Preview Play Begins at the First Public-Access Course by Tiger Woods at Big Cedar Lodge

Visitors invited to play the first 13 holes of Payne’s Valley at Big Cedar Lodge starting March 6

Ridgedale, Missouri – Big Cedar Lodge, America’s premier wilderness resort and a growing destination for world-class nature golf, is proud to announce that Payne’s Valley will open to the public for preview play starting March 6. The highly-anticipated 19-hole course, designed by Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris and 82-time PGA TOUR champion Tiger Woods, will be the first public-access design in the United States by TGR Design designed to showcase the natural beauty of the Ozarks.

Named in honor of golf legend and Ozarks native, the late Payne Stewart, Payne’s Valley is slated for a grand opening later in the season. Through a partnership between Johnny Morris, noted conservationist and founder of Big Cedar Lodge and Bass Pro Shops, and Tiger Woods, the 19-hole layout was created with the intent to foster a deeper connection to nature through the game of golf. The walkable course will be challenging yet player-friendly and will include an unforgettable finish where golfers must traverse through a breathtaking natural cave system to return to the clubhouse.

“We are excited to give golf fans a taste of the truly remarkable experience we are creating here in the Ozarks,” said Johnny Morris. “Payne’s Valley marks the fifth golf course at Big Cedar Lodge, helping to solidify it as America’s next great golf destination. We are confident Payne’s Valley will be a truly memorable experience for all golfers, and we can’t wait to share it with the public.”

During the special preview play experience, fans will have access to play the first 13 holes and view “The Rock at Payne’s Valley,” a dramatic setting for the final “bet settling” hole designed by Johnny Morris.

Payne’s Valley preview play can be reserved for $195 per person, which includes golf cart, access to the range at Ozarks National and on-course snacks. Guests are also eligible for a replay rate of $130 which can be used at Payne’s Valley. Juniors can play Payne’s Valley for $55 per round.

Interested golfers can call 800-225-6343 to book tee times on Payne’s Valley today.

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About Big Cedar Lodge

Located in the heart of Missouri’s Ozark Mountains, Big Cedar Lodge is America’s premier wilderness resort. A passion of Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris, the 4,600-acre lakeside retreat connects families to the outdoors with a variety of nature-based experiences including fishing, boating, hiking, spa and wellness offerings, hosting over 1.5 million guests annually. Signature attractions include Top of the Rock, home to world-class golf, dining, and entertainment; and Dogwood Canyon Nature Park, a 10,000-acre nonprofit wildlife preserve. Named “Number One Resort in the Midwest” by the readers of Travel + Leisure, the resort offers genuine Ozarks hospitality and a convenient location just south of Branson. Learn more at www.bigcedar.com.

Big Cedar Golf: Nature’s Finest 

Big Cedar Golf is America’s next great golf destination, located in the Missouri Ozarks at Big Cedar Lodge. The experience includes five uniquely distinct courses that embrace the nature of the Missouri Ozarks. Johnny Morris, noted conservationist and outdoorsman, created Big Cedar Golf to further his vision for a world-class outdoor resort that combines a shared appreciation for nature and a premier golf experience. Morris has partnered with the some of the most notable names in golf to create an unparalleled golf experience in the Ozarks. The courses at Big Cedar Lodge include:

• Ozarks National designed by world-renowned golf architect duo Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, opened at Big Cedar Lodge in 2019. The 18-hole championship course is the first and only golf course in Missouri designed by Coore & Crenshaw, which was honored as the Best New Public Course by Golf Digest in 2019. With breathtaking views, the course also includes interesting features, such as a 400-foot wooden beam and plank bridge, which connects the tee box and fairway of the 13th hole that stands 60-feet above a flowing creek.
• The Mountain Top Course designed by Gary Player, a stunning 13-hole, par-3 short course, opened in August 2017. Player teamed up with Johnny Morris to create an unparalleled experience for golfers that features dramatic rock formations and some of the most breathtaking and unobstructed views in the region.
• Payne’s Valley, a course by Tiger Woods’ TGR Design, named in honor of the late Payne Stewart. This will be the first fully public-access course in the world completed by Woods and his design firm. A partnership between Morris, Woods and the Stewart family, Payne’s Valley will showcase the region’s natural beauty through a 19-hole championship course.
• Buffalo Ridge Springs is an 18-hole championship course designed by renowned course architect Tom Fazio and visionary conservationist Johnny Morris. Ranked by GOLF Magazine as the No. 1 Public Golf Course You Can Play in Missouri in for multiple year, the course features herds of roaming bison grazing on the native prairie grasses that surround the golf course boundaries. Buffalo Ridge Springs covers approximately 450 acres of Ozark Mountain terrain with flowing creeks, scenic lakes and natural limestone formations.
• The Top of the Rock Golf Course is a true celebration of nature and Ozarks heritage. Honored as the first par-3 course to be featured on a PGA TOUR-sanctioned event, the 9-hole course offers an unrivaled golf experience with unparalleled panoramic views that highlight the work of the course architect, Jack Nicklaus.

For more details about the golf experience at Big Cedar Lodge, please visit bigcedar.com/golf

Media Contact:
Hannah Breeding
KemperLesnik
Hannah.Breeding@KemperLesnik.com | 312.837.1526