Hole 1 - Par 4 A classic par 4 starting hole. A tee shot favoring the left side of the fairway sets up a shorter iron into the green. Long and right will find the ditch. Club selection on the second shot is key. It will play longer than expected so an extra club is suggested. Hitting into the large bunker short and left of the green will most often result in a bogey. Hole 2 - Par 3 A beautiful par 3. Three bunkers and a creek along the left side of the green guard the green jealously. Depending on the prevailing wind and hole location, club selection will vary by two to three clubs. The only place to miss is short and right. Hole 3 - Par 5 A strategic par 5 that rewards well placed shots. Your second is key. Lay up to a yardage with which you are comfortable. The shallow green is fronted by a creek and guarded in back by bunkers that, if reached, leave a difficult, downhill up and down. If you go for the green in two, favor the left side of the green. It’s a shorter carry and has a bail out area. Hole 4 - Par 4 A troublesome par 4 tee to green. The landing area for the tee shot is extremely narrow with a creek along the entire left side. To favor the right side, the bunker will be a good target. Your second shot will play a bit shorter than indicated by the yardage. Hole 5 - Par 3 A beautiful, deceptively short par 3. The green is guarded by a creek in front and bunkers long and left. Club selection must be considered carefully based on the swirling winds – which are hard to feel on the tee -- and elevation change. Hole 6 - Par 4 A par 4 true to the scorecard. You will most likely be hitting into a prevailing wind. The left side appears open, but do not be deceived. Favor the right side of the fairway for the best angle to this challenging two level green. Hole 7 - Par 4 A sharp, dogleg par 4. Aim at the bunkers on the far side of the fairway with your tee shot. Your second will be downhill to a deep, well bunkered, two-tier green. HINT: Suggest not trying to cut off the dogleg. It is far longer than it appears. If you persist in this thought, recommend you purchase an extra sleeve of your favorite balls before the round. Hole 8 - Par 5 A par 5 where carry is key. Depending on tee box location a driver may not be necessary, but carrying the creek to reach the fairway will be. A well-placed tee shot left of the fairway bunker may give you the option of reaching the green in two. Avoid the waste area and bunkers that frame the fairway’s left side. Your bail out area is short and right of the green. Hole 9 - Par 4 A decision-making par 4. On your tee shot, you could cut off some of the dogleg, and have a short approach. Fail to carry the hazard, however, and bogey or worse could be in your future. Be aware of the lake short and right of the green. HINT: Use the hill to the left as your bail out area since it could feed your ball onto the green. Hole 10 - Par 3 A difficult, bluff top par 3. Danger abounds and surrounds. Club selection is made more difficult due to the hole location, which you can see, and the wind, which you cannot feel when on the tees. Short is the only place to miss. Hole 11 - Par 5 A true three shot par 5. Favor the left side of the fairway on your tee shot. There is no discernible advantage in attempting to carry the right bunkers. Think course management as you hit your second shot and leave a 100 to 150 yard approach. As you walk the fairway, be aware of the hole location, since you will be hitting a blind third shot to the multi-tiered green. Under threat of bogey or worse, avoid the deep, green side bunker short left of the green. Hole 12 - Par 4 A genuine risk/reward par 4. Under the right conditions you may be able to drive this hole. But be aware, trouble lurks left and right. The smart play may be a tee shot placed in the flat portion of the fairway, leaving a 100 yard second. The green slopes from front to back so the ball will release. In the traditions of risk/reward lore, scores on this hole range from eagle to double-bogey. Hole 13 - Par 4 A very good par 4 with challenges aplenty. Pine trees catch shots right of the fairway. A bunker guards the left. The fairway slopes right to left while the hole plays left to right, which is why this is a difficult fairway to hit. Your second shot is a bit uphill to a well-guarded, severely two-tiered green. Avoid the gaping bunker left of the green; it’s nearly impossible to get it close from there. Let the pro shop know if you do. Hole 14 - Par 3 A signature, deceiving par 3. Invest a few seconds admiring the natural beauty then get back to the challenge. Club selection depends on the hole location and the swirling winds. It can play shorter based on elevation change at different tee boxes. Your bail out option is left, but make sure you have enough club to carry the hazard. Hole 15 - Par 4 A challenging par 4. You may try to go for the green, but the risk is high. Suggest instead that you lay up on the fairway. The green is very undulating. When facing a back hole location, be aware of the ridge that runs through the middle of the green. HINT: Tee off with the same club you used on the tee the previous hole. This should result in an approach shot from inside 150 yards. Hole 16 - Par 4 A long, solid par 4. The tee shot is somewhat blind, but the landing area is generous. Aim down the middle, grip it and rip it. On your second, favor the left side. Getting out of the bunker short and right is difficult. This is the largest green on the course, so three putts are not uncommon. Hole 17 - Par 3 The most difficult par 3 on Tavern Creek. Precision is a must. Your shot must carry a creek and land softly on a shallow, well-bunkered green. If you are going to err, go long. A ridge runs front to back in the middle of the green. HINT: For a right hole location, add an extra club Hole 18 - Par 5 A three shot par 5 that tricks you into thinking it’s a two. Finish well. A well-placed tee shot to the left side of the fairway is the premium positioning to lay up for your approach. On this second shot play to the 100-yard marker. You will need a lofted club to stop the ball on this undulating, shallow green.

Rated #1 in Missouri in 2006 by prominent golf publications. Renowned architects Dana Fry and Dr. Michael Hurdzan carved a superb challenge that is in perfect harmony with its natural surroundings. Twelve of eighteen holes play around creeks, streams or ponds. The design makes excellent use of the breathtaking vistas of the Missouri River Valley first admired by the explorers Lewis & Clark.