Set in Missouri’s beautiful Ozark Mountains near Table Rock Lake, Big Cedar Lodge is a full-scale entertainment destination for families seeking a rustic, outdoors-oriented getaway. Golf is a major attraction, but it shares the stage with spectacular scenery, wildlife, fishing, and a remarkable array of outdoor activities—including a cart ride down a cliff, surrounded by waterfalls and passing through a bat cave. The resort also features the Ancient Ozarks Natural History Museum, with exhibits highlighting prehistoric creatures, Native American artifacts, Civil War history, and the American West.

The photographs accompanying this article capture much of what makes Big Cedar special: dramatic ridgelines, rock formations, water, and spectacular sunsets, sometimes punctuated by the firing of a Civil War cannon to signal the end of the day.

A Remarkable Collection of Golf Courses

Big Cedar’s golf portfolio is remarkable in both quality and variety. Across six courses, golfers can choose from a quick scenic loop, a walking adventure, memorable par-three experiences, or championship-caliber layouts.

Top of the Rock, designed by Jack Nicklaus, is a nine-hole par-three course. Gary Player’s Mountain Top is a 13-hole walking course. Cliffhangers is an 18-hole par-three course built dramatically along the side of a cliff and created by Johnny Morris and his son. The championship layouts include Tom Fazio’s Buffalo Ridge, Coore & Crenshaw’s Ozarks National, and Tiger Woods’ Payne’s Valley.

Throughout our visit, the courses were maintained to an exceptionally high standard.

When our reservations were made in October 2025, the quoted green fees were $250 for Buffalo Ridge and Ozarks National, $200 for Cliffhangers, and $400 for Payne’s Valley. Top of the Rock was quoted at $135 and Mountain Top at $100. These rates did not include tax.

There was, however, a frustrating disconnect between the quoted rates and what we were ultimately charged. Big Cedar Lodge charged us $425 for Payne’s Valley and $265 plus tax for Cliffhangers. For a destination positioned at this level, I believe clear and consistent communication regarding pricing is particularly important.

Cliffhangers: An Unexpected Highlight

Cliffhangers was, for me, one of the most enjoyable golf experiences at Big Cedar Lodge.

This 18-hole par-three course features holes ranging from approximately 70 to 170 yards, but the yardage tells only part of the story. The setting and design make each hole memorable.

On the opening hole, the shot plays dramatically down a 50-foot elevation change. On the third hole, golfers hit from within a Lion’s Den within a canyon wall to a green approximately 110 yards below. Throughout the course, highly contoured greens, forced carries over lakes and waterfalls, and cavernous bunkering create a wonderful combination of challenge and visual drama.

What makes Cliffhangers particularly appealing is that it does not feel like a scaled-down version of a championship course. It is its own experience—creative, scenic, fun, and wonderfully suited to the setting.  The ride back up the cliff through numerous cascading waterfalls and switchbacks, while safe, is not for the faint-hearted of those fearing heights.

For golfers visiting Big Cedar, I would make a point of playing it.

Payne’s Valley: A Different Experience

Payne’s Valley is clearly intended to be the headliner of the Big Cedar golf collection. The course includes a memorable bonus par-three hole that finishes at the base of a limestone wall and waterfalls. The resort has also received significant recognition for the course, including its promotion as “America’s Best Public Golf Course” following the 2026 USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice recognition.

My experience, however, was considerably less enthusiastic.

I found the course visually impressive but, from a playing perspective, less engaging than I had anticipated. The enormous fairways offered relatively few strategic choices, and I found the bunkering and green complexes less compelling than those at several of the other Big Cedar courses. For me, the overall experience did not match the reputation or the $425 price we paid.

That is, of course, a personal assessment. Golfers value different things in a course, and Payne’s Valley clearly has many admirers. For my taste, however, the course did not provide the level of strategic interest and enjoyment I was expecting at that price point.

If time or budget is limited, I would personally devote those resources to other courses in the Big Cedar collection.

A Few Logistical Frustrations

The golf experience was not without some administrative frustrations. Lodging and golf reservations did not appear on one integrated itinerary or single confirmation, as they do at Bandon Dunes. Instead, we received six separate emails for six reservations.

Lodging begins at approximately $350 before taxes and resort fees, so a visit to Big Cedar can become a significant investment. For a destination at this level, a more seamless reservation and confirmation process would make the experience easier for guests.

Still, these inconveniences do not diminish the many strengths of the resort.

Click here to see the pictures of Payne’s Valley, Cliffhangers, and other features of the resort.  Download