Courses to Play in 2024 ►
Mules National
Golf Course
Head to Warrensburg , MO , for Resort-Like Golf
by Bill Cromwell
Mules National Golf Course in Warrensburg continues to be one of the most talked about golf courses in Missouri . If you have not played it yet , you may want to add it to your “ courses to play list ” for 2024 .
The course , originally named the Keth Memorial Golf Course with 9-holes and sand greens , is located in Pertle Springs Park , but in 1972 , an additional 9 holes were added , and the greens were converted to grass . Today the 18-hole facility is owned and operated by the University of Central Missouri and serves as the home course for the Mules and Jennies golf teams , hence the course ’ s new name .
After its multi-million-dollar renovation by Todd Clark and Brent Hugo of CE Golf Design , it reopened in October 2015 as Mules National Golf Course . Today , it ’ s far different than the old sand greens course . Clark has designed or redesigned many of Kansas City ’ s elite courses , including WinterStone , Falcon Ridge , Wolf Creek , St . Andrews , and Iron Horse , to name a few — and several resort golf courses throughout the United States .
Clark created a golfing destination with Mules National , featuring a signature island green 18th hole playing 142 yards from the tips . The hole was modeled after the par-3 , 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass — its signature island green and one of the most recognized in golf , which captures the imagination of golf fans all over the world during the Players Championship .
However , before you taste the spring-water on the 18th , you ’ ll first need to tame the 650-yard par-5 13th . The 13th plays 567 yards from the regular back tees , but you can step back to the Pro tees and play it at 650 yards — if you think you can !
Aside from its resort-like white silica sand bunkers and plush Zoysia fairways , unique to the course is its three par 3 holes , two par 5 holes and four par 4 holes on both the front and back nine ’ s .
The course plays to a par 70 at 6,362 yards from the Black ( back ) tees . Now that might not sound long , but trust me , it plays more like 7,362 yards because of the way the course is designed . Many holes are slightly uphill from the tee , while others will have you teeing off from an elevated tee to a valley fairway and then back uphill to the green .
Golfers can choose from four distinct sets of tee boxes per hole to play . Yardages from 6,362 to 4,425 from the forward tees will accommodate players of all skill levels . Choose your poison carefully !
The challenge really starts with the first hole , which is a slight dogleg right , 409-yard ( from white tees ), par-4 . You tee-off blind to the green and really need to split the hole in half . Hit a driver right or left of the fairway , and you ’ re in the timber . Hit it too long , and you ’ re in a valley fairway with an uphill shot to the green .
Mules National is one of the most picturesque courses in Missouri . Each hole on the course has a great design and will challenge you . Hole 10 is a fun par 5 because of the way the hole shapes . It ’ s also one of the prettier holes early in the morning or late in the evening when the sun filters through the trees . The large and well-groomed Bentgrass greens also provide real challenges .
No doubt , the hole you ’ ll remember the most , the one that could put a real damper on your round , is No . 18 , a true signature hole , and a very high risk-reward hole . If you miss the green , you ’ re — All Wet !
20 February 2024 TEE TIMES GOLF GUIDE