Shoal Creek - Missouri

Shoal Creek is a municipal offering within the Kansas City Parks and Recreation Department’s holdings, finding the best routing within a long, thin property between residential developments. Although the property itself may be thin, the altitude change throughout is wide, as one might expect for the region.

Designer Steve Wolfard had worked with both Jack Nicklaus and Jack Nicklaus II for that family’s design firm, and also provided an architect’s insight alongside other PGA greats such as Johnny Miller and Fred Couples. Shoal Creek, however, was his first solo design. Accordingly, he took the opportunity to showcase some personal design flair, including trees within fairways, a range of bunkers defending the front of green sites, and dramatic putting surfaces.

As a park-owned property, it’s also one of the best value rounds in the Kansas City area.