Golf trips: Payne's Valley, Big Cedar Golf: Tiger's first public golf course

Big Cedar Lodge in Hollister, Missouri, is part of the empire of Bass Pro Shops owner, Johnny Miller, and includes three 18-hole championship courses and three Par-3 courses. Payne's Valley is the first publicly accessible design by Tiger Woods and his TGR Design. The course opened in 2019 with an initial 13 holes. With a total length of between 4,957 and 7,370 yards with four tees per hole, the resort's newest championship course is both the longest and shortest course.

Payne's Valley: of waterfalls and bunker landscapes

The course with its wide Fairways and numerous water hazards is a tribute to major winner Payne Stewart from the Ozarks. Due to the wide Fairways, the Rough rarely comes into play, but the numerous water hazards can be ball-draining. From the first tee, there is a great view of the Ozark Mountains before the round starts slightly downhill - as the name suggests, the course is located in a valley, so you play downhill from the first hole and then uphill again towards the clubhouse at the end of the round. After a few classic resort holes, the up to 544-yard Par-5 on hole 4 leads to the first water hazard. Shortly before the green, the spur of a waterfall comes into play from the right, separating the green from the Fairway and then forming a pond to the left of the flag.

Hole 5, a maximum 188-yard Par-3, also features pure water with an island green. The front nine continues without water, but with numerous bunkers and significant elevation changes. Before the ninth green, you should definitely look towards the clubhouse, which towers high above the course, and the par-3 Cliffhangers course, which opened in July 2025, also dominates the picture. In the clubhouse, you can purchase some exclusive merchandise with the Payne's Valley logo (these items are not available in the clubhouse) and, above all, enjoy the signature meal: a bison hot dog.

The back nine and the spectacular 19th hole

The back nine begins with a magnificent Par-3 downhill and once again brings water into play. Then it continues in classic resort golf style, the holes are comparatively easy to play, but the numerous differences in elevation require precise club selection. The design sets the final chord with the up to 224-yard Par-3 on hole 16: a pond lurks to the left of the green, which is fed by a downhill stream with a watermill. After a long par-4 uphill, the final hole on the left brings water into play once again, which extends to behind the last green.

Last fairway? Not quite, because owner Johnny Morris surprised Tiger during the design phase with an additional 19th fairway. It was integrated into the exposed rocks of the Ozark Mountains. The up to 134-yard Par-3 is played to an island green, which in turn is embedded in a mighty rock niche. Behind the green is a waterfall almost 60 meters high - this course alone is worth a trip to Big Cedar. This course is the perfect Insta-spot! Once you've completed the extra hole, there's an approximately one-mile return uphill along the Cliff Hanger Trail, which takes golfers through the mighty cliffs, several caves and numerous watercourses.

Nature, design and social media

Payne's Valley combines nature and golf in a unique way. If you've always wanted to play a Tiger Woods course, this is the place to do it - although the round will certainly tear a medium-sized hole in your golf budget. However, you not only get to play a perfectly maintained course, but also enjoy one of the most popular golf courses on social media: the famous 19th fairway.