Shoal Creek Golf Course

Shoal Creek has a really nice layout that provides a great consistency in contrast. The first two holes gives you a little space of the tee and some birdie opportunities. The next 3 holes, 2 tough par 3s and a tight par 4, really ask the player for quality shots and course management. 6 and 7 are back to a lot of width and good chances for a birdie (par 4, 5 combo). Right back to the challenging par 4 8th, followed by the strategically demanding yet scoreable par 5 9th. 10 is back to giving the player some room off the tee and a chance at birdie. 11 is a really good downhill par three with a demanding green complex. Then there’s the short but devilish par 4 12th. Super good hole. Cannot go to sleep on this one because it’s short. Ball must be played to correct side of the fairway and approach must be accurate. The par 5 13th is right back to space and a good birdie opportunity. Then the quick turnaround again to the tight par 4 14th. 15 and 16 are both open par 4s, however the 15th is a longer hole with a lake and demanding green. 16 is a good birdie opportunity. Then 17 is a challenging downhill par 3, but hit this green and you could have a makeable putt as the green is one of the gentler ones on the course. The par 4 18th is a brute and quite the challenge. Make a par here and you’ve hit some good golf shots. I just feel this layout provides a great flow and variety. The other thing I really appreciate about this course are the greens. They roll very well and provide a great test from your approach to your short game.
The maintenance on the course is good but not 5 stars. The main problems being some worn/bare areas in the fairways, inconsistent bunkers, and spots of creeping Bermuda in and around the greens.
This is definitely a course worth playing, but come prepared because you will need your mind and your game to get around this place.

Shoal Creek really is a great course. Challenging enough, but not too terrible or gimmicky. The rough is VERY thick and you are almost guaranteed to drop a shot if you find yourself in it.

My girlfriend and I were paired up with two others that were very nice and great golfers, very fun to play with them. Only complaint; there were no marshalls on the course and the group ahead of us were insanely slow so pace of play was poor. Obviously not everyone will experience this. Otherwise it was a great round and I definitely plan on returning.

It is a little pricey but they have pretty fair twilight rates. We were able to get 18 in with the slow pace with a 3:30 tee time.

They scheduled tee times ten minutes apart and by the fourth hole we were backed up 5 groups.

Took ~4.5 hours to play 18 without a break at the turn. Held up by a few groups in front of us which I wish the marshal enforced pace of play... Quality of fairways and greens were great, a fun and challenging course which would be appreciated by all skill groups.

The course is in excellent condition. This is one of KC's nicest public courses. Highly recommend it to all golfers.,

Best golf course I have played in Kansas City, one of the best I've ever played. Nice surrounding area. Clubhouse well kept up. Everyone seemed extremely friendly. OVID-19 precautions were excellent with dedicated crew that was seen sanitizing all carts when done. Truly one of the best rounds I have ever experienced. Well worth the money!

Had a good time. Played with a couple nice old gentleman and a younger player who was fun to watch. Course in great shape, greens great as usual.

I've enjoyed playing this course since 2004, when it was just a course and a trailer. But I don't think I'll ever come back after today. Set the tee time on GolfNow for 8:30am, I get my confirmation email for 8;30am for my twosome I booked. Now I realize they try and put you with another twosome, that's all fine, just to preface. My friend and I walked into the pro shop at 8:18 for our 8:30 tee time to pay. We were then told by the man behind the desk that we were late, and that our tee time was 8:20 and the twosome we are playing with is already down the fairway on hole 1 and waiting for us now. (he called the starter) So we didn't argue, but were confused, got in our cart, didn't go to the bar as planned, headed to hole number 1...realized once we got almost all the way there, they are starting on hole 10, didn't tell us that. Came back to hole 10 and the starter is waving his hands at us to hurry up, we were slowed down behind a mower...a foursome is on the tee box, and a twosome is walking up to the green. The starter says just go drop a ball in the fairway and hit up to the green, you guys are late. I told him our tee time was at 8:30, we're not dropping, and we proceeded to hit our tee shots, and played the hole. But we were caught up to again by the starter in the fairway, because we drove onto the fairway, he never told us cart path only, too busy telling us we were late and he showed me his sheet that said 8:20, I showed him my confirmation for 8:30, he didn't seem to care and told us to get off the fairway. Worst start to a golf round ever. Paying $59 for a round of golf in Liberty, MO on a Thursday is joke 1, joke 2 is no beverage cart for that price, joke 3 was the starter, joke 4 was the guy in proshop with the slick hair. And they werent' busy is the crazy thing, we weren't pushed all day, ended up joining up wth the twosome in front of us a few holes in anyway. Had a fun round, but I will enjoy my 2-3 rounds per month elsewhere after today, Tiffany Greens, would never treat anyone that way, or Dubs Dread, or Hodge Park, or Falcon Lakes...I could go on. Thanks for the great start this morning Shoal Creek, good luck to you treating people that way.

Although they had recently and sanded the greens, the course was it good shape. My first time there, I will be back soon.

Great course all around.

This course has amazing greens & fairways, but the rough is ridiculously thick. If your ball ends up there, be prepared to have a horrible time hitting out of it. This course is well taken care of for a public course! I’ll be back

Was my 1st 18 hole round this season. Front nine was lil suspect but turned it around on back nine. Course in great shape and I had a good round..even with the wind.

This is one of KC's best public courses. Love the layout and it is well cared for.

I live in and grew up in southern KC and never really considered playing anywhere north of the river. I decided to google best golf courses in KC, and stumbled upon Shoal Creek. On the front page of their website they say "ranked 2nd best golf course in Missouri, 2006", which I found a little funny and surprising it isn't consistently ranked.

Due to COVID, walking rate was $25 for 18 holes, which is an unbelievable deal for a course of this quality. Ended up walking over 7 miles though, which is something to consider... Anyways, the fairways and greens here are outstanding. Not too hard to where you can't be precise around the greens, and not soft enough to where your ball turns into a fried egg when you lob one on. You DO NOT want to be in the rough, I am not sure what grass it is, but it is very thick and can totally ruin your score on a hole. The scenery on the back 9 is much better than the front as there are some construction projects on neighboring lots.

In summary, would recommend to anyone looking to play a challenging and well kept course.. If you don't mind walking 7+ miles, wait until post-covid.

-J