Founded in 1881, Oakwood is the oldest country club in the Kansas City area still in operation today. Family and tradition have always been at the heart of our legacy, and they continue to shape our present and future.
At Oakwood, we combine an unparalleled family experience with the values of Service, Camaraderie, and Elegance, while embracing modern enhancements.
Since 2020, the ownership at Oakwood Country Club has made a focused effort to transform this historic property into a premier, family-oriented destination, offering exceptional services and an unmatched golf experience.
Thanks to the dedication of the ownership’s recapitalization efforts, we have undertaken numerous significant projects over the past four years, with even more exciting plans for the years ahead.
GOLF COURSE
2020 – 2024 PROJECTS
The golf course upgrades blend stunning design with enhanced functionality, creating a premier playing experience for members and guests. A reimagined course layout, improved practice areas, and thoughtful additions like new water features and bridges elevate the course’s beauty and playability. Updated infrastructure, including new cart paths and irrigation systems, Better Billy Bunkers, new tees, and a host of other changes, ensure a seamless and enjoyable round for players. These enhancements broaden the course’s appeal, making it a true centerpiece of the club.
Scenic view of Hole No. 16
New practice range and new clocks throughout the course.
Beautiful landscaping at Hole No. 18
View from Hole No. 13 tee with fountain nearby.
New water feature at Hole No. 16
New short game area and putting green by tennis courts.
New putting cottage at Hole No. 9
New maintenance facility
SITE UPGRADES
2020 – 2024 PROJECTS
The exterior renovations at the country club enhance both its beauty and functionality, creating a more welcoming and refined experience for members and guests. Thoughtful upgrades to the property’s entry, landscaping, and infrastructure seamlessly blend aesthetic appeal with practical improvements. These changes elevate the club’s charm and value, offering a picturesque and inviting environment for all who visit.
Exterior renovations and new landscaping at entry circle
Parking lot improvements for functionality, drainage and usability
New beautiful and welcoming entry monument
New dock available for water recreation or fishing
New dock and upgraded patio and fishing complex
New entry drive lighting for better visibility at night
PRACTICE RANGE
2020 – 2024 PROJECTS
View of the range at sunset
New Oakwood Performance Center with 6 practice bays, Trackman system, and lounge
Private lounge and new Trackman Golf simulator
New practice range with Trackman techonology over the range
Titlelist Fitting Center
Private lounge at Oakwood Performance Center
Trackman Range System
TRACKMAN AND SWING CATALYST
2020 – 2024 PROJECTS
Since 2003, Trackman has been on the forefront of providing reliable performance data solutions and industryleading innovation to customers all over the world. Our products are used by professional and amateur athletes in a broad spectrum of sports, ranging from the popular segments of golf, baseball, and tennis, to more unique disciplines like the Olympic Game’s hammer throw and shot put. Trackman’s proprietary, radar-based technology drives the next generation of performance analysis and statistics. Not only does the Trackman provide a seamless user experience across multiple devices, but Trackman’s data is also instantly displayed for analysis or entertainment purposes. Whether for gaming or performance purposes, any player now has the possibility to unleash his/her full potential through our technology.
Swing Catalyst is a golf swing analysis software that uses high-definition video and pressure plate technology to provide detailed insights into a golfer’s swing mechanics, allowing coaches and players to identify areas for improvement by analyzing weight transfer, force distribution, and movement patterns in slow motion through high-speed camera footage; considered a leading tool in golf swing analysis due to its comprehensive data and user-friendly interface.
View of the putting cottage from “The Hammer” putting course
COUNTRY CLUB
PUTTING COTTAGE
2020 – 2024 PROJECTS
The new putting cottage and surrounding enhancements bring charm and functionality to the country club, offering a serene and engaging space for relaxation, play, and events. Thoughtfully designed features create a picturesque setting that fosters connection and enjoyment. This addition enhances the club’s appeal, blending beauty and purpose to enrich the member experience.
The Hammer putting course presents a distinctive set of challenges due to its undulating green, making it an enjoyable experience for families and friends. The course not only delights with its entertainment value but also incorporates a competitive spirit, which adds an exciting gambling element—hence its intriguing name, The Hammer.
