Big Cedar
Buffalo Ridge
Ozark resort championship
Buffalo Ridge is scenic, fun, and very much part of the Big Cedar identity. Plenty of serious golfers come away liking it more than expected. It belongs in the core rotation and should not be treated like filler.
Course gallery
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The take
Buffalo Ridge is scenic, fun, and very much part of the Big Cedar identity. Plenty of serious golfers come away liking it more than expected. It belongs in the core rotation and should not be treated like filler.
Best for
Scenery, Fazio polish, and a strong third regulation round
Watch out
Getting overshadowed by Payne's and Ozarks National
How to play it
Strong play
Course intelligence
What you need to know
Strengths
- Natural Ozark feel
- Fazio shaping
- Big views
- Strong conditioning
- Actual Big Cedar identity
Watch-outs
- Not the pure-golf headliner
- Resort theater can outrun nuance
- Still premium priced
Signature holes
5, 7, 15, 18
Book it right
Cost, access, and timing
Green fees
2026 published starting rates: $275 resort guest / $350 public peak; $190 / $215 shoulder.
Best season
Best window: April-May and September-October Summer reality: Hot, humid, storm risk, and premium family-resort demand Winter: Possible, but not the full Big Cedar golf
Caddies / walking
Big Cedar publishes 2026 caddie rates of $50 per bag plus suggested $30 gratuity for forecaddies, and $100 per bag plus gratuity for bag-carry
Replay priority
Medium-high
Booking move
Secure Ozarks National, Payne's Valley, and Buffalo Ridge first, then layer in Cliffhangers, Mountain Top, Top of the Rock, lodging, and dinners. For non-resort
Weather read
Pick the right window.
Best window: April-May and September-October Summer reality: Hot, humid, storm risk, and premium family-resort demand Winter: Possible, but not the full Big Cedar golf experience Shoulder
Jan
45F / 25F
Sun Mixed; rain Medium
Feb
50F / 29F
Sun Mixed; rain Medium
Mar
60F / 38F
Sun Good; rain Medium
Apr
70F / 48F
Sun Good; rain High
May
78F / 58F
Sun Good; rain High
Jun
86F / 67F
Sun Hot; rain Medium
Google review
5/5 - 7 months ago
Buffalo Ridge was hands down the best course of our entire trip and deserves to be ranked at the very top. From the moment we stepped onto the property, the scenery blew us away—rolling Ozark hills, natural rock outcroppings, and the surreal experience of seeing buffalo roaming n
Buffalo Ridge was hands down the best course of our entire trip and deserves to be ranked at the very top. From the moment we stepped onto the property, the scenery blew us away—rolling Ozark hills, natural rock outcroppings, and the surreal experience of seeing buffalo roaming n
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Google review
5/5 - 5 months ago
Loved every hole and view of this course. What an amazing day mid November for golf and beautiful views and scenery. Amazing.
Loved every hole and view of this course. What an amazing day mid November for golf and beautiful views and scenery. Amazing.
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Google review
5/5 - 7 months ago
Buffalo Ridge is the best track at big Cedar. Prove me wrong. After playing pains valley and Ozarks I was pleased to play Buffalo Ridge. It’s challenging but getable. If I had this trip to Do over I would’ve played here twice.
Buffalo Ridge is the best track at big Cedar. Prove me wrong. After playing pains valley and Ozarks I was pleased to play Buffalo Ridge. It’s challenging but getable. If I had this trip to Do over I would’ve played here twice.
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Keep planning
What should you do next?
Use Buffalo Ridge as one piece of the Big Cedar trip. Build the routing, compare the destination, or ask how it fits your group.
Keep exploring Big Cedar
Other courses in the same trip.
Must play
Ozarks National
Ozarks National is the smart golfer's answer.
Must play
Payne's Valley
Payne's Valley is the show.
Strong play
Mountain Top
Mountain Top is exactly what a short course should be: quick, scenic, social, and more fun than the itinerary spreadsheet makes it
Strong play
Cliffhangers
Cliffhangers is Big Cedar being Big Cedar.
Strong play
Top of the Rock
Top of the Rock is an experience.
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