With newest Big Cedar Lodge piece, Johnny Morris' golf legacy adds another awe-inspiring chapter

USA Today

7 hours ago

RIDGEDALE, Mo. — Clearly, this was a moment Johnny Morris was cherishing.
Flanked by his son, JP, streams of media members and local dignitaries rolled through the first hole of the new Disney-esque Cliffhangers par-3 golf course last week at Morris' Big Cedar Lodge, and he greeted each one with the wide-eyed optimism of a kindergartner who'd been told school lunches were now bottomless.
The concept, as JP tells it, was all his dad's. The incredible limestone outcroppings that were revealed as crews worked on Tiger Woods' Payne's Valley project were originally envisioned as a driving range. When the course — which was Woods' first domestic public-access project — originally opened in 2020, Morris started to think even bigger. Could they put a par-3 course, which is all the rage in the golf industry these days, on the side of those ragged and stunning cliffs? And if so, what other bells and whistles could be added?
Johnny Morris has used big names at other golf courses
In the past, Morris has employed some of the top designers in the game — Coore and Crenshaw were behind Ozarks National, Tom Fazio designed Buffalo Ridge, and Woods collaborated with Beau Welling on Payne's Valley — but with this project, the team kept things in-house. JP, who plays more golf than his billionaire father, started to tinker with the property, cramming holes in and using creative thinking to carve spaces from areas most others would never have considered.
"I give my dad all the credit," JP Morris said, "because when we started building it, he got driving around or walking around one evening at sunset and he looked at me and he's like, 'JP, this is too beautiful to have a driving range. We've got to do a par-3 course.' So we just went to work."
The course will fully open to the public on July 4 (11 holes had been accessible previously) with a steep price of $200 for resort guests and $250 for the general public, but the experience is one of a kind.
'Lion's Den' is a one-of-a-kind experience
The third hole at Cliffhangers, referred to as the "Lion's Den," forces players to ask questions they've never before asked.
Like, do I need a little extra club when hitting through a waterfall?
This 115-yard thrill ride comes complete with piped-in lion sound effects as you approach the tee box. According to those who worked on the project, a mature mountain lion was spotted several times in and around the cave during construction.
But the concept was born when the team needed to squeeze a few extra holes into the cliffs.
"How do we fit 18 par-3 holes on this thing?" JP Morris said. "We just kind of worked in between the limestone cliffs and some rocks. And we think we've got 18 really fun, unique golf holes for guests to come play."
Morris is leading a masterclass in golf relevancy
While the views are truly otherworldly, the way Morris and his team have consistently rolled out major announcements has been nothing short of a masterclass in remaining relevant in the crowded golf ecosystem. Adding Tiger's course to the mix helped raise the profile, but the previous pieces, which also include the Jack Nicklaus-designed Top of the Rock and Mountain Top short courses, have slowly built Morris' golf empire in the same manner he built his Bass Pro Shops.
For those who don't know Morris' story, per the Bass Pro Shops website:
Johnny Morris, founder and Lead Outfitter of Bass Pro Shops, got his start in 1972 by selling fishing tackle out of the back of his father's store. Since then, Johnny has earned a reputation as one of the most visionary and influential retailers of the last 50 years. Today he is known as a retail and travel destination pioneer.
Johnny's values were strongly shaped by his parents. Both were born in 1911 to very humble beginnings in the heart of the Ozarks in Willard, Missouri. His mother Genny was one of 10 children growing up in a two-bedroom house. His father John A. Morris grew up poor and was raised primarily by his Great Aunt. A decorated World War II veteran, John A. proudly served his country and participated in the Battle of the Bulge. Afterward he returned home to Missouri and became a successful merchant in the Springfield area.
Johnny's parents both loved to hunt and fish and soon shared their passions with their son. From an early age, Johnny understood how fishing and hunting fostered a special respect and appreciation for nature and wildlife.