PUTTING COTTAGE AND “THE HAMMER” PUTTING COURSE
New waterfall and beautiful landscaping at Hole No. 18
Hole no. 18 waterfall, water feature and Bresky Memorial Bridge
“The Hammer” at the putting course
Putting Cottage outside fire pit amenity and “The Hammer” putting course
Putting Cottage seating and interior view
New Waterfall at Putting Cottage
Stephen Block Memorial Waterfall at Putting Cottage
Beautiful view at the green of Hole No. 9
New renovated racquet facilities
RACQUET FACILITIES
2020 – 2024 PROJECTS
The new tennis and racquet facility combines modern amenities with thoughtful design to create an inviting and dynamic space for players and spectators alike. With additional courts, updated facilities, and enhanced lighting, the club offers an unparalleled setting for recreation and social connection. The new fire pit adds a cozy gathering spot, fostering community and relaxation. This transformation enhances both the functionality and appeal of the facility, making it a true centerpiece for racquet sports enthusiasts.
RACQUET FACILITIES
1. Two New Tennis Courts 2. Six New Pickleball Courts 3. Updated Tennis Restrooms
Updated Tennis Clubhouse
New Fire Pit
New Lighting
Two new tennis courts
New updated racquet facility with new shop and landscaping (overview)
Six new pickleball courts
Updated tennis restrooms and tennis pro shop
New fire pit and seating overlooking the short game area
CLUBHOUSE EXTERIORS
2020 – 2024 PROJECTS
The country club’s exterior renovations elevate its beauty and functionality, creating a more welcoming and luxurious experience for members and guests. From enhanced entryways to expanded outdoor spaces, every detail has been thoughtfully designed to blend elegance with comfort. With vibrant landscaping, improved lighting, and stylish new features, the club now offers a stunning backdrop for gatherings, celebrations, and everyday enjoyment. These updates enhance not only the club’s aesthetic appeal but also its value as a premier destination.
South view of the club house facade
New building lighting feature
New porte-cochere brick paving and landscaping at circle drop off
New umbreallas, furniture and updates to pool area
CLUBHOUSE INTERIOR
2020 – 2024 PROJECTS
The grand hall beautifully decorated for a wedding
CLUBHOUSE INTERIOR
Remodeled Men’s Locker Room
New Oakwood member’s locker rooms
New Oakwood owner’s locker room
New fitness equipment
New fitness center
Renovated women’s restroom
Renovated men’s restroom
New elegant and spacious sports bar
Renovated 1881 Bar & Lounge
Renovated member dining room
Renovated Grand Hall for weddings and special events
THE INTIMIDATOR
CURRENT PROJECTS
Our goal is to create golf holes worthy of the stunning site, with each hole possessing its own personality and a special element we call ‘the WOW factor.’ These are holes that, once played, will remain in a golfer’s mind long after a round and entice them to return for many repeat rounds. In other words, we wanted to create a par-3 course members would be proud to call their own and Oakwood guests will find intriguing enough to warrant an overnight stay.
To accomplish this, we created nine original golf holes that are tributes to some of the top golf holes from around the world. Some of the holes that inspired us are famous ones; others are less well known but no less deserving of acclaim. These are not replica holes. Some do bear resemblance to the inspirations while others will incorporate a particular feature or shot value in a new and different way than the original.
1. New 9-Hole Par 3 Course
2. New Guest Cottages (2 under construction)
3. On-Course Villas (Planned)
4. New Entry Monument
One of the grandest concepts in golf design is the “drop-shot par 3,” where a golfer lofts an iron high in the air off an elevated tee and watches it float in the sky seemingly forever before landing with immediate feedback—close to the pin, beyond it, or short of it. Left of the green is a hillside of rough that may or may not kick an errant shot toward the flag. Over the green is not ideal, but it’s better than hitting right of the green, where a steep slope leads down to a hazard that brings to mind reminiscent of a glacial kettle pond. The drop-shot is a concept as old as the Golden Age of Golf Design and seems an ideal opening hole for a course full of thrills.
