Lake of the Ozarks Golf Trail

FREE FOURSOME GIVEAWAY - THE OAKS! You can win a round of golf plus cart for four people at The Oaks at Margaritaville Lake Resort! All you have to do is: 1) Like our page if you haven't already, 2) Like this post and 3) tell us why you love playing golf at the Lake of the Ozarks in the comments for a chance to win. Winner will be announced Thursday, May 6. Full rules and guidelines available at https://golfingmissouri.com/free-foursome-giveaway-the-oak/

Ha Ha Tonka is a favorite off-the-course adventure and a must-see for anyone visiting the area.

Demo day at Osage:

The Golf Trail was recently featured in a story by KCTV. The story reads: Missouri is home to dozens of golf courses in some of the state's most beautiful places. Whether you're new to the game or a seasoned player, you can test your skills on courses designed by some of the biggest names in the sport. After you've finished a round or two, there's plenty more to experience outdoor adventure, exciting entertainment, family fun, and fantastic food and drink. So grab your club...s and pack your bags you'll want to stay awhile. The Lake of the Ozarks Golf Trail includes several standout courses. Old Kinderhook Golf Course, designed by Tom Weiskopf, is carved out of the Ozark hills and features rolling terrain and rock-lined waterfalls. Beautiful lake views are on display at The Cove at the Lodge of the Four Seasons the resorts' flagship course. Golf legend Arnold Palmer designed the original 18-holes at the Osage National Golf Resort. An additional nine holes have been added to the course, which boasts towering Osage River bluff views. Once you're off the links, you'll want to spend time on the water. Marinas throughout the area provide boat rentals for fishing, skiing and cruising the expansive lake. For more outdoor adventure, explore Ha Ha Tonka State Park with 15 miles of hiking trails, a natural bridge and the intriguing remains of a European-style stone castle. Go below the surface at Bridal Cave to see amazing rock formations and an underground lake. Discover more family fun at Miner Mike's and Jolly Mon Indoor Water Park. Choose from a variety of dining options such as JB Hook's, Baxter's Lakeside Grille and 1932 Reserve. Waterfront bars and grills offer live entertainment and lakeside pools. Spend some time shopping at the lake's boutiques, galleries and antique stores. You can browse more than 20 shops at The Landing on Main Street. Lodging at the Lake of the Ozarks ranges from small resorts to large hotels and lodges, including Old Kinderhook Golf Resort, The Lodge of the Four Seasons and Margaritaville Lake Resort. Read the whole story here: https://www.kctv5.com//article_4545b4ca-a293-11eb-8970-679

Ooof. Where did this nonsense weather come from?!?

Golf Trail Tip of the Month: Henry England, head PGA Pro at Redfield Golf Course, has this advice for golfers to get the most out of their swing: "A great tip for golfers that are trying to improve their ball striking is understanding our 'swing center.' Our golf swing is typically one big circle and in the middle of the circle is your swing center. On your body, that makes your sternum the center. The more that swing center moves, either away or laterally from the ball, it... will be more difficult to make consistent contact with the ball. Our goal is to create speed and power by rotating our spine without losing our swing center. This is particularly important for iron swings as an iron swing is different from a driver swing. The iron swing is typically a little steeper because we are trying to generate as much energy possible for when we make contact with the ground. When we see very skilled ball strikers consistently make contact with the ground after the ball, that’s because their dispersing energy into the ground, which gives the ball lift. They’re not focusing on ball contact per se, they’re focusing on ground contact with the club. Most amateurs don’t maintain their swing center even in the pre-shot process. Always check your sternum at address. You want to be able to draw an invisible line from your sternum to the butt of the club, down the club shaft and right to the ball. The same goes for different ball positions with different irons -- wherever your ball position goes, your swing center goes. The longer you keep your swing center at address and at impact, I guarantee your ball striking will be stronger and more consistent." Work on your swing and enjoy time on the course by booking a tee time at Redfield today at www.RedfieldGolf.com.

In case you were wondering....

