If you’re a Connecticut-based golfer looking for a quick, unforgettable weekend escape with your buddies, this guide breaks down exactly what it would cost to spend two days at Cliffhangers, the newest and most visually jaw-dropping short course at Big Cedar Lodge in Missouri. Based on travel out of JFK—often the best-priced and most convenient option for golfers coming from Connecticut—this itinerary focuses on maximizing high-quality golf in a tight Friday-to-Sunday window.
Cliffhangers isn’t just another par-3. It’s a masterfully crafted course that brings architectural precision into harmony with dramatic natural terrain. Designed with input from two legends—Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player—the course uses the Ozark Mountains’ rugged limestone ridges to frame 13 cliffside holes that are both playable and strategic. Nicklaus and Player, known for their bold shaping and commitment to playability, helped sculpt a course where the land is the star: greens are benched into hillsides, tee boxes perch on rock shelves, and elevation changes of up to 80 feet make every club choice a conversation.
From nearly every hole, you’ll soak in panoramic views of Table Rock Lake, dense hardwood forests, and exposed limestone ledges that reflect golden light during sunset. This isn’t just scenic golf—it’s sensory. The wind moves differently above the cliffs, the shadows stretch across greens late in the day, and the quiet is broken only by your group’s laughter after a near-ace or nervy miss.
Why Architecture Nerds Will Love Cliffhangers
Cliffhangers is the anchor, but Big Cedar’s short-course lineup shines as a trio. Just down the hill, Mountain Top offers a completely different feel: a rugged, Coore & Crenshaw-inspired design routed across ancient granite formations. With wide fairway corridors, massive natural rock outcroppings, and greens set low into the land, it encourages creative ground game play and rewards imagination over raw power. The layout has a rhythm that feels both relaxed and demanding—a thoughtful contrast to Cliffhangers’ vertical drama.
Then there’s Top of the Rock, perhaps the most visually theatrical of the three. This Arnold Palmer-designed course wraps around waterfalls, caves, and elevated lake overlooks, blending natural and manmade elements into a cinematic experience. With island greens, dramatic water carries, and perfectly manicured turf, it plays more like a luxury showpiece—but with just enough edge to stay engaging. It’s flashy, but undeniably fun.
Together, these three courses form a complete weekend experience. Cliffhangers brings strategy and bold terrain. Mountain Top adds texture and flow. Top of the Rock delivers polished spectacle. Each offers a distinct take on short-course architecture, and all three benefit from the Ozarks’ incredible natural beauty: ridgelines, forests, granite shelves, and that ever-present blue shimmer of Table Rock Lake.
What the Trip Costs (Per Person for 4 Golfers)
| Category | Cost & Notes |
|---|---|
| Flights | $500 – Nonstop JFK → Springfield, MO (SGF). Leave Friday PM, return Sunday night |
| Uber Rides | $50 – Roundtrip to/from Big Cedar (~60 mi each way, split among 4) |
| Lodging | $325 – 2 nights in one shared resort room (~$650 total; 2 queens or pull-out combo) |
| Golf | $465 – Mountain Top ($80), Top of the Rock ($135), Cliffhangers x2 ($125 each) |
| Food & Drink | $270 – Casual resort dining (Devil’s Pool, Arnie’s Barn, Osage) + drinks/snacks |
| 🧾 Total | $1,610 per person |
Wrapping Up: A Perfect Weekend Blueprint
Here’s how it all unfolds: you leave JFK on a Friday evening and fly nonstop to Springfield, Missouri. After a scenic Uber ride into the Ozarks, you check into your lodge room and settle in. Saturday morning kicks off with a round at Mountain Top, where wide granite corridors and ground-game-friendly greens offer a refreshing, strategic pace. After lunch at Arnie’s Barn, you head to Cliffhangers for a late afternoon round—timed perfectly for golden-hour wedges and cliffside views over Table Rock Lake.
Sunday gives you two strong options: replay Cliffhangers for another crack at its elevation-heavy drama, or take on the high-gloss spectacle of Top of the Rock, where waterfalls, island greens, and panoramic lake views cap off your weekend. A final meal, a breezy checkout, and a sunset flight back to New York—and you’re home in time for Monday morning.
At $1,610 per golfer, this isn’t just a getaway—it’s a fully immersive, architecturally rich experience carved into one of the most beautiful natural backdrops in American golf. If you and your crew are looking to combine smart design, epic scenery, and quality time on the tee—all in one tightly packed weekend—this trip delivers on every front.