Getting To Know: Buffalo Ridge Springs By Brian Weis

Getting To Know: Buffalo Ridge Springs

An Insightful Interview With Greg Thomas, PGA Head Golf Professional

By Brian Weis

Whether you have played a course 20+ times a year or looking to play the course for the first time, insights from an insider can help enhance your golf experience. Below is an interview with Greg Thomas who shares some valuable tidbits about the course, memorable holes and must eats and treats at the 19th.

Give Our Readers An Overview of the Golf Course/Property
Buffalo Ridge Springs is an 18 hole public golf course(formerly Branson Creek Golf Club). Already acclaimed as the region's top golf course, Buffalo Ridge has been transformed by the guiding hands of visionary conservationist Johnny Morris and renowned golf course architect Tom Fazio. Adding new approaches, water features and bunkers, Morris and Fazio have redesigned the course layout to bring players in close contact with nature, native grasses and free-ranging buffalo from near-by Dogwood Canyon Nature Park.

Buffalo Ridge Springs Course is an 18-Hole, Par 71 public golf course situated in the heart of the Ozarks.

The golf course measures from 7,036 yards from the back tees to 5,032 yards from the forward tees.

Fairways are Zoysia grass while greens consist of lush Bentgrass. First cut rough is Bermuda while second cut is made up of Fescue.

Branson Creek Golf Club was originally designed by Tom Fazio in 1999 and has undergone a major renovation by Tom Fazio along with new owner, Johnny Morris, to revitalize the course with new water features, bunkers and other enhancements which include free ranging bison from near-by Dogwood Canyon Nature Park.

In June 2014, Buffalo Ridge Springs and Top of the Rock hosted the first annual PGA TOUR's newly renamed Big Cedar Lodge Legends of Golf presented by Bass Pro Shops.

If Someone Was Looking To Golf In The Area, Why Should They Play Your Course?
Buffalo Ridge Springs is playable for golfers of all skill levels, with exceptional playing conditions and beautiful vistas of the Ozarks.

What Tips or Local Knowledge Would You Provide To Help Them Score Better At Your Course?
Fairways and Greens

Recent Awards or What You Are Most Proud About The Course?
Golf Digest- America's 100 Greatest Public Courses

What Is The Signature, Most Talked About, or Most Photographed Hole?
#17 "The Cave" is short par 3 with a cave behind the green and water feature guarding the right hand side of the green

What Is Your Favorite Hole? Any Tips to Play It?
#2, a long par four which features a cave just off of the tee box. Along the entire left side of the fairway is a natural rock outcropping fitting of the Ozarks.

Must Have Dish or Drink after the round at the 19th Hole?
Bison Burger

Who Holds Course Record and What Was Their Score?
Previous course record was 64, held by four different individuals. Since reopening, course record is 68.

Back Tee Stats
Par: 71
Yardage: 7036
Slope: 130
Rating: 73.4

More Information
Buffalo Ridge Springs
1001 Branson Creek Blvd.
Hollister, Missouri, 65672
417-339-5430
www.topoftherock.com

Revised: 03/05/2015 - Article Viewed 31,850 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.