Branson Retreat · Area Guide
Golf Near Branson Retreat
Branson and Table Rock Lake have quietly become one of the country's premier golf destinations — home to public courses designed by Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Tom Fazio, and Gary Player. From your lakefront base at Dock Holiday Suites in Kimberling City, a Branson golf vacation means championship rounds by day and quiet water by night.
- Nationally ranked public golf
- Six courses within ~1 hour
- Lakefront base near the marina
- Built for groups, couples & families
Planning a Branson golf trip? Book your lakefront base at Dock Holiday Suites.
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Branson: a premier golf destination on the lake
Few places pack this much marquee golf into one stretch of the Ozarks. Within about an hour of Kimberling City you'll find Bass Pro Shops' Big Cedar Lodge — with courses from Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Tom Fazio, and Gary Player — plus scenic championship layouts like LedgeStone and Branson Hills closer to home.
What sets a Table Rock Lake golf getaway apart is the base. Instead of a hotel parking lot, you come home to a lakefront suite at the marina. That's the appeal of golf lodging near Kimberling City: tee off in the morning, and spend the evening on the deck over the water. For everything else in the region, see the full Branson Area Guide.
On the course
Top of the Rock in photos
A look at Top of the Rock — the Jack Nicklaus par-3 showpiece whose clifftop holes overlook Table Rock Lake, about an hour south of Branson Retreat.
The courses
Branson golf courses near Kimberling City
Here are the standout courses near Branson Retreat, ordered by how far you'll drive from Dock Holiday Suites. Distances are approximate — always check live directions for current routes and times.
LedgeStone Championship Golf Course
About 10–15 minutes away · roughly 7 miles
Get directionsThe closest course to Branson Retreat is also one of the most scenic. LedgeStone, in the StoneBridge community just over the bridge in Branson West, is a Tom Clark–designed par-71 championship layout that plays through bluffs, ledges, and Ozark woodland that golfers don't want to end.
Because it's barely ten minutes from Dock Holiday Suites, LedgeStone is the easy pick for a morning round before an afternoon on the water — the kind of low-friction golf lodging near Kimberling City that makes a long weekend feel effortless.
- Closest to Branson Retreat
- Tom Clark design
- Mountain golf, par 71
Branson Hills Golf Club
About 35–40 minutes away · roughly 25 miles
Get directionsBranson Hills Golf Club, the Chuck Smith design in Branson proper, has been ranked the #1 course in Missouri by Golfweek. It routes through hills, rock outcroppings, creeks, and waterfalls into one of the most rewarding championship tests in the region.
It's an easy out-and-back from the lake, which makes it a natural centerpiece for a Branson golf vacation when your group wants a full-length course with real teeth.
- Chuck Smith design
- Top-ranked in Missouri
- Championship 18
Payne's Valley Golf Course
About an hour south at Big Cedar Lodge · roughly 45 miles
Get directionsPayne's Valley, at Bass Pro Shops' Big Cedar Lodge in Ridgedale, is the first fully public course completed by Tiger Woods' TGR Design — and it announced itself by being named Best New Public Course in America by Golf Digest. Named for Springfield-born U.S. Open champion Payne Stewart, it's the marquee round of any Branson golf getaway.
Don't miss the bonus 19th hole, an island par-3 set in a natural rock amphitheater and conceived by Big Cedar founder Johnny Morris. Choosing golf lodging near Payne's Valley on the Kimberling City side of Table Rock Lake keeps you close to the lake while the resort courses stay an easy day trip away.
- TGR Design — Tiger Woods
- Best New Public Course in America
- Famous 19th hole
Top of the Rock Golf Course
About an hour south at Big Cedar Lodge · roughly 45 miles
Get directionsTop of the Rock is a Jack Nicklaus–designed par-3 course famous for its clifftop views over Table Rock Lake and the Ozark hills — the first par-3 course ever to host a PGA Tour event. Waterfalls, stone bridges, and a sunset over the water make it as memorable for couples as it is for serious players.
It's a perfect half-day round, which is exactly why a vacation rental near Top of the Rock and the rest of the Big Cedar courses is such a draw — you can play, take in the views, and still be back at the marina by evening.
- Jack Nicklaus design
- Par-3 showpiece
- Table Rock Lake views
Buffalo Ridge Springs Golf Course
About an hour south at Big Cedar Lodge · roughly 45 miles
Get directionsBuffalo Ridge Springs is the Tom Fazio design at Big Cedar, regularly rated among the best public courses in Missouri. Its signature feature is unforgettable: bison from the neighboring Dogwood Canyon herd that graze in view of the fairways.
It rounds out the Big Cedar trio alongside Payne's Valley and Top of the Rock, so a single day south can deliver bucket-list golf for the whole group.
- Tom Fazio design
- Free-roaming bison
- Top-tier public course
Mountain Top Golf Course
About an hour south at Big Cedar Lodge · roughly 45 miles
Get directionsMountain Top is Gary Player's 13-hole, walking-only short course at Big Cedar — natural, fast to play, and built for fun. It's the ideal warm-up or wind-down round, and a relaxed way to get newer players and kids onto a world-class property.
Together with Top of the Rock, it makes Big Cedar a place where mixed-ability golf groups, couples, and families can all find a round that fits.
