How Tiger Woods and an Ozarks Billionaire Showed Jack Nicklaus There’s a Better Way With Joyful Payne’s Valley

RIDGEDALE, Mo. — Tiger Woods is not just a tease. While Woods’ name is what will draw people to Payne’s Valley — his first public golf course design — the course itself more than lives up to the hype that the most iconic golfer on earth brings to anything he does. Unspooling over rugged terrain in the Ozark Mountains, Tiger’s course is heavy on the wows and light on the punishment.

Jack Nicklaus started his golf course design career by making courses that many rightly argued were too difficult for ordinary golfers. But Nicklaus’ main competition for greatest player ever status does not make the same mistake. Tiger’s made Payne’s Valley a surprisingly playable course for us mere mortals — as long as you’re not foolish enough to play from the back tees.

Of course, some lucky Texas golfers already know about Woods’ early prowess in golf course design. The renowned Bluejack National in Montgomery (little more than 50 miles from downtown Houston) is Tiger’s first United States golf course design of any kind. A private, membership-only course, Bluejack National is now the No. 1 rated golf course in all of Texas. Payne’s Valley is chasing that kind of status in Missouri, a smaller state and golf universe.

Playing Payne’s Valley can be an almost serene experience. This course named after the late Payne Stewart, who was one of a young Tiger’s better friends on the PGA Tour and is a native of nearby Springfield, Missouri, is more striking than penalizing. With 300-million-year-old limestone formations running along several holes, it’s easy to get lost in this course.

Especially since Payne’s Valley seems tucked away from the world — with no houses around (at least for now).

“The property is just gorgeous,” Woods said during Payne Valley’s official opening event — a Golf Channel televised match between Tiger, World No. 3 Justin Thomas, World No. 4 Rory McIlroy and England icon Justin Rose. “Had to dynamite a few things here and there.”

That is how you create a golf wonderland in The Ozarks. No, Marty Byrde scheming required. Tiger Woods’ course is the just the latest, headline-grabbing attraction in Bass Pro Shop billionaire Johnny Morris’ ever-growing Big Cedar Lodge universe. Morris has been dubbed The Walt Disney of The Great Outdoors and whatever you think of that moniker, there is little doubt about what Morris has created on the golf end.

The Big Cedar golf complex — which is about a 20-minute shuttle drive from the resort — also boasts a Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw course (Ozark National), a Tom Fazio course (Buffalo Ridge), a rollicking, water-filled Jack Nicklaus designed par 3 course (Top of the Rock) and a 13-hole short course from golf Hall of Famer Gary Player. With the addition of Tiger’s first public golf course, Big Cedar is in position to challenge even the storied Bandon Dunes in terms of being the perfect golf buddies trip destination..

While being in the middle of nowhere in Oregon is part of Bandon Dunes charm, Big Cedar being set away in its own world, but still just 10 miles outside of the wackiness of Branson, brings its own perks.

There are few places in America where you can get three true showcase courses and two of the best par 3 courses in the world (which is a direction golf should be going in) in one locale. There is only one that includes a Tiger Woods course that’s open to the public. Big Cedar does not just have the three best golf courses in the state of Missouri — it now has the most anticipated new course in America.

Tiger’s World

You will not lose a lot of golf balls on Tiger’s course. Payne’s Valley is ingenious in the way it presents wide fairway landing spaces and then gets tougher as you get closer to the greens.

Even the rough on the edge of the fairways isn’t overly penalizing. Woods clearly wants average golfers and weekend hackers to have fun.  Yes, that’s right FUN. It’s a word that is too often forgotten or dismissed in the still often pretentious world of golf, but the golfer who changed everything puts it at the forefront of his first public golf course.

Things really kick into gear on the fifth hole — the kind of short par 5 that Tiger used to feast on in big-time tournaments, one that gives regular golfers a chance. There is a creek in front of the green that puts plenty of strategy into play and a roaring waterfall (Big Cedar is full of man-made waterfalls) in the back.

Tiger understands golf drama too. This is the Lin-Manuel Miranda of golf holes.

Then, you’re onto the island green par 3 sixth hole.  This is another blast of a hole to play. Woods keeps the thrills going without ever taking Payne’s  Valley towards anything gimmick. This is pure golf — from the high tee that towers above the par 3 10th hole to the par 5 18th’s dogleg along a band of those striking prehistoric rocks and a large pond. It’s an interesting finisher, only it’s not the finish.

For Payne’s Valley also includes a beyond theatrical bonus 19th hole largely conjured up from the mind of Johnny Morris. With the green completely surrounded by the striking limestone rocks, this 136 yard hole is no throwaway. It will leave you with several more smiles after a round that’s full of them.

Even getting to the hole is a blast with a long climb up on your golf cart giving a great demonstration of just how much elevation this property has. You get a great view of the entire area before you even reach the 19th tee.

Getaways that get you away from crowds are more valuable than ever — and a Big Cedar golf trip definitely delivers on that front. Play Payne’s Valley and you’re getting a world class resort course in a low key nature land. The $225 greens fee for the 19 holes is not cheap, but it’s less than the $260 to $295 greens fees that all five Bandon Dunes courses charge from June through October.

This is showcase golf with all the trappings. But Tiger Woods makes his first public course worth it.