Hole No. 1 “Crater Lake”
Hole No. 2 “Golden Bell”
When we first walked the par-3 property, we all felt the topography suggested one of the best par-3 holes in the country, the famed 12th hole at Augusta National in Georgia, home of The Masters. So, we built a small pond to resemble the 25-yardwide Rae’s Creek in front of Augusta’s 12th green, and positioned our wide, shallow green on a diagonal above the water. As at Augusta, there’s one bunker in front and two behind the green To heighten the WOW factor on our second hole, the hillside behind the green is beautifully landscaped with a variety of flowering plants, including azaleas.
Hole No. 3 “Wimbledon”
Besides the famed tennis stadium, Wimbledon near London also contains Royal Wimbledon Golf Club, one of the finest designs of two-time British Open champion Willie Park Jr. One of Park’s trademarks was distinctive and extensive bunkering, a style that one golf writer dubbed “Pandemonium.” It’s apparent at the 7th at Royal Wimbledon, a short-iron par-3 that contains seven bunkers. Our version of Wimbledon has just three bunkers, but the two-level green adds to the drama. After you tee off, note the stretch of natural ledge rock that runs along the lower left of tees.
No. 4
“The Faz”
The world of golf is full of notable “gulch holes,” par-3s that demand a full carry over a ravine to the green. One of the most dramatic is the par-3 seventh at the Dunes Course at Monterey Peninsula Country Club, just minutes away from Pebble Beach. That course was originally laid out by Seth Raynor and completed by Alister MacKenzie, but the par-3 seventh is the work of modern-day architect Tom Fazio, who remodeled the entire course a decade ago. The WOW factor on our fourth includes the dramatic front bunker that stretches down into the gulch and the equally bold back bunker that climbs up a slope.
Hole
Hole No. 5 “Dye Hard”
Our fifth hole is a tribute to the late golf architect Pete Dye, who delighted in designing target-golf holes that toyed with golfers emotions. A classic example is Pete’s par-3 17th at the Straits Course at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin, site of three PGA Championships and a Ryder Cup. It looks scary, with the green on a ledge, a steep slope on the left that drops down to Lake Michigan and an unusual perched bunker on the right, a bunker Pete insisted his wife made him build in such an exaggerated fashion that he called it a “giant ant hill.” Our 5th adopts the pattern of Pete’s par 3, so it’s as narrow and testing as any of the course, with a unique bunker on the right positioned above the putting surface. Incidentally, the 17th at Whistling Straits is called “Pinched Nerve.”
Hole
No. 6 “The Ritz”
C.B. Macdonald originated the Biarritz green over a hundred years ago, basing it not on an actual green, but rather on a golf hole that played from cliff to cliff. The concept of a Biarritz green has become popular among modern day architects, but is rarely built in the mammoth dimensions of the original, which is nearly 60 yards long. Our Biarritz is scaled down and based on a variation done by Jack Nicklaus on the 12th hole at Summit Rock in Austin, Texas. Like at Summit Rock, our Biarritz green is set on a diagonal so players have a clearer view of the front and back sections of the putting surface as well as the trench between.
Hole No. 7 “Spyglass”
Our seventh hole is another drop shot par 3, but this one plays directly over a pond that serves the community as storm retention. The hole is fashioned after the 12th at Spyglass Hill in Pebble Beach, Calif., a course considered by many to be the masterpiece of legendary designer Robert Trent Jones. Like our second hole, the 7th has a diagonal green, but without a bunker separating it from the water’s edge. Instead, the green is perched above the water line atop a horizontal wall of rock. This is an all-or-nothing shot – on the green or into the drink – a real test of club selection and confidence.
Hole No. 8 “Lion King”
One of the most intimidating hazards in golf is a gaping sand bunker that fronts a green and demands a forced carry with a lofted iron shot. This type of bunker has been given many, many names. In recent years, golf architects, especially younger ones, are fond of calling every huge yawning bunker a “Lion’s Mouth,” because that’s what early 20th Century architect Seth Raynor once called it. One of our favorite Lion’s Mouths is on the 135yard par-3 15th hole at The Olympic Club’s Lake Course in San Francisco. Our eighth hole, playing at just 100 yards or less, should be an easy pitch shot to carry a gaping front bunker, but, as we said, it can be an intimidating shot.