And although Morris was on the golf team in high school and still plays the game a few times each year, his passion shifted to fishing as he exited his teens. But he still understands the communal value of the sport, noting that, "to me, the bottom line is spending time in nature with your buddies, and your best buddy (pointing to JP). It's about having happy times in life, whether it's fishing or playing golf. It's about happy times."
Meanwhile, JP fell for golf at a young age and the story goes that when Tiger Woods called the elder Morris for a good price on a fishing boat, he added one caveat: that he and his then-10-year-old son would deliver it. The three spent an afternoon on a Florida waterway and JP's already white-hot passion for golf got a healthy dose of diesel.
"I'm a real passionate golfer," JP said during the media tour. "I'm really passionate about the outdoors in general, so hunting, fishing, and then in the summer months ... I'm on the links golfing.
"So, it's been just unbelievable, getting to grow up around here on Big Cedar and getting to work with my dad on Cliffhangers. Coming here a lot in the evenings after work and driving the team nuts, moving dirt back and forth. And it's been a lot of fun in the process."
Morris' impact on the Branson region is massive
While each of the golf courses and facilities the resort has unveiled seems to clear a new hurdle in wow factor, what's perhaps lost is Johnny Morris' dedication to the region, one that has beautiful Ozark Mountain views, but can be challenging in terms of shutting massive tourism numbers. Nearby Branson is still a hotbed for country music fans, but it's relatively small and the region's only major airport sits on the opposite side of Springfield, nearly an hour's drive. (A small airport that previously had a handful of commercial flights sits at the end of the road that leads to Cliffhangers, but it's now only open for private jets. Discount carrier Sun Country Airlines was the last airline to offer scheduled service, but those flights were discontinued after the 2024 season.)
The new mayor of nearby Springfield, with a metro population of just under a half-million residents, understands just how monumental Morris' support to the region has been. Jeff Schrag was only elected to the post in April, and is best known for founding a nearby brewery, while coming into his new role after a lifetime as a serial entrepreneur. He also has experience in public service roles, including on the Missouri State University Board of Governors, though he had not previously been in an elected office.
Appropriately, Schrag came to the first tee holding a beer, shook Morris' hand, and thanked him repeatedly.
"It's absolutely amazing," Schrag said. "One of our greatest assets that we have in Springfield is the abundant outdoor recreation, and literally, we have one of the greatest outdoor recreation companies in the country headquartered in our hometown. But some people are not as invested in their hometown. As corporations get bigger, they think further out, and it just stays at the heart of the Morris family, which I really, really appreciate them reinvesting and doing things locally."
Morris family maintains magic touch
And Morris' commitment to the region isn't just lip service. While JP is enjoying a passion project at Big Cedar, Morris' daughter Megan Stack has led the way on Ozark Mill restaurant at Finley Farms, a converted historic mill on the Finley River.
The Ozark Mill, which offers hand-crafted cocktails, a pizza bar and a gift shop with local brands, opened in 2021 near the historic Riverside Bridge.
"It's a gift that keeps giving," Schrag said of Morris' investments in the region. "And here's what is so interesting, as you go to some of the premium properties like Big Cedar: you meet people from all over the Midwest who have come here on a journey to see what has been built here by the Morris family. Sometimes, we take this for granted as locals. We should never take this for granted."
Morris spends time in Arizona, among other places, as any billionaire would likely do, but he continues to grow the region where he was raised, lifting it up one piece at a time.
And it doesn't appear the luster on his shine will fade anytime soon. Not only has Cliffhangers instantly become a media darling, but when he was walking with a local crew from the Springfield nearby newspaper, he showed off the creative first hole, which only allows a lengthy downhill putt.
Morris rarely plays, but he nearly dropped the 65-yard shot, leaving it just inches from the cup.
Fun, right?
"We've had a lot of people come through for preview play who aren't very good at golf, but they're having a lot of fun," JP Morris said. "I've been coming down to just watch guests hooting and hollering, and high-fiving. I'm just like, 'Alright, we did it.' That's what this is all about. We're just trying to have fun."