Big Creek Golf & Country Club

Big Creek Golf & Country Club opened in 2000 as the centerpiece of a residential golf community outside Mountain Home, Arkansas, in the heart of the Ozark Mountains. Thomas Clark of Ault, Clark & Associates routed 18 holes across 200 acres, using four lakes, the namesake creek, and the region's natural elevation to shape what is widely regarded as the most championship-caliber public course on Arkansas's Natural State Trail. The creek winds through the back nine, crossing under multiple scenic arch bridges and touching five different holes, a recurring visual signature that ties the inward half together. Clark built white sand bunkers for contrast, zoysia fairways for firm-and-fast conditions through the Ozark summer, and bent-grass greens that hold approaches. The tees stretch from 5,068 to 7,370 yards across five sets, making the course playable for mixed-handicap groups without compromising the back-tee challenge. Big Creek has been ranked #1 public course in Arkansas multiple years by Golfweek and by Arkansas Business magazine readers, holds a Golf Digest Places To Play 5-star award, and was named #3 in Golfweek's 2022 Best Golf Course You Can Play in Each State. For a Natural State Trail itinerary, it's the demanding round that anchors the northern Arkansas stretch, worth the drive from Little Rock for a serious golf trip.