Missouri Bluffs

The first three holes are an excellent primer on what you should expect for most of the round: No. 1 is a par five that serves as a gentle opener while traveling downhill toward the river. No. 2 is a par three with a significant fall from tee to green, one of many such heroic holes that Tom Fazio has crafted during his long career. No. 3 will be your first par four but — despite being less than 400 yards from the tips — it will feel even longer than the opening par five, as you begin to come back from where you started. At the end is a green displaying its own version of altitude shifts.

The course is fortunate to have this scenic piece of property to itself, so no real estate will intrude on this idyllic round. The challenge from the tips, at more than 7,000 yards, may seem considerably less idyllic.