Feature Course
Escape to Shangri-La
45 Holes of Resort Golf Four Women Enjoy a Spring Golf Getaway
Editorial and Photography by Victoria Cromwell
The Battlefield course at Shangri-La Resort.( Photo courtesy Shangri-La Resort)
When four women get together to plan a spring golf getaway within driving distance of Kansas City, we search for a warm paradise with plenty of golf options. We found it at Shangri-La Resort on Monkey Island on Grand Lake O’ The Cherokees, OK. After all,“ Shangri-La” means paradise, and with 45 holes of golf, a lake, pools, and several food and beverage options, our decision was made.
After The Battlefield, we checked into beautiful adjoining rooms before dinner at The Summit, Shangri-La’ s fine-dining establishment. Wine, fabulous lake views, food cooked to perfection, and attentive service helped us relax and enjoy the serene atmosphere as we ended our first day in paradise.
In a little over three hours, we arrived at our destination, dropped our luggage off at the front desk, and headed to The Battlefield, a unique 18-hole par 3 course. Each hole honors a fallen World War II veteran from Oklahoma and, like the heroic veterans, features distinctive characteristics. Elevation changes, water, and well-placed bunkers add to the difficulty, but golfers can choose their challenge with five tees on each hole. The undulated greens will test every golfer.
Hitting to the correct green on # 5 challenged me, but the course was in fantastic shape and a lot of fun to play. We played from the Silver tees. My favorite holes were 9 and 13. Although only 91 yards, No. 9 played longer because the tee shot is over a bridge and stream with a waterfall in front of the elevated green guarded front left and on the right by crystal white sand bunkers. It’ s a stunning hole. The tee shot on No. 13, 89 yards, is over water to an extremely undulated green surrounded by bunkers with the water in front. Joe Hassler, one of the golf pros, said,“ No. 13 is one of the shortest holes on the course, but from the tee box, the green is uphill. If you get it up the hill and the pin is at the front, there’ s no way you can keep it on the green. If the pin is back, you’ re in good shape, but if it’ s way down front, you’ d be better off missing it short than hitting it up on the hill because any putt from there is going to go all the way off the green.” We lucked out, the pin was on the upper tier.
Laurie tee’ s off at the beautiful Battlefield 9th hole. Your tee shot will need to carry a bridge and stream with a waterfall in front of the elevated green guarded front left and on the right by crystal white sand bunkers. Awesome hole!
The Championship Golf Course at Shangri-La features 27 holes: the Legends, Champions, and Heritage nines, each with five tee boxes. The overcast sky created a beautiful contrast against the deep green of the course as we arrived to play the Legends and Champions nines.
The Legends nine, a par 36, measures 3,521 yards from the back tees and is part of the Old Blue Course. However, there’ s nothing
16 June 2025 TEE TIMES GOLF GUIDE