Big Cedar’s Legends in Golf

by Joshua Heston

Just about a month ago, I was invited to a press conference at Big Cedar Lodge as plans were unveiled for the Legends in Golf Tournament June 4 through 8. In addition to Bass Pro CEO Johnny Morris, Governor Jay Nixon, the legendary Lee Trevino, and lots of people very important to the PGA and Branson were there.

This conference was a dignitary-laden occasion with people dramatically more famous and distinguished than I’ll ever be — and also people far more knowledgeable about golf than I am — but more impressive was the scope of this event coupled with a very warm, down home commitment to, as Morris frequently put it, “our Ozarks.”

It is not unusual for those of us in the White River Hills to hear grandiose and clearly overblown proposals guaranteeing our Ozarks will be both commercially appreciated and properly preserved. Instead we get a thousand unneeded motel rooms or other some such increasingly ummemorable “investment” by developers just looking for a quick buck made from the backs of hardworking Ozarkers.

That does not appear to be the situation this time, as we have also come to expect from Bass Pro and the considerable vision of Morris. It is also interesting that all this came from a plan to redevelop the locally famous Top of the Rock restaurant (which has been closed for years while rumors of its opening date have spiraled about).

I distinctly remember one cold January afternoon in 2008 getting to visit Bass Pro’s fabrications facility in Nixa (article above left, Made in the USA: Bass Pro) where some ornate, hand painted chandeliers were pointed out: “Those are from Top of the Rock,” I was told. “Hopefully we can get them back in there someday.”

Well, I reckon that day is here.

Top of the Rock opens in conjunction with the tournament and it looks that Morris and his team of designers, builders and artists have pulled out all the stops.

Atop a mountain just southwest of Branson and overlooking Table Rock Lake, the facility now includes an ancient Ozarks natural history museum, the Osage Restaurant (complete with its own chef), a towering stone wedding chapel, equally imposing honeymoon “cottage,” and — as the crowning piece of the whole network — the Top of the Rock Par-3 golf course designed not only by Morris but also by Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson and Arnold Palmer.

There are extraordinary views of Table Rock and Branson, waterfalls, man made creeks, bass filled ponds, a 70,000 square foot putting course designed by Tom Watson and called the “Himalayas,” and “Arnie’s Barn,” a 150-year-old wooden barn built near Arnold Palmer’s hometown of Latrobe, Pennsylvania. The whole structure was dissasembled piece-by-piece and reconstructed here in the Ozarks by a family team of Amish builders. The barn now opens with a restaurant and pro golf shop.

The recently acquired Branson Creek Golf Course is an integral part of the event as well, having been reworked by its original designer Tom Fazio and his son Logan. Renamed Buffalo Ridge, the place is now adorned with native grasses and adjacent land will become home to a herd of American bison.

Johnny Morris, in a recent interview with The Missouri Golf Post, noted, “In addition to the Legends of Golf we’re also going to have fishing competitions and shooting competitions. We have a number of legendary fishermen like Bill Dance and Kevin VanDam, celebrity outdoorsmen, Richard Childress the racer, Tony Stewart and many others.”

In the legends division, golfers Jack Nicklaus, Bobby Nichols, Lee Trevino and many others are scheduled.

“We hope to have an event that will bring a lot of really legendary athletes and sportsman together and showcase our beautiful Ozarks, the rivers, the lakes, our golf courses, and all we have to offer in this part of the world, not the least of which is just genuinely friendly Ozarks hospitality.”

The tournament is being broadcast to over 200 nations and viewed in an estimated 145 million households.

Big Cedar Lodge Legends of Golf Schedule:

Thursday, june 5, 2014

• 6:30AM - Gates Open – Both Courses Mercury Marine Pro-Am
• 8:30AM - Top of the Rock Shotgun Start, 9 Holes, Group C (14 Teams)
• 1:30PM - Top of the Rock Shotgun Start, 9 Holes, Group D (14 Teams)
• 8:30AM - Buffalo Ridge First Tee Time, 18 Holes, Two Tee Start Group A and Group B (28 Total Teams)
• 4:30PM - Estimated Time for End of Play, both courses

Friday, june 6, 2014

• 7:30AM - Gates Open – Both Courses First Tee Time - Approximate
• 9:30AM - Top of the Rock (13 Teams)
• 9:30AM - Buffalo Ridge (12 Teams) Both Courses: First 9 alternate shot, Second 9 Best Ball
• 5PM - Estimated Time for End of Play, both courses
• 5PM - Golf Clinic, Top of the Rock Driving Range Immediately after play

Saturday, june 7, 2014

• 7:30AM - Gates Open – Both Courses First Tee Time - Approximate
• 9:30AM - Top of the Rock (12 Teams)
• 9:30AM - Buffalo Ridge (13 Teams) Both Courses: First 9 alternate shot, Second 9 Best Ball
• 5:00PM - Estimated Time for End of Play, both courses

Sunday, june 8, 2014

• 5AM - Gates Open Top of the Rock Buffalo Ridge Course Closed on Sunday
• 6AM - Worship Service Chapel of the Ozarks First Tee Time - Approximate Top of the Rock
• 7:30AM - Legends Division Final Round 22 players / 6 teams (5 foursomes, 1 twosome) 9 Holes Followed by Trophy Presentation Immediately After Trophy Presentation Champions Division Final Round 18 Holes – 9 groups low score 18 Holes – 9 groups best scores Trophy Presentation
• 6PM - Estimated Time for End of Play, both courses

June 4, 2008