In case you’re looking to hit a few:

Accommodations of the Month: Don your shades, kick up your feet, and grab your favorite drink. Tucked away on the banks of the Lake of the Ozarks in Osage Beach, Margaritaville Lake Resort is a refuge for endless fun. Inspired by the lyrics and lifestyle of singer, songwriter and author Jimmy Buffett, this resort invites you to live it up on the Lake. Unwind lakeside, and find your own corner of calm in the middle of it all, surrounded by the beauty and seclusion of the Lake ...of the Ozarks. After enjoying a day playing your selection of the 13 different courses available at the Lake of the Ozarks, Margaritaville's 494 laid-back, easy going guest rooms and suites let you rest and relax in true Margaritaville fashion. At Margaritaville, you can tee off on two championship golf courses or set out on a lake cruise with WaveRunner, power boat and paddle boat rentals at the resort's full-service marina. Flavors and cocktails play together to form a meal you won't soon forget at Margaritaville's eight different restaurants and bars. Find your moment of zen at Driftwood Spa and Salon. Spend the day cooling off at Jolly Mon Indoor Water Park, or explore local trails on horseback. Waterfront surroundings, lakeside adventures, and relaxing vibes set on 420 scenic acres. There's no better paradise than Margaritaville. Book an unforgettable Golf Trail Getaway today at https://www.margaritavilleresortlakeoftheozarks.com/

Congrats to Hideki Matsuyama for an impressive victory at The Masters. Its made for a fascinating watch.

Looking for more tips to improve your iron play? https://golf.com//how-to-hit-an-iron-from-fairway-five-ke/

Course of the Month: REDFIELD GOLF COURSE is a public links-style course with bent grass fairways nestled in some of the most scenic land Missouri has to offer, just minutes from the Lake of the Ozarks. This course features five sets of tees to accommodate golfers of every skill level. Redfield is one of the few courses in the entire state with bent grass fairways to guarantee your golfing experience will be a memorable one. Redfield offers a full service restaurant and bar t...hat will take care of all your food and beverage needs as well as a lighted driving range that is open seven days a week. Redfield is open year around, weather permitting. Off-season, replay, senior and twilight rates are available. For more information about Redfield Golf Course, call the Pro Shop at 573-498-0110 or visit RedfieldGolf.com.

The more you know:

Who else is going through the struggle on this #MemeFriday?

Tournament Time! Osage National Golf Resort hosts the 37th Annual Clown Golf Classic the weekend of April 24 and 25. Registration costs $175 per player or $525 per team of three golfers. The Clown Golf Classic kicks off with a party at Osage National on Saturday night with a live and silent auction, complimentary cocktails and hors d'oeuvres. On Sunday, breakfast is provided at Osage beginning at 8 a.m. and the tournament play begins at 10 a.m. on the River and Mountain cours...es. Complimentary beverages will be served on the course with a free BBQ lunch and awards ceremony to follow golf. Funds raised for the tournament go to benefit the Lake of the Ozarks Dream Factory, a non-profit organization dedicated to granting dreams to children (ages 3 through 18) whose lives are threatened by a critical or chronic illness. More details and registration information can be found at www.ClownGolf.com. See more

BIG CHANGES COMING AT LAKE VALLEY GOLF CLUB IN CAMDENTON Rob Wilson, Head PGA Pro at Lake Valley Golf Club, details the improvements taking place at Lake Valley this year: "Moving into the 2021 golf season, on behalf of Lake Valley, I'm proud to announce some big changes coming to both the clubhouse and the golf course. Our first project started January 4 with a clubhouse remodel of the men’s and women’s restrooms, locker rooms, and the bar area. We will now have six TV’s and... a new audio system so you can enjoy your favorite sporting events here at Lake Valley. Also, we will have a new food menu to start the season. We are all excited about the changes happening and we know these changes will provide our members and guests with an amazing new look and atmosphere. The clubhouse is tentatively scheduled to reopen the first week in March. "The next big change coming to Lake Valley is a complete bunker renovation which started Jan 18. We hired Mammoth Sports Construction along with Todd Clark, our course architect, to carry out the bunker renovation. They have started digging out all the existing sand and will soon start reshaping and recontouring the bunkers. We will be converting bunkers to premier play, which is a white sand from Premier Sand out of Arkansas. Also, we will be installing better billy bunker liner which is one of the best liners on the market to ensure our bunkers drain properly and extend the life of the bunkers. The liner is a layer of 2-inches of gravel which is then sprayed with a polymer that binds the gravel together and hardens like concrete, but this layer remains porous and allows water to move through the liner and into the drain. This project should be completed by mid-March, assuming Mother Nature cooperates. "All of us here at Lake Valley are excited about the changes coming this year and we hope to see all of you soon to enjoy the new experience."

