Cliffhangers - 18 top-class Par 3 courses in Missouri

The Cliffhangers Course is part of the Big Cedar Lodge in Hollister, Missouri, and was officially opened on July 4, 2025. Lodge owner Johnny Morris and his son John Paul "JP" are responsible for the design. The 18-hole, pure Par 3 course plays over a total length of between 1,560 and 1,910 yards. The target group here is primarily fun-oriented golfers - but the course should not be underestimated, as the full range of the short game is required, especially from the back tees. Nevertheless, with its numerous water hazards, unusual routings, pronounced bunkers and undulating greens and Fairways, the course can claim to be a "Disneyland for golfers" in a positive sense, as intelligent playing strategy is more important than the length of the shots on this course.

Spectacular holes and unique experiences

You can already see this from the first hole: it has two Pin positions. If you want to play the front one, only the Putter is allowed from the Tee. If you want to play the rear flag position, you can use a Wedge. Holes 2 and 3 then provide a real design sensation: on the second hole, which is only 83 yards long, you play from the Tee over a small waterfall towards the green - and then drive the cart through this waterfall towards the green. The signature hole is undoubtedly hole 3, known as Lion's Den. It offers a unique experience from the Tee. The course got its name because the roar of a mountain lion was allegedly heard when the course was built. Today, you drive into a cave to tee off, the roar of the mountain lion is controlled by a sensor and audio file. Then you enter another cave - and play your teeshot from a position behind a waterfall through it to the green below! You should plan a few extra minutes for this hole, as hardly any golfer gets past here without an extensive photo and video stop. The other holes also offer repeated height differences, as the Cliffhangers is integrated into the landscape of Payne's Valley. Hole 6 is called "Bunker" and requires a high teeshot over a veritable crater landscape towards the flag. The greens are repeatedly aligned across the mountainside, and on several holes the tee shot has to be played over water.

The back nine: challenges and highlights

The back nine begins with a teeshot over a small canyon, the green is framed by rocks and bunkers. Hole 11 is aptly named "Moon Rocks", as the mixture of sand and rocks behind the green is reminiscent of the Earth's satellite. Hole 13 features a two-level green and a Fairway that slopes to the right, before the next hole takes you to a lower island green, which is also surrounded by numerous bunkers. Now you can make a halfway stop (which is more of a two-thirds stop here) in the clubhouse at Payne's Valley - and of course enjoy the delicious bison hot dogs. At hole 15, the course descends again over water to a transverse green before slowly winding its way back up. The final hole is the magnificent "Intimidator", which is only 76 yards long. It runs at right angles to the famous 19th hole at Payne's Valley and therefore brings rocks, bunkers and water into play. After the final Putt, the uphill Cliff Hanger Trail is around a mile long and leads back to the clubhouse.

Challenge and fun in perfection

Cliffhangers is a wonderful example of how you can combine a challenging game with fun. It's no wonder that the course was extremely popular with families and groups shortly after it opened.