If you’re making the trip to St. Louis for the BMW Championship, here’s one suggestion:
Don’t book your flight home for Sunday night.
Instead, turn one of the best weeks on the PGA Tour schedule into one of the best golf trips you’ll ever take.
Bellerive is only a few hours from Big Cedar Lodge, and if you’ve been looking for an excuse to finally make the trip, this might be it.
Watch the Best. Then Go Play.
There’s something fun about watching the best players in the world tackle a championship golf course then grabbing your clubs the next morning.
The BMW Championship gives you a chance to watch elite golf. Big Cedar gives you a chance to be part of it. Four courses, four completely different experiences, and enough variety to make a long weekend feel like a true golf trip instead of a couple of rounds squeezed together.
Build the Trip Around More Than One Course
Most golf destinations have one course everyone talks about.
Big Cedar has several.
Payne’s Valley deserves the attention it gets, but don’t overlook Ozarks National, Buffalo Ridge, or Top of the Rock. Each one has a completely different personality, which keeps the trip from feeling like you’re playing the same course four times.
That’s one of the biggest reasons Big Cedar has become such a popular golf destination. It rewards golfers who stay for several days instead of trying to squeeze everything into one.
Make the Most of the Flight You Already Took
For many golfers, the expensive part isn’t the drive from St. Louis.
It’s getting across the country in the first place.
If you’re already flying in to watch the BMW Championship, adding a few more days of golf can make a lot more sense than planning another dedicated golf trip later.
One flight. One rental car. One week you’ll remember for a long time.
Don’t Rush It
The biggest mistake people make at Big Cedar is trying to play everything.
You don’t need to.
Three or four rounds is plenty. Leave time for dinner, a drink overlooking the property, or simply sitting outside after the round talking about the shots you’ll remember and the ones you’ll conveniently forget.
Golf trips are better when they have a little room to breathe.
The Bottom Line
The BMW Championship is a great reason to visit St. Louis. Big Cedar is a great reason to stay a little longer.
If you’ve been thinking about checking it off your list, this is one of those rare opportunities where a golf tournament can become the beginning of an even better golf trip.
If you’re thinking about turning the BMW Championship into a golf trip, I’d be happy to help you put it together. You can start planning your custom trip here.