Our Golf Trail courses are open for play. If you plan to play any of the Lake of the Ozarks Golf Trail courses at this time or in the near future, you will find all the safety protocols and guidelines currently in place at each of our courses to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and protect our golfers and guests on the following page: tinyurl.com/GolfTrailCovid19. In order to play and ensure everyone’s safety, these guidelines must be respected and followed. We also respectfull...y insist that all golfers remember to maintain a safe social distance (no less than six feet apart) both on and off the course. We encourage you to check this page regularly as we will update it with any new changes in policy. Thank you for your cooperation. Stay safe and stay healthy!

Valentine's Day is just 1 week away! No need to panic - there's still plenty of time to give the perfect gift... our Love by the Lake package includes a night... in our Main Lodge, a 50-minute couples massage at award-winning Spa Shiki & a $100 dining credit. Can't make it on Valentine's Day? No worries! The special runs for all of February. Get the full details and book at bit.ly/3amcCfh. #4seasonsresort #lakelife #ValentinesDay #giftideas

Congratulations to Rich Wise of Mansfield, MO! Rich was selected as our November Golf Trail Facebook winner. Rich, if you're reading this, send us a message with your mailing address we will put your prize in the mail. We hope to see you on the Trail soon!

Tournament Time! Margaritaville Lake Resort invites you to join the annual Spring Fling Two-Man Scramble Tournament, April 24 and 25. Entry is $300 per team and includes two days of golf at The Oaks, plus cart and more. Practice rounds are available on Friday, April 23. Special "Two-Man Invitational" room rates are available for $114, plus tax. Be sure to mention the "Two-Man Invitational" rate when you call for lodging. For more information, call The Oaks Pro Shop at 573-348-8522 or download the registration form at https://files.constantcontact.com//e76a5f04-f3d1-4959-a3b7

Eldon Golf Club has some exciting changes coming for 2021. Michael Cummings, General Manager and Head PGA Pro at Eldon has this to say about the improvements: "We've changed our operational structure to now include a full-service snack bar area that features both indoor and outdoor seating areas. "The Golf Shop has moved to the adjacent building with the addition of our Indoor Learning Center. The Indoor Learning Center will include two indoor hitting bays with GCQuad Launch ...Monitor and SkyTrak Technologies. Also, an indoor putting green will be available. The Indoor Learning Center will feature a full fitting process with all major manufacturers, Bag Mapping for individuals looking to fine tune the yardages of their current clubs as well as full practice and playing technology. Please visit our website at www.EldonGolfClub.com for more details and pricing structure." See more

Food for Thought: "Golf is a weird sport. Some days you got it. Some days you don't. I try not to get too emotional, whether it's going really well or going really bad, I always try to stay even keel -- which is great for golf, but it isn't always great for life." - Dustin Johnson, winner of the 2020 Masters Tournament

Seasonal Course Updates: The following courses will be open throughout the year. Visit www.GolfingMissouri.com/book-tee-time/ to book tee times or get more information. - Bear Creek Valley Golf Club - The Golf Club at Deer Chase - Eldon Golf Club... - Indian Rock Golf Club - Lake Valley Golf Club - Old Kinderhook - Osage National Golf Resort - Redfield Golf Course - Rolling Hills Country Club However, three Golf Trail courses will close temporarily during the offseason. Margaritaville Lake Resort's two courses, The Nine Hole Course and The Oaks, will both be closed temporarily in early 2021. The Oaks will be closed in January and February and will reopen on March 1, 2021 and The Nine Hole will reopen April 20, 2021. For updates or more information, please visit www.margaritavilleresortlakeoftheozarks.com. The Ridge Course at The Lodge of Four Seasons is currently closed for the offseason and scheduled to reopen in early- to mid-March 2021, depending on the weather. For updates or more information, please visit www.golfthelodge.com.

Tip of the Month: Chris Jackson, general manager at Indian Rock Golf Club in Gravois Mills, offers this advice on the eighth hole at his club: "Hole #8 is a 500-yard par five from the tips. On this hole you must be able to control the left-to-right ball movement from the tee shot. While aiming at the cart path on the left side of the hole, the ball will naturally want to travel right, due to the contour of the fairway. A well-placed shot should leave you in the 200-yard range.... Now the real trick to reaching the putting green is you MUST carry the ball 200 yards on your second shot. For most people, I tell them to grab one more club and give it a go. With this shot you have to consider carrying the ball over water and not going out of bounds 20 yards to the right of the green. Accuracy is a must! If one succeeds in hitting the proper shot, you will be left with a fairly easy attempt for Eagle." Put this tip to the test and book a tee time at Indian Rock today at www.IndianRockGolfClub.com.