Latest news with #Lion'sDen
USA Today
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
With newest Big Cedar Lodge piece, Johnny Morris' golf legacy adds another awe-inspiring chapter
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."
Hindustan Times
19-06-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
'There's no Sachin, Gavaskar, Dhoni either'; enough with the Virat Kohli-Rohit Sharma obsession: Kapil Dev rants away
Kapil Dev has had enough. The former India World Cup-winning captain has urged the nation to get over this obsession around Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, insisting there's no point losing sleep over their absence in England. Kohli and Rohit, the two batting stalwarts of Indian cricket, announced their respective retirements from Test cricket, leaving the Indian team without two of the most experienced cricketers for the five-Test series against England starting Friday. Rohit announced his retirement on May 7, and Kohli just five days later on May 12, but Kapil reminds that it's not the end of the world. The void left by Kohli and Rohit is certainly huge to fill, and for that, a bunch of youngsters are ready to hit the ground running. Barring KL Rahul, Kuldeep Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja and Jasprit Bumrah – and to some extent Shubman Gill – most of the guys have yet to play Test cricket in England. But as the old adage goes, when one door shuts, another one opens. For all those youngsters, the five Test matches are golden opportunities to prove themselves and not only replace Kohli-Rohit in the next era of Indian Test cricket. "Sachin Tendulkar, Sunil Gavaskar, MS Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh and Anil Kumble aren't there either. So, there's no point thinking about who isn't around. Yes, they will be missed, but we need to look at the next generation and be proud of them. Rohit has done his job; Virat has done his job. They made us proud, but let's see if the next generation of players can be bigger," Kapil said on Aaj Tak. Also Read: Kapil Dev reacts sharply to Pataudi Trophy being renamed Anderson-Tendulkar Kapil switched his focus to the five Test matches beginning tomorrow at the Headingley Cricket Stadium in Leeds. The last time India registered a victory here was way back in 2002, when Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid scored centuries in the same inning. It's been 23 years since, and only once has India won a Test series in England when it emerged victorious in 2007. MS Dhoni and Kohli had two attempts but couldn't. The baton is now handed over to Shubman Gill, who has played just three Test matches in England until now. Gill's appointment as India's Test captain has been met with many reservations. While no one has openly claimed that Gill may not succeed in his new role, more so because his batting in SENA nations leaves a lot to be desired, people have reminded him of what's at stake. Dinesh Karthik has informed Gill that he is entering a Lion's Den, whereas Dawid Gower has urged him to prioritise batting over captaincy – Karthik said that too. Kapil, however, is backing the youngster to the hilt, showing confidence in this young Indian team to succeed in England. "He has captained a lot in the IPL. One-day cricket and T20 cricket are so different to Test cricket. In Test matches, you need nerves. He has the experience; he has the ability. I am not too bothered about it. I know this team is good enough to win," said Kapil.
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Yahoo
Police searching for man accused of robbing adult store with machete in Brooklyn Park
ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, Md. () — Police in Anne Arundel County are searching for a man who allegedly robbed an adult entertainment store while holding a machete on Monday. The Anne Arundel County Police Department said the robbery happened around 11 a.m. on March 3 at the Lion's Den on Ritchie Highway in Brooklyn Park. Man shot in face overnight in Lexington Park, deputies say Once on the scene, officers learned that the man had entered the store and several minutes later approached the counter. That's when he pulled out a long machete-style knife from his pants and demanded the employee give him money from the register, according to police. The employee complied and the man ran from the store. Anne Arundel County police urge anyone who has information about the robbery or is able to identify the man to call 410-222-4731 or the Tip Line at 410-222-4700. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
