Featured Course
WinterStone
Just a Short-Iron Away is“ A Touch of the Ozarks”
Editorial and Photography by Bill Cromwell The scenic par-5 9th hole.
Twenty-four years ago, I walked WinterStone Golf Course while it was being sculpted( dirt moved) with the owner, Harlin Limpus. He described how each hole would look once the course was complete. A year later, in 2003, the course opened with plush greens, vibrant rolling fairways, and much more. All designed to elevate your golf experience. With the transition to fall and vibrant foliage colors, now is a great time to tee it up at WinterStone.
Your initial impression while standing on the tee box is the course’ s dramatic elevation changes, which create multiple opportunities for uphill or downhill shots. These dual effects present challenges while simultaneously offering breathtaking panoramic views of the tree-lined Zoysia fairways, meticulously manicured and framed by picturesque sculpted mounding. There are some eye-teasing Ozarklike views awaiting you.
As a bonus, the course includes a covenant that prohibits the land from being used for anything other than a golf course for a set number of years, so no houses line the course. You have that private, peaceful, park-like setting while playing WinterStone –– just you and the course.
WinterStone’ s 18-hole championship course was designed by wellknown Craig Shreiner Architects. Rick Boylan of Mid-America Golf & Landscape Inc. sculpted this superb course from the raw land. Both Shreiner and Mid-America Golf & Landscape Inc. have been involved in several of the“ Best of the Best” golf courses throughout the Kansas City Metro Area. Notably, Mid-America, with course Architect Don Sechrest, completed the superb 18-hole construction of Stone Canyon Golf Club in Blue Springs, MO, in 2009.
In my experience, an advertising slogan rarely— if ever— matches a product. WinterStone Golf Course in Independence is an exception. Just after its opening in 2003, I coined the slogan“ A Touch of the Ozarks” to appropriately describe how WinterStone impressed me. It truly is just that.
When playing WinterStone, my thoughts quickly turn to weekend visits to some of my favorite Lake of the Ozarks courses, like Old Kinderhook, Bear Creek, Deer Chase, and Lake Valley, to name a few. However, when you don’ t have time for a long-drive road trip to the Lake, it’ s nice that WinterStone is just a short-iron away for KC-area golfers.
The par-72, 18-hole course measures 6,752 yards from the championship( gold) tee boxes and 5,611 from the white tees. Each nine has two par 3 holes, two par 5 holes, and five par 4 holes. Thirty-two sand bunkers pepper the course, with most near the greens. The large, undulating greens are superb, and the immaculate Zoysia fairways are a pleasure to play.
WinterStone’ s Pavilion overlooking the course features a folding glass door system that enables open air dining. It’ s a great place to kick back after your round.
Leawood-based Orion Management Solutions manages Winter- Stone. The group manages several other top-end Kansas City-area courses, including Adams Pointe, Excelsior Springs, Minor Park, Sycamore Ridge Golf Club, Swope Memorial, and Heart of America.
12 Oct./ Nov. 2026 TEE TIMES GOLF GUIDE