Morris’ Top of the Rock Ozarks Heritage Preserve. The property boasts a Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course, an Arnold Palmer practice facility, a Tom Watson “Himalayan” putting course, and Arnie’s Barn, a restaurant and pro shop housed in a relocated 150-year-old barn from Arnold Palmer’s hometown. Top of the Rock will also be home to the “Ancient Ozarks Natural History Museum,” a world class restaurant that transports guests back to a time when American bison roamed the plains, an all-American inspired wine cellar, and a wedding chapel set on the hillside with spectacular sunset views of Table Rock Lake. Top of the Rock promises to be Johnny Morris’ most passionate and inspiring venture to date. For more information, visit http://www.bigcedar.com/ Follow us on Facebook at
https://www.facebook.com/BigCedarLodge
About Bass Pro Shops®
Bass Pro Shops®, which specializes in outdoor fun, operates 84 retail stores and Tracker Marine Centers across America and Canada that are visited by more than 116 million people every year. Bass Pro Shops stores, many of which feature restaurants, offer hunting, fishing, camping, and other outdoor gear while their catalogs and website serve shoppers throughout the world. The company’s Tracker Marine Group® (http://www.trackermarine.com/), which has produced the number one selling brand of fishing boats for more than 35 years, manufactures and sells a variety of boats for fishing and cruising. Family fun is on tap at Bass Pro Shops resort Big Cedar Lodge® (http://www.bigcedar.com/) voted number six by Travel + Leisure Magazine as World’s Best Hotels for Families. For more information, visit http://www.basspro.com/. To request a free catalog, call 1-800-BASS PRO. Follow us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/bassproshops.
About the Champions Tour
Collectively, the Champions Tour has the most recognizable and accomplished players in the game, with many of its 32 members in the World Golf Hall of Fame competing regularly in its events. The Tour also counts numerous other major championship winners among its members. The Champions Tour is a membership organization of professional golfers age 50 and older. Conceived in 1980 as the Senior PGA Tour, it started with just four events and purses totaling $475,000. The Champions Tour’s primary purpose is to provide financial opportunities for its players, entertain and inspire its fans, deliver substantial value to its partners, create outlets for volunteers to give back, protect the integrity of the game, and generate significant charitable and economic impact in communities in which it plays. Points earned in official Charles Schwab Cup events in 2013 determined Kenny Perry as the Charles Schwab Cup champion, the season-long competition designed to recognize the Champions Tour’s leading player. The Commissioner of the PGA TOUR is Tim Finchem. Mike Stevens is President of the Champions Tour. The PGA TOUR’s website is pgatour.com, the No. 1 site in golf, and the organization is headquartered in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. Follow the Champions Tour at facebook.com/ChampionsTour and on Twitter @ChampionsTour.
Contact:
Megan Godfrey Sydney Friar
KemperLesnik Big Cedar Lodge
847/291-6740 (o) 417-339-5123 (o)
megan.godfrey@kemperlesnik.com scfriar@big-cedar.com
