1
DayArrival and Top of the Rock Complex
Arrive in the Branson area and check into Big Cedar Lodge or a Branson-area property such as Chateau on the Lake Resort Spa & Convention Center. Drive to the Top of the Rock complex for the afternoon.
Pin itThe Add-On: Two Nights, One Course, and the Best of the Ozarks
Payne's Valley and the Top of the Rock experience as a two-night addition to a broader Branson trip.
Photo courtesy of Big Cedar Lodge · Big Cedar Lodge · Partner
Duration
2 Days
Type
Bucket List Trip
Estimated Cost
$800–$1600/person
Rounds
1
Difficulty
Moderate
Not every Big Cedar visit needs to be a four-night immersion in five courses. This itinerary treats the destination as a two-night addition to a broader Branson trip, anchored by a single round at Payne's Valley Golf Course and a half-day at the Top of the Rock complex. It works for golfers who happen to be in the Ozarks for family, entertainment, or a road trip and want the Tiger Woods course without committing to the full resort schedule.
Big Cedar Lodge, Missouri, Missouri
Trip at a Glance
- Duration
- 2 days
- Type
- Bucket List Trip
- Cost / person
- $800–$1600
- Difficulty
- Moderate
Courses· 1
Stay· 2
- Big Cedar Lodge$200–$500/night
Activities· 2
2
DayPayne's Valley
Morning tee time on Tiger Woods' championship design. This is the reason for the trip, and it deserves the best available morning slot.
3
DayDeparture
Check out and head to the airport or continue the road trip. Departing from SGF, the 60- to 70-minute drive north passes through Ozarks countryside that's worth the window time.
Trip Logistics
Plan the Practicalities
Logistics
The accommodation choice determines the green-fee structure and therefore the trip economics. Staying at Big Cedar Lodge qualifies you for resort guest rates at Payne's Valley ($400 at peak), while a Branson-area hotel means paying the non-guest rate, which is higher. For a two-night trip, the difference between on-resort and off-resort lodging may be offset by the green-fee savings, making Big Cedar Lodge the financially competitive choice as well as the experientially superior one. Run the math for your specific dates and room types. A rental car is necessary, with movement between Big Cedar, the Top of the Rock complex, Branson, and the airport.
The itinerary is intentionally minimal, built around one course and the Top of the Rock experience. Golfers who arrive for two nights and find themselves wanting more will understand why the four-night, five-course itinerary exists. Payne's Valley tends to have that effect.
Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you book through these links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This does not influence our editorial recommendations.