Hole No. 9 “Devil’s Pit”
To close our round, we turned to the No. 1 golf course in America, Pine Valley Golf Club in New Jersey, for inspiration. Its short par-3 10th hole is one of the most photographed in all of golf. It is also one of the most notorious, given the amount of sand surrounding the green. In particular, a funnel-shaped bunker in front has been named by the club after an unmentionable portion of the Devil’s anatomy. Our ninth hole reflects the look and feel of Pine Valley’s 10th, with a generous rolling green, although protected with less sand than at the original. At the right front of the green is our own landmark hazard, a pot bunker with a near-vertical stacked-sod face that we call the “Devil’s Pit.” This is a fine finishing hole.
Renderings of the Cottages at Oakwood
Current progress of the Cottages at Oakwood in January, 2025
THE “LOFT”
The remodeling of the historic clubhouse’s second floor will embrace a fusion of experience-driven and functional amenities inspired by the elegance and charm of the 1930s-1940s speakeasy culture.
Our members’ remote work needs will be met with a high-tech “Den” where they can meet virtually and get some work done between rounds.
The “Boardroom” will accommodate formal luncheons, board meetings & private dinners.
The “Bar” will offer a unique, high-end social experience not seen anywhere in the city. Members can reserve parts or all of the 2nd Floor for private gatherings.
1. New Bar / Lounge Area
New Guest Restrooms
New Co-Working Area
Rendering of the Loft illustrating its multiple uses
THE “LOFT”
Rendering of the Loft with views of the bar and the den
OAKWOOD COUNTRY CLUB | KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI
LOFT &
INTERIOR PERSPECTIVE
Rendering of the Loft with views from the den
OAKWOOD COUNTRY CLUB | KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI
LOUNGE
GUARD KIOSK
Security and safety of the membership is paramount to the ownership. Enhancing the entry security and monitoring guest’s comings and goings will allow the membership to have the utmost peace of mind and ensure the privacy of the country club is preserved.
OAKWOOD ENTRANCE SECURITY KIOSK
Bird’s eye view of future guard kiosk
Concrete Paving to Match Concrete Outside of Main Gate
Brick Paving over Concrete Sub-Slab
Integral Color Concrete with Sandblast Finish
GOLF SHOP ADDITION
With the vision of creating a World-Class Golf Shop that will be the envy of the surrounding country clubs, the addition will more than quadruple the size of the Pro Shop. This will allow the membership to have a true retail experience with not only the best golf-centered clothing lines, but also lifestyle apparel, equipment and Oakwood branded offerings.
The enlargement of the Sports Bar will cultivate more member opportunities for larger personal gatherings and membership events.
1. New & Expanded Golf Shop 2. New Golfer Restrooms 3. New Jr. Locker Rm. & Restrooms
New Yoga / Pilates Studio
New Jr. Kids Zone
New Nursery 7. New Party Room 8. Expanded Sports Bar
GOLF SHOP ADDITION
Rendering of the new snack bar with a view of the expanded kids pool deck
Rendering of the new golf shop on the lower floor of the building addition
KIDS POOL AND PLAY AREA
With a family-centered focus at Oakwood, providing a wide range of summertime kid activities is paramount. The remodeling and enhancement of the existing kids pool area will transform this area into a multi-use area that
AREA REMODELED
Rendering of the future expanded kids pool deck and play area
Rendering of new Oakwood sinage and leader board monitor
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI
RANGE EXPANSION
Transforming the golf course range by extending its length not only enhances the practice experience but also accommodates golfers seeking more challenging practice sessions. This renovation ensures the range remains competitive and appealing to both seasoned players and newcomers. We have also added two new sections to the already comprehensive range. At the main tee, a new tee extension that will offer an uphill shot at various greens
PRACTICE RANGE PLAN RENDER
OAKWOOD COUNTRY CLUB
4' HIGH SCREEN NET FENCE IN FRONT OF EXISTING TREES
FUTURE PROJECTS
Future additions include a state-of-the-art Wellness Center, offