Buffalo Ridge Springs Course

Golf Course Overview: Buffalo Ridge Springs Course

Insights From An Insider With Greg Thomas, PGA Head Golf Professional

By Brian Weis

Local and traveling golfers love to research courses before playing them, whether it is to gain some local knowledge or to set an expectation before their upcoming round. Below is an interview with Greg Thomas who shares some valuable insight about the property, its most talked about holes and the signature dish/drink to consume at the 19th hole.

How Does Your Course Differ From The Others In The Area?
Buffalo Ridge Springs provides a great golfing experience with fantastic vistas, free ranging American Bison, beautiful water features and natural rock of the Ozark Mountains. Combined with superior playing conditions and world class service, Buffalo Ridge is the next great golfing destination.

For someone who has not played the course in awhile, has there been any new changes/renovations to the course or property?
Come and play the beautifully transformed Buffalo Ridge Springs Course, formerly Branson Creek Golf Club. The Springs course has been greatly enhanced and improved over the last few years with a complete bunker renovation, new bridges and water features, native prairie grasses frame the course and American Bison roam the ridge above.

What is your course's answer to Amen Corner? (Describe your best/hardest 3 back/back/back holes)
Holes 12, 13 and 14 at Buffalo Ridge Springs are as good a test as you will find anywhere in the Midwest. Playing 477, 462 and 615 respectively, the two par fours and long par 5 all require precise tee shots still leaving you with a good distance into large greens on your approach shot. Keep the ball in play off the tee and par is a great score on all three of these great golf holes.

What is your course's claim to fame, or is there a little known fact that golfers should know about the property?
Buffalo Ridge Springs, designed by Johnny Morris and Tom Fazio, is soon to be introducing two new courses as well. One designed by Gary Player and the other by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw. Buffalo Ridge along with the extraordinary Top of the Rock, a Jack Nicklaus 9-hole signature par 3 course, an Arnold Palmer-designed driving range and Tom Watson putting green, we have a golf experience as legendary as the names who designed them.

What tournaments/events have you (recently) hosted or will be hosting?
Buffalo Ridge Springs is home to the PGA TOUR Champions, Bass Pro Shops Legends of Golf. Buffalo Ridge Springs and Top of the Rock have been home to the Bass Pro Shops Legends of Golf the past two years and will again host the likes of Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Tom Watson to name a few April 22-24, 2016. Get your tickets at www.bassprolegends.com

Besides golf, what other amenities do you offer if a golfer wants to spend most of the day at your facility?
Big Cedar Lodge, America's Premier Resort Wilderness Resort, located just minutes away from Top of the Rock and Buffalo Ridge is home to lodges, private cabins, world-class spa, a 100-slip marina and numerous unique dining venues. Visit www.bigcedar.com

Signature sandwich or drink?
Buffalo Ridge Springs offers a variety of sandwiches and hot dogs with a full service bar that makes a mean bloody mary.

Social Media Links - Follow Buffalo Ridge Springs Course

Contact Course
Buffalo Ridge Springs Course
1001 Branson Creek Blvd.
Hollister, MO, 65672
417-339-5430
www.topoftherock.com

Revised: 02/19/2016 - Article Viewed 31,886 Times - View Course Profile

About: Brian Weis

Brian Weis is the Publisher of GolfTrips.com, a network of golf travel and directory sites including GolfWisconsin.com, GolfMichigan.com, ArizonaGolfer.com, GolfAlabama.com, etc. Professionally, Brian is a member of the Golf Writers Association of America (GWAA), International Network of Golf (ING), Golf Travel Writers of America (GTWA), International Golf Travel Writers Association (IGTWA) and The Society of Hickory Golfers (SoHG). In 2016, Brian won The Shaheen Cup, an award given to a golf travel writer by his peers.

All of his life, Brian has been around the game of golf. As a youngster, Brian competed at all levels in junior and high school golf. Brian had a zero chance for a college golf scholarship, so he worked on the grounds crew at West Bend Country Club to pay for his University of Wisconsin education. In his adult years, his passion for the game collided with his entrepreneurial spirit and in 2004 launched GolfWisconsin.com. In 2007, the idea for a network of local golf directory sites formed and GolfTrips.com was born. Today, the network consists of a site in all 50 states supported by national sites like GolfTrips.com, GolfGuide.com and GolfPackages.com. It is an understatement to say, Brian is passionate about promoting golf and golf travel on a local, regional, national and international level.

On the golf course, Brian is known as a fierce weekend warrior that fluctuates between a 5-9 handicap. With a soft fade, known as "The Weis Slice", and booming 300+ drives, he can blast it out of bounds with the best of them.