Houseboat Construction Plans Article

As a native Midwesterner, I've never had any doubts about how marvelous the Lake of the Ozarks region in central Missouri can be for a quality golf vacation. As with golf, local knowledge is everything.

But for golfers who don't know the area and can't force themselves to vacation anywhere that doesn't have the idyllic word "beach" in its title, Lake of the Ozarks can cause uncertainty. A lake? In backwoods Ozarks land? Is this golf with corncob shafts?

As the area developed, arcades, souvenir shops and lakeside cabins gave it a reputation as a family destination. That remains its underlying charm, but during the past 20 years the region has become more sophisticated. Spas have opened, multimillion-dollar golf courses have been built and the lake is now considered a top-rate retirement area.

Including the music-show mecca Branson, 125 miles to the south, the Ozarks have spurred Missouri's percent population growth in the 1990s. And the golf options have mirrored that growth.

Ever since the late architect Robert Trent Jones opened his Lodge of the Four Seasons course in 1974, the lake has drawn some of the game's top architects, including Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Tom Weiskopf.

On the waterfront

Lodge of the Four Seasons, Lake Ozark.

.... Robert Trent Jones Cse.; $75-$85; resort guests only;

.... Seasons Ridge Cse.; $65-$75; (800-853-5253).

The Club at Porto Cima (un-rated), resort guests only. (800-843-5253). The 6,557-yard RTJ course, with its traditional design, large greens and well-bunk-ered holes, is a "player's course," requiring golfers to play target golf off the tee. It plays about four strokes harder than Seasons Ridge (6,429 yards), whose shorter rough leads to more friendly kicks onto the fairway. There's water on several holes at Seasons Ridge, and the course flows with numerous elevation changes. The Club at Porto Cima, the new Jack Nicklaus course on the other side of the lake, challenges players with plentiful bunkering and holes routed through woods. The stretch from Nos. 13 to 18 is incredibly scenic. One note: Porto Cima is normally private and can be played only by resort guests who first play the RTJ and Seasons Ridge courses.

Tan-Tar-A Resort, Osage Beach.

...1 1/42 Oaks Cse.; $79; Hidden Lakes Cse. (9-hole, unrated); $65 for 18 holes; (573-348-8527).

Tan-Tar-A (pronounced tan-TARE-uh) is a Blackfoot Indian expression that means "one who moves swiftly." But you'll want to take a more leisurely pace when you play these two Robert von Hagge-designed courses. The Oaks, only 6,432 yards from the back tees, makes up for a lack of length with 97 bunkers and narrow, curved fairways. Shot strategy off the tee is crucial. Hidden Lakes is a shortish 3,015 yards, but the approach shots are a challenge because of elevated greens. And there are plenty of white stakes, since the course is routed through condo property.

Next-best options

.... Osage National . (27 holes), Lake Ozark. $69-$85; (573-365-1950). Arnold Palmer and Ed Seay designed the three nines--Mountain, River, Links--so they can be played as three different 18-hole courses. The holes play through a variety of settings: woods, rolling terrain, creeks and bluffs. Water comes into play on more than two-thirds of the holes, including the River's ninth, a 626-yard par 5 with water down the left side.

Club at Old Kinderhook (unrated), Camdenton. $55-$95; (573-346-4444).

This semiprivate Tom Weis-kopf course is as well-manicured as it is beautiful, taking advantage of the rustic setting. Water comes into play on 12 holes, but the real highlight is the greens, the best-conditioned in the area.

Best of the rest

...11/42 Lake Valley G. & ., Camdenton. $34-$60; (573-346-7218).

A 6,425-yard Gary Kern design; a spacious, wide-open, big-shouldered course that lets you bring out the driver; good challenge and pretty setting.

... Dogwood Hills ., Osage Beach. $40-$47; (573-348-3153).

The course is short at 6,157 yards and fairly flat with straightaway holes. It's an ego boost for scoring with just a dozen bunkers and scattered trees. Enjoyably low-key.

Bear Creek Valley . (unrated), Osage Beach. $30-$43; (573-302-1000).

The newest course in the area (opening in May), this par-72, 6,800-yard course is in a great location just off the main drag, Hwy. 54. The course has large greens, rolling zoysia-grass fairways, and mature oaks for aesthetics.

Lodging

The two upscale choices are the Tan-Tar-A Resort and The Lodge of the Four Seasons. These well-established resorts provide the full show for guests, from cold-water lobster tails at the Four Seasons to hot dogs and burgers at the Tan-Tar-A bowling alley. You can stay in the resort's main hotels ($150-$250 for a standard one-bedroom suite) or in smaller units down by the lake ($198 per night). The Lodge opened a full-service spa last August as part of a $ million upgrade. Tan-Tar-A plans to open a water-slide family pool in June. A more low-key choice is the Best Western ($75-$99) and its Dogwood Hills course. If you think you're seaworthy, rent a houseboat for a week ($3,495, sleeps 10). No special license required and you can dock at the marina while playing golf. There are some 30 hotels that don't have on-site golf that participate in "Golf-a-Round," which allows guests to make tee times at 13 area courses. Phone 800-490-8474.

Family fun

Dozens of marinas rent what you need to get on the water, from speedboats (approximately $50 an hour) to personal watercraft ($60). Other outdoor options include hiking, horseback riding and cave exploring. Bridal Cave (573-346-2676) even has a chapel that has been the site of more than 1,775 weddings. And if the kids still aren't happy, there probably are more go-cart tracks and miniature golf courses (six of them) per capita than anywhere west of Orlando.

Weather

Best time of year: May-June; September-October (daytime temps averaging 80). Months to avoid: November-March (you'll get the occasional 50-degree day, but it's usually too cold for golf).

Airports

The nearest major airports are 220 miles to the west in Kansas City and 180 miles to the east in St. Louis. Springfield/Branson Regional Airport, 95 miles south, has commercial commuter service.

For more information

Lake of the Ozarks Conven-tion & Visitor Bureau, phone 800-FUN-LAKE, .com. Lake of the Ozarks Golf Council, 800-490-8474, .com. Additional research by Sue Sawyer

RELATED ARTICLE: Key:

. Basic golf.

.. Good, not great.

... Very good. Tell a friend it's worth getting off the Interstate to play.

.... Outstanding. Plan your next vacation around it.

..... Golf at its absolute best. Playing this course is an experience of a lifetime.

Stars are based upon Golf

Digest's exclusive Places to Play guide and reflect ratings of 20,000 readers. Some courses are yet to be rated.

For information on more than 6,000 courses in North America, obtain your copy of the fourth edition of Places to Play for $25 plus postage. Phone 800-793-2665 or check with your local bookstore.