- Gary Player design
- 13-hole short course
- Walk in a couple of hours
At a glance
Drive times from Branson Retreat
Approximate driving distances from Dock Holiday Suites at Port of Kimberling Marina. The Big Cedar Lodge courses sit across Table Rock Lake to the south, so you'll drive around the water to reach them. Tap "Directions" for live, door-to-door routing from the property.
| Course | Approx. drive | Map |
|---|---|---|
| LedgeStone Championship Golf Course | About 10–15 minutes away · roughly 7 miles | Directions |
| Branson Hills Golf Club | About 35–40 minutes away · roughly 25 miles | Directions |
| Payne's Valley Golf Course | About an hour south at Big Cedar Lodge · roughly 45 miles | Directions |
| Top of the Rock Golf Course | About an hour south at Big Cedar Lodge · roughly 45 miles | Directions |
| Buffalo Ridge Springs Golf Course | About an hour south at Big Cedar Lodge · roughly 45 miles | Directions |
| Mountain Top Golf Course | About an hour south at Big Cedar Lodge · roughly 45 miles | Directions |
The home base
Why golfers stay at Branson Retreat
A great golf trip is as much about where you land at the end of the day as the rounds themselves. Here's why golfers choose Dock Holiday Suites as their Table Rock Lake base:
Central to every course. From Kimberling City you're about ten minutes from LedgeStone, a half-hour from Branson Hills, and roughly an hour from the Big Cedar courses — no single long haul, just easy drives in every direction.
Room to spread out. Two identical two-story suites each sleep eight, so a foursome has space and two foursomes can book both suites and stay together. Full kitchens make early tee-time breakfasts and post-round meals simple, and there's a half bath plus two full baths in each suite for a quick turnaround before dinner.
Downtime that doesn't feel like a hotel. Covered, lake-view decks and two charcoal grills are made for recapping the day, and boat slips through the marina mean the non-golfers can be out on the water while you play. It's pet friendly, too.
- Central to LedgeStone, Branson Hills & Big Cedar
- Two suites, sleeps 8 each
- Full kitchens
- Covered lake-view decks
- Pet friendly
Plan your group
Golf trips for groups, couples & families
Golf groups. Book both suites and the whole crew stays together at the marina, with kitchens for cookouts and decks for the post-round recap.
Couples. Make it a luxury golf weekend: a sunset par-3 round at Top of the Rock, dinner out, and a quiet evening on a lake-view deck. The courses are as scenic as they are challenging.
Families. Short courses like Mountain Top and Top of the Rock are friendly to mixed abilities, and when some of the group would rather be on the water, the lake and marina are right outside the door.
Make a trip of it
Pair your rounds with the lake
The best Branson golf vacations aren't only about golf. Alternate rounds with mornings on Table Rock Lake, an afternoon at Silver Dollar City, or simply slow time on the deck. Staying lakefront in Kimberling City keeps every option close, so the non-golfers in the group never run short of things to do.
Where to stay for a Branson golf getaway
Lakefront golf lodging at Dock Holiday Suites
For a Table Rock Lake golf getaway with courses in every direction, Dock Holiday Suites offers two-story lakefront suites at Port of Kimberling Marina — each sleeping eight, with full kitchens and covered decks over the water. It's golf lodging near Kimberling City built for groups, couples, and families.
- Lakefront at the marina
- Two suites, sleeps 8 each
- Central to Branson golf
Good to know
Branson golf FAQ
What golf courses are near Branson Retreat?
Branson Retreat sits in Kimberling City on Table Rock Lake, within easy reach of standout golf. LedgeStone Championship Golf Course in Branson West is closest (about 10–15 minutes), Branson Hills Golf Club is roughly 35–40 minutes, and the Big Cedar Lodge courses — Payne's Valley, Top of the Rock, Buffalo Ridge Springs, and Mountain Top — are about an hour south in Ridgedale.
How far is Payne's Valley from Branson Retreat?
Payne's Valley at Big Cedar Lodge is roughly 45 miles and about an hour's drive from Dock Holiday Suites in Kimberling City. Because Big Cedar is across Table Rock Lake to the south, you drive around the water to reach it — check live directions for current times.
Is Branson a good golf vacation destination?
Yes. The Branson and Table Rock Lake area packs in nationally ranked public golf — including Tiger Woods', Jack Nicklaus', and Tom Fazio's designs at Big Cedar Lodge — alongside scenic championship courses like LedgeStone and Branson Hills. Pairing rounds with time on the lake makes it a natural golf getaway for couples and groups.
Where should golf groups stay for a Table Rock Lake golf getaway?
Lakeside lodging near Kimberling City keeps you central to the area's courses and right on the water. Dock Holiday Suites offers two-story lakefront suites at Port of Kimberling Marina that each sleep eight, with full kitchens and covered decks — comfortable for golf groups, couples, and families alike.
Can non-golfers enjoy the trip too?
Easily. While part of the group plays, others can be out on Table Rock Lake, at the marina, or visiting nearby attractions like Silver Dollar City. Staying lakefront means everyone has something to do between rounds.
Ready to plan your Table Rock Lake golf getaway? Check dates at Dock Holiday Suites.
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