The Best Golf Courses in Missouri

Frankly, Missouri does not a lot that it’s famous for. It’s a shame, it’s actually quite a beautiful state, and it has a rich history. Yet apart from the St. Louis arch and the fact that it’s home to the biggest brewery in America, there’s not a lot that people know about the state. If it wasn’t for St. Louis, home of the defending World Series champion Cardinals, it almost feels like Missouri would be void of any reputation whatsoever. Its nickname as the “show me state” doesn’t help matters either, since very few know what means or where it originates from. However, unbeknownst to the American public at large, Missouri is the home to some of the best golf courses in the country. The Dalhousie Golf Club widely figured to be the best golf course in the state. It was named as such four years running, from 2007-2010 and is nationally rated on a regular basis. The course, which is located in the remote town of Cape Girardeau, was designed by Jack Nicklaus, and shows off that legendary player’s golf savvy. The course, which is a par 72, is known to be quite challenging, but not completely overwhelming for those with little experience. The course is known to be a continual pristine state, with returning golfers saying that it looks prettier with each passing year. The course provides some of the most challenging bunkers known to expert golfers, thanks to their gnarly edge, and the rectangular, bent grass tee boxes prove to be a test. The Zoysia fairways are long and undulating. No wonder this course regularly plays host to the most competitive tournaments in Missouri and the Midwest in general. Of course, like was said before, it’s hard not to talk about the perks of Missouri without talking about St. Louis, and St. Louis certainly has its fair share of exemplary courses, but none tops the St. Louis Country Club. The St. Louis Country Club, which in the past has hosted the U.S. Open, holds a distinct advantage over other golf courses in Missouri, and indeed the country: It was designed by Charles Blair Macdonald, known by many to be the father of golf. The par 71 course is shorter than most, measuring at 6, 534 yards, but that does not mean it does not provide numerous challenges for the exceptional golfer. The St. Louis Country Club gains it reputation as a course with one of the hardest collection of greens, due to the course’s uphill nature. Not only are the putting greens themselves challenging, but getting to them is known to be a task as well, thanks to the abundance of obstacles placed around them. The Tavern Creek Course, located in St. Albans, is a newer course. It opened only in 1997, yet has achieved notoriety just in that 15 year span. It was ranked as one of the best new golf courses in the country, and has been named the best golf course in Missouri by notable publications over the past decade. Even the best players will struggle getting around the creeks and ponds that seem to come out of nowhere. Yet while they may prove a nuisance on the course, these rock lined creeks are known to be some of the most picturesque in golf. And no other golf course sports fully preserved Civil War era graves along the course for aesthetic value. Aside from the aforementioned Cardinals, one of the most successful franchises in Major League Baseball history, Missouri is not known for its sports, or much of anything at all really. The owners of these courses, and several others, hope to change that. If you’re interested in Branson, MO Golf and Attractions, check these out.