Feature Course
Grand Summit
Golf and Country Club
Should be on your 2026 courses to play list.
Words and photos by Alan Hoskins, Feature Writer
If you’ ve never played or not played Grand Summit Golf and Country Club recently, you’ re in for a good time and plenty of challenges with its signature hole that was remolded in 2020. Now, six years later, its one of KC’ s best par 4s.
Formerly a 400-yard dogleg par-4, the 4th hole has been shortened to 260 yards with a large pond running the length of the fairway and fronting one of the course’ s many large greens.“ One of the prettiest par 4 holes in the city, and one of the most fun to play,” says longtime Head Professional and General Manager Charlie Mahon Sr.
Landing area �
Green here �
▲ Red tees
▲ White tees
With water on the right and a hillside fronting the apartment complex on the left, accuracy on the new 4th hole is a premium on what quickly has become one of the course’ s most challenging holes.“ Most of the members have to try driving the hole at least once,” says Mahon.“ It’ s drivable, a carry of about 250 yards, but there’ s also a heckuva lot of trouble. The fairway is bigger than you think, so a well-placed drive leaves a short iron into the green.”
The change was necessitated by construction of an apartment complex that overlooks the fairway and pond on the left side of the hole.“ It was a part of a master plan of Lyndy Lindsey( owner, CEO, and course designer),” says Mahon.“ A lot of trees were cleared from a dead area, and a lot of dirt moved to build the pond and the fairways. The old hole had a very small pond, about 10 percent the size of the one we have now.”
16 January 2026 TEE TIMES GOLF GUIDE
▲ General Manager Charlie Mahon on Grand Summit’ s spectacular signature hole green, the par-4 4th.
It’ s one of two course changes since 2020. The 11th hole was shortened from a par 4 to a par 3.“ In the fall and winter, the fairway sloped from left to right, and the ball would scoot down into a creek,” says Mahon.“ It was a positive move. The hole is now a lot more fair and fun.”
As far as challenges go, Grand Summit has a wealth of them— water hazards, elevation changes, side-hill lies, and undulating greens.“ It’ s a good blend, demanding length on some holes, accuracy is a real benefit on others,” says Mahon.“ The first round played here is always the toughest. Once you play the course two or three times, it gets easier. There’ s a lot of local knowledge to be gained— where to hit safe shots and where not to.”
Water comes into play on more than half of the holes. On the back nine alone, a creek must be cleared on three holes( two times on one hole), and a dry creek bed intersects two others. Ponds either flank the fairways or greens on a half dozen others, including one of Mahon’ s favorite and most picturesque holes, the dogleg 409-yard No. 8 that has a large pond running the length of the fairway.
There are major elevation changes on three holes, four if you count the beautifully terraced par-3 No. 17. Both the par-3 2nd and 11th holes offer downhill tee shots of 50 feet; the par-5 16th is, in this writer’ s evaluation, the course’ s toughest hole. The ideal shot is