An Ozark legend
Osage National Golf Resort
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Classic Palmer — Osage National glimmers brightly as a Lake of the Ozarks Golf Trail jewel
here are 13 courses on Lake of the Ozarks Golf Trail, any one of them able to provide the visitor with an enjoyable day’s golf. Only one, though, could be described as ‘The Must Play Course at the Lake’. Osage National, developed by the 100-yearold, Kansas City-based Clarkson Construction Company and located just off of Highway 54 four miles east of the City of Lake Ozark, Mo., offers guests 27 holes, the first 18 of which were designed by Arnold Palmer and opened in 1992. Six years later, a third nine was added by local enthusiasts and the three nines each given a name. Palmer’s original 18 split into the ‘Mountain’ and ‘River’ Courses, while the new holes were christened the ‘Links’. The Mountain and River nines offer two very distinct challenges — one moving through higher, forested ground, the other skirting the Osage River with a number of sizeable water hazards and huge bunkers. This is essential Palmer — beautiful golf that can be plenty tough if you’re looking for birdies but a very pleasurable walk (or ride) if bogey golf is what you typically shoot for. It’s easy to tell from his 300 or so designs that Palmer just wanted golfers to enjoy themselves whether they strove to match par or were out for the exercise. Osage National fits the description well. Harrison Minchew, a native of Augusta Ga., who worked for Palmer for 25 years, made a significant contribution to the design of Osage Na-
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tional and remembers the site well even though nearly 30 years have passed since he last saw it. “It was a great site, full of interest with some lovely vistas,” he says. “The front nine holes covered a tremendous acreage and were really spaced out nicely to accommodate the housing portion of the development though there really wasn’t that much off-course construction. So it still felt like a core course.” The back nine, Minchew adds, was laid out on the flood plain close to the river. “It was completely different,” he says. “Much flatter, so we had to get creative in adding features and interest to the holes. The soils were terrific because of the river deposits which obviously helped us build a great course.” Shortly after opening, Osage National hosted the Michelob Skins Challenge in which Palmer took on Payne Stewart, Tom Watson and Lee Trevino. Though obviously more familiar with the demands of the layout than the others, the 62-yearold Palmer could do little to stop a rampant Stewart who shot a nine-under 63, a course record that still stands. “Wow” says Minchew who faintly remembers who played that day, but not what each player shot. “Osage was playable certainly but no pushover. Nine-under round there was pretty good. Mr. Stewart sure was a fine player.” Two years after hosting four of the world’s greatest ever golfers, Osage National co-hosted the PGA Club Professional Championship with
the Oaks at Margaritaville, Sammy Rachels winning in a playoff. The nines are all about as popular as each other says the course’s General Manager Ryan Manselle who has been at Osage for 23 years. ‘We record roughly 32,000 rounds a year which are spread out pretty evenly,” he adds, noting that his favorite holes are the 5th on the River Course, and 8th on the Mountain. “River’s 5th hole is a great par-5 that runs along the banks of the Osage River and really typifies the course and the valley,” he says. “The 8th on the Mountain, meanwhile, provides the amazing view with a dramatic elevation drop.” Minchew agrees. “Yep, they were two of my favorites too,” he says. “The 8th on the Mountain — the 8th as we built it — is a great hole. The view from the tee was probably the best on the whole course and the second shot with the pond on the right is pretty exciting. And the River par-5 is just a beautiful hole along the river.” The greens at Osage National are bentgrass, the fairways zoysia, and the rough fescue — all kept in tip-top shape by Superintendent Jeff Sommerer. The course is managed by Kansas Citybased company GreatLIFE which operates an innovative franchise model across fitness centers and golf courses and which aims to make golf a family-friendly activity by focusing on healthy lifestyles, amenities, and low-priced memberships. Member or not, though, you’re going to love Osage National.
