As Bagnell Dam celebrates its 95th Anniversary and the incorporation of Lake Ozark is celebrating 60 years let’s take a look at how golf has developed, changed, and enhanced the landscape of the Lake of the Ozarks.
As water began to fill and form the Lake of the Ozarks, communities around the newly formed lake began to grow, and with that golf came to the area. Three years after Bagnell Dam began operations in 1931 the Eldon Country Club opened a 9-hole sand green golf course, beginning the golf revolution surrounding the Lake.
Sixteen years later another sand green 9-hole course opened in Camdenton, the Camdenton Golf Club located adjacent to the airport. The final sand green course at the Lake was the 9-hole course in Versailles, Rolling Hills, which was opened in 1955.
In 1962 the Turkey Bend Poultry Farm in Osage Beach was transformed into the Dogwood Hills Golf Course. It was the first 18-hole course and the first course to feature regulation grass greens. Dogwood Hills had a 52 year run but closed in 2014 to make way for development. By 1969, two new courses were built and were ready for play. The Camdenton Golf Club was replaced by Lake Valley Country Club, an 18-hole member owned private facility, and The Hidden Lakes Golf Course opened at the Tan-Tar-A Resort in preparation for the 1970 National Governors’ Conference that was held at the resort.
Golf construction slowed during the seventies with the economic downturn, but by 1980 two new 18-hole facilities opened in the area featuring named designers Robert Trent Jones Sr., Bruce Devlin, and Robert Von Hagge. The Trent Jones Cove Course opened in 1979 at the Lodge of Four Seasons, and in 1980 the Tan-Tar-A ski slopes were gone and the Devlin/Von Hagge designed Oaks Golf Course opened. These two courses transformed the landscape of golf at the lake, and throughout the eighties were the gems of the area. Each hosted many collegiate tournaments and other regional events that put the lake on the golfing map in the mid-west. By the end of the decade the west side of the lake opened a new 9-hole course called Indian Rock, which later expanded to 18 holes in the mid-nineties.
The nineties saw five new courses open and three others expand. In 1991 the 9-hole course called Bay View debuted on Y Road in Linn Creek, and the Lodge of Four Seasons opened their second championship 18-hole course called The Ridge. In 1992 North Port National, known today as Osage National, opened their original Arnold Palmer designed 18 hole course with a skins game featuring Arnold, Lee Trevino, and Missouri natives Payne Stewart and Tom Watson. In 1995 Sycamore Creek opened their original 9-hole course and expanded to eighteen holes in 1999. Indian Rock and Osage National had also expanded to 18 and 27 holes respectively by the turn of the century.
1999 also brought about the opening of the Tom Weiskoph signature 18-hole course, the Club at Old Kinderhook. The club is situated on land once known as the Empire Ranch, which 30 years before had been days away from becoming the site of Lake Valley Country Club before the existing site was secured.
The 2000’s brought the last new courses to the Lake of the Ozarks. Bear Creek Valley opened in 2001 and Redfield Golf Club opened in Eugene that same year. The Jack Nicklaus signature course, the Club at Porto Cima, also opened in 2001 with Jack himself here for the grand opening. The final piece was The Club at Deer Chase which opened in 2004 to round out the Lake of the Ozarks golf courses.
Golf has played an important part of the lakes history dating back over 90 years, but none of the growth and success would have been possible without the building of Bagnell Dam. Here’s to wishing Bagnell Dam the best DAM 95th Birthday party this summer!!
Historic Timeline of Golf Courses
1934 Eldon Country Club 9-Hole Sand Green Golf Course
1950 Camdenton Golf Club 9-Hole Sand Green Golf Course
Closed 1969
1955 Rolling Hills Country Club 9-Hole Sand Green Golf Course
1962 Dogwood Hills Golf Club 1st 18-Hole Grass Green Golf Course
Closed 2014
1969 Lake Valley Country Club 18-Hole Golf Course (replaces Camdenton Golf Club)
1969 Hidden Lakes at Tan-Tar-A 9-Hole Golf Course
Closed 2020
1979 The Cove at The Lodge of 4 Seasons 18-Hole Golf Course
1980 The Oaks at Tan-Tar-A 18-Hole Golf Course
Now Margaritaville Lake Resort
1987 Indian Rock Golf Club 9-Hole Golf Course
1991 Bay View Golf Club 9-Hole Golf Course
Closed 2010
1991 The Ridge at The Lodge of 4 Seasons 18-Hole Golf Course
1992 North Port National Original 18 Hole Golf Course
Now Osage National Golf Resort
1995 Sycamore Creek Golf Club 9-Hole Golf Course
1998 Indian Rock Golf Club Expand to an 18-Hole Golf Course
1998 Osage National Golf Resort Expands to a 27-Hole Golf Course
1999 The Club at Old Kinderhook 18-Hole Golf Course
1999 Sycamore Creek Golf Club Expands to an 18-Hole Golf Course
Closed 2016
2001 Bear Creek Valley Golf Club 18-Hole Golf Course
2001 The Club at Porto Cima Private 18-Hole Golf Course
2001 Redfield Golf Club 18-Hole Golf Course
2004 The Club at Deer Chase 18-Hole Golf Course
