ANNOUNCING CLIFFHANGERS, THE MOST DRAMATIC PAR-3 GOLF COURSE IN THE WORLD COMING SOON TO BIG CEDAR LODGE
RIDGEDALE, Mo. – Big Cedar Lodge, America’s Premier Wilderness Resort, today unveiled details for Cliffhangers, an extraordinary new 18-hole par-3 golf course.
A true labor of love, the utterly stunning, absolutely unique golf experience appropriately named Cliffhangers, was created by visionary conservationist Johnny Morris and his son John Paul. The result of their efforts is an unforgettable, over-the-top, bucket list golf experience in the majestic Ozark Mountains. What was originally planned as a practice facility exploded into an extraordinary 18-hole, par-3 adventure course after Johnny and JP, continued walking the terrain, realizing just how stunning the land truly was.
The new one of a kind adventure course, Cliffhangers, is the sixth course at the award-winning golf resort and is located adjacent to Tiger Woods’ acclaimed Payne’s Valley. Cliffhangers will open on July 4, 2025, and reservations are available now.
Referred to by Kid Rock as “The Redneck Walt Disney”, Johnny Morris (right), and son JP (left) and buddy Roscoe, spent thousands of happy hours over the past six years working to create Cliffhangers.
Set high in the rugged beauty of the Missouri Ozarks, Cliffhangers is far more than a round of golf—it’s an unforgettable experience. The course lives up to its name with dramatic elevation changes, breathtaking views, and holes ranging from 60 to 170 yards, all meticulously carved into the region’s iconic limestone cliffs and flowing creeks.
“This is golf on the edge—literally,” said Johnny Morris. “We wanted to create something that celebrates the natural wonder of the Ozarks while delivering an unforgettable adventure for every golfer.”
Golfers will traverse steep mountain trails and lush zoysia approaches leading to undulating bent grass greens, each hole offering a new surprise. The course itself is a signature loop the likes of which have never before been seen in golf. Players will drive carts through cascading waterfalls, cross through swift flowing creeks, and journey into a dramatic cave system—culminating in a tee shot launched from inside the cavern through a waterfall!
“Cliffhangers reflects everything we love about nature, adventure, and golf,” said John Paul Morris. “It’s wild, fun, and unlike anything in the game of golf today! We hope you’ll come pay us a visit and play Cliffhangers and experience what true Ozarks hospitality is all about!”
REDEFINING DESTINATION GOLF
Big Cedar Lodge was honored to be recently named the #1 Golf Resort in America by USA Today and on May 30th, Forbes named Big Cedar the Best Family Golf Resort in the United States. Golfers from around the globe are making the journey to the Ozarks to experience what can only be found here—a unique blend of rugged natural beauty, thoughtful course design, and genuine, friendly hospitality.
Big Cedar Lodge has become a premier destination for golf by attracting some of the world’s leading course architects, including Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson, Tom Fazio, Gary Player, Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw.
Cliffhangers marks Big Cedar’s third par-3 course, joining the exclusive ranks of legendary Top of the Rock—the first-ever PGA TOUR-sanctioned par-3 course designed by Jack Nicklaus—and Mountain Top, a Gary Player design known for its 13 scenic walking-only holes. Together, these courses highlight Big Cedar’s ongoing commitment to redefining the short course experience. There are high expectations for Cliffhangers to become a bucket-list course for anyone who loves the game of golf.
GO AGAIN ON #1 AND #10 – 20 CHANCES FOR A HOLE-IN-ONE
Johnny and JP placed two death-defying cliffhanger tee boxes on holes #1 and #10 to give golfers a total of 20 chances for a hole-in-one in their round.
COMMITMENT TO GOLF, NATURE AND CONSERVATION
The growing golf portfolio at Big Cedar Lodge is bringing to life father and son’s vision to create a landmark golf destination that combines a shared appreciation for nature and a premier golf experience, all with an emphasis on conservation.
WHEN YOU PLAY AT BIG CEDAR, YOU’RE NOT JUST ENJOYING THE GAME – YOU’RE HELPING CONSERVE THE WILD HEART OF THE OZARKS FOR GENERATIONS TO COME !
All Big Cedar Nature Golf Courses have been gifted by Johnny Morris and are part of a not-for-profit conservation foundation focused on educating the public on the importance of conservation and sustainability. Profits from all green fees are used for conservation support efforts.
The resort, described by Big Cedar officials as a “dream and passion project,” is designed to amaze guests with the beauty of the Ozark Mountains while also being a beacon for conservation efforts. The Lodge is the only golf resort in the world where every single course has been given “Signature Sanctuary” status by Audubon International. As part of Johnny Morris’ long-standing commitment to conservation, the entire 4,600-acre Big Cedar Lodge was also recently awarded Audubon Gold Certifications for Green Hospitality.
