The three courses that define Big Cedar's reputation, played across three days with a cave tour and spa session between rounds.
3 Days
Bucket List Trip
$1500–$2800/person
3
Moderate
This itinerary targets the three courses that carry Big Cedar's national reputation: Payne's Valley, Ozarks National, and Top of the Rock. The selection covers Tiger Woods' championship design, the Coore and Crenshaw ridgeline routing, and the Nicklaus par-3 with PGA Tour history. Three courses across three days provides one round per day with time for the cave tour, a spa session, and the Top of the Rock dining experience.
Fly into Springfield-Branson National Airport and drive south to Big Cedar Lodge, arriving by early afternoon. Check in and head to Ozarks National for an afternoon tee time.
Morning round on the Jack Nicklaus par-3 course at Top of the Rock. The nine holes through limestone cliffs above Table Rock Lake play in roughly two hours, leaving the rest of the day free.
Morning tee time on Tiger Woods' championship design. Payne's Valley is the flagship course and the reason most golfers first hear about Big Cedar, and playing it on the final day provides the trip's crescendo.
Check out and return to SGF, a 60- to 70-minute drive. For golfers extending the trip, the drive north to Springfield passes near several Branson attractions, and a stop at Silver Dollar City or Branson Landing adds a few hours of non-golf activity before the flight.
Big Cedar Lodge or the Top of the Rock Cottages serve equally well as the base for this itinerary. The cottages offer more privacy and proximity to the Top of the Rock course, while the lodge provides the full resort amenity set. A rental car is useful but not strictly necessary if the resort shuttle schedule aligns with the tee times and activity plans. The total green fee across the three courses at resort guest peak rates is approximately $760 per person (Ozarks National $225, Top of the Rock $135, Payne's Valley $400). Shoulder season rates in April or October reduce this by up to 39 percent.
$1500–$2800
per person
3 Days
2 nights
3
courses included