Hollister, Missouri
Mountain Top is a short course that delivers anything but a short adventure. Gary Player’s 13-hole routing brings together chest-thumping vistas, bold elevation shifts, and a resort-perfect fun factor—one of America’s most memorable par-3 experiences.
Mountain Top’s design is all about drama and fun, threading 13 creative par-3 holes across rocky Ozark terrain with no two shots alike. Gary Player’s routing is a masterclass in making a short course feel grand—using elevation, natural stone, and clever green sites to demand thought and reward precision. You’ll climb, descend, and skirt mountain edges, with big vistas and even bigger shot values.
Player’s use of rock, elevation, and the Ozarks’ rugged shoulders gives Mountain Top a sense of place and purpose rarely found in par-3 golf.
This daunting par-3 stretches to 221 yards from the back markers, calling for a long-iron or even hybrid tee shot from an elevated perch. The hole’s mountain backdrop frames a wide but shallow green flanked by rugged rock faces and punishing rough.
Play for the center—anything less than solid contact risks coming up short into trouble, but long is no bargain either. Wind awareness is crucial atop this exposed shoulder.
Miss short or left and you’ll face nasty recovery shots from rock or deep rough.
Turf is impeccably groomed, greens run fast and true, and the stone-framed scenery is photogenic in any season.
Expect a quick 2 to 2.5-hour loop, even with plenty of photos.
Resort casual, outdoorsy, and distinctly upbeat—bring your camera and sense of adventure.
Standard golf attire—collared shirt and appropriate shorts or pants.
Practice knocked-down shots and trajectory control, as you’ll face huge elevation and wind shifts all round.
Bring water or grab a drink at the clubhouse—sun and hill climbs can sneak up on you.
Traction matters on these rocky, uneven climbs—blisters can ruin the fun.
The views are jaw-dropping—don’t forget to snap a few between shots.
Mountain Top course opens at Big Cedar Lodge
ASGCA cites Mountain Top for Design Excellence awards
Debuts in Golf Advisor's Top 25 US Short Courses
Hosts Missouri Golf Association Par 3 Championship
Ranked #11 US Short Course by GolfPass
Hosts MGA Par 3 Championship, cements its regional golf status
Gary Player and Johnny Morris insisted on using on-site Ozark stone for tees and pathways, creating a course that truly feels as if it emerges from the mountain itself. It's a tactile experience from the moment you step onto the first tee.
Mountain Top’s PGA Champions Tour spotlight came with the Bass Pro Shops Legends of Golf, putting this unconventional venue beside its longer siblings in the national eye and letting legends of the game chase pins on pure par-3s.
With rounds rarely exceeding two and a half hours, Mountain Top introduced many to quick, yet spectacular, golf that still packs a competitive bite. Legends and guests rave about the ability to play more golf, not less, on Big Cedar’s ridges.
One of the only 13-hole par-3 courses in the U.S.
Bass Pro Shops Legends of Golf was played here on Champions Tour.
Every teeing area is built from native Ozark stone.
No two holes play the same direction or length.
Average round takes less than 2.5 hours despite big walks.
Top-tier companion and Coore & Crenshaw design
Tour-caliber, Tiger Woods' first public course
Dramatic Ozark setting, variety and water
Short but unforgettable, with legendary views
Classic challenge, best value in the area
Big Cedar Lodge or Branson for easy access and regional dining.
Courses with the most similar DNA profile — matched by deviation shape across all eight playing characteristics.
Why it matches: What links these two? Makes the landscape part of the experience — a familiar feeling, expressed in Linville Golf Club's own setting.
Why it matches: There is real overlap here. Warwick Country Club shares a memorable sense of place, making it a compelling counterpart to Mountain Top.
Why it matches: What links these two? Makes the landscape part of the experience — a familiar feeling, expressed in Cliffhangers Golf Course's own setting.
Community Sentiment
See something inaccurate in this listing?