IMMERSED IN NATURE AND WILDLIFE
We’re proud that all Big Cedar Nature Golf courses are certified Audubon International Signature Sanctuary courses as a testament to our ongoing commitment to conservation. Many species of wildlife call our courses home, including bison, wild turkeys, white-tailed deer, black bears, bald eagles, and pheasants.
THE AUDUBON MEDAL
The Audubon Medal is considered by many to be the highest honor in conservation. Throughout the Audubon’s 120-year history, only 58 people have received this prestigious award. Johnny and John Paul Morris are the most recent recipients, having been honored in 2019.
HERE’S WHAT THEY ARE SAYING:
LAUREN THOMPSON – GOLF CHANNEL
“I’ve played many great courses around the world, and Cliffhangers is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. It’s breathtakingly beautiful, incredibly challenging, and the best thing to happen to golf in years,” Lauren Thompson, noted American golf personality, host of The Morning Drive on The Golf Channel and current host for GolfNow.
REDEFINING WHAT’S CONCEIVABLE
LARRY OLMSTED – GOLF JOURNALIST
“Golf has long been pushing the envelope of what is possible and conceivable, and as a result, it has been practically impossible to do anything in golf that has not been done before. But Johnny Morris and his son JP, have done just that with Cliffhangers. There are memorable holes and then there are unforgettable holes, and Cliffhangers is all about unforgettable. There are over 38,000 golf courses in the world, and in my judgment, when it comes to unforgettable, there are absolutely none that can compare to Cliffhangers! You’ll have to play it to believe it,” Larry Olmsted is a leading golf journalist, golf travel authority and panelist for Rolex World’s Best Golf Courses list and USA Today’s Best Golf Resorts.
GRATEFUL TO OUR ALL-STAR CLIFFHANGERS TEAM
“My Dad and I are deeply grateful to the passionate team who contributed their extraordinary talents to help bring our vision for Cliffhangers to life. We are grateful to Jeff Steen, VP Of Golf Operations at Big Cedar, and his whole team for their steadfast support. We also proudly thank Hector Garcia, Todd Scott, Rich Abbott, David Kahn, Tim Jackson, Jose Vivo, Jesse Stofflet, Buck Haynes, Brodsley Whyte “Hilton” and our friends at Audubon International for contributing their remarkable skills to help make our dream a reality.” JP Morris said.
BREAKING NEWS !
BUFFALO RIDGE COURSE REOPENS AFTER MAJOR UPGRADES !
One of the America’s most popular courses reopened on June 1, 2025, after major enhancements including new greens, surrounds and green-side bunkers. True to its name, the Tom Fazio-designed Buffalo Ridge — on Golf Digest’s Top 100 — has herds of buffalo grazing alongside its fairways. Players can expect to get in close contact with nature like never before.
For more information on Cliffhangers, or to book a tee time at any of Big Cedar Lodge’s award-winning courses, visit bigcedar.com/golf.
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About Big Cedar Lodge
Located in the heart of Missouri’s Ozark Mountains, Big Cedar Lodge is America’s premier wilderness resort. A passion of Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris, the 4,600-acre lakeside retreat connects families to the outdoors with a variety of nature-based experiences including fishing, boating, hiking, spa and wellness offerings, hosting 7 million guests annually. Signature attractions include Top of the Rock, home to world-class golf, dining, and entertainment; and Dogwood Canyon Nature Park, a 10,000-acre nonprofit wildlife nature park. Named “Number One Resort in the Midwest” by the readers of Travel + Leisure, the resort offers genuine Ozarks hospitality conveniently located just ten minutes from Branson. Learn more at www.bigcedar.com.
About Big Cedar Golf
Founded by Bass Pro Shops’ Johnny Morris in 1987, Big Cedar Lodge is not only a family-friendly wilderness resort, but also a coveted world-class golf destination. In the fall of 2020, Payne’s Valley, Tiger Woods’ first publicly designed course, opened for play. Payne’s Valley joins the four existing and top-rated courses at the resort – Buffalo Ridge (Tom Fazio), Ozarks National (Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw), Mountain Top (Gary Player) and Top of the Rock (Jack Nicklaus). These “Missouri’s Best” courses bring to life Johnny’s vision to create an unparalleled golf experience in the Ozarks, attracting visitors from across the world, and solidifying it as “America’s Great New Golf Destination.” To book tee times or rooms for your next visit, go to www.bigcedar.com/golf.
Media Contact:
Audrey Wayne Audreyw@respublicagroup.com
