Mountain Top

Gary Player called the site “beyond one’s belief,” and standing on the first tee it’s hard to argue. Mountain Top is a 13-hole, all-par-3 course carved across a rugged Ozark summit — natural limestone outcrops, bridges that let you peer down into the rock, multi-tiered greens, and ridge-to-valley views in every direction. Walking-only and played in about two hours, it’s the kind of pure, unhurried short-course golf that reminds you why the game is fun.

How it plays

Thirteen one-shotters, from a 95-yard flick to genuine long-irons, routed to use the mountaintop’s natural drama rather than fight it. There are bunkers to navigate and greens that tumble, so it’s no pushover — but it’s a walk, not a grind, and a brilliant leg-stretcher for a group of mixed abilities. Bring a pushcart, take your time, and enjoy a format that’s all about the shot in front of you.

The pedigree

A Gary Player design that opened in 2017, Mountain Top helped cement Big Cedar’s reputation as America’s par-3 capital, and it even joined the PGA Tour Champions’ Legends of Golf rotation in 2018. It’s not a championship test — it’s a joyful, scenic, walking round that complements the resort’s big courses perfectly.

Plan your visit

It’s at Big Cedar Lodge near Branson, part of the same six-course property as Payne’s Valley, Ozarks National, and Buffalo Ridge. It’s walking-only, so wear comfortable shoes and grab a pushcart; the two-hour round slots easily around a bigger course or a day on Table Rock Lake. Confirm the current rate when you book.

Who should play here

Walkers, families, and anyone who loves a pure short-course format with real scenery. Mountain Top is rugged, fun, and refreshingly unpretentious — the antidote to a long slog around a championship course, and an essential part of the full Big Cedar experience.

Mountain Top, quickly

How many holes is Mountain Top?

Thirteen — all par-3s, for a total par of 39, running about 1,912 yards from the back tees. It's walking-only and takes roughly two hours.

Who designed Mountain Top?

Gary Player, with Big Cedar founder Johnny Morris. It opened in September 2017.

Is Mountain Top walkable?

It's walking-only — no carts, though pushcarts are available. The rugged mountaintop terrain is part of the appeal.

Does the Internet Invitational play Mountain Top?

No. The Internet Invitational is held at Big Cedar but contests its matches on the big courses — Ozarks National, Payne's Valley, and Buffalo Ridge — not the par-3 short courses.

We may earn a commission on the tee-time link above — we only point you where we’d book ourselves. Scorecard figures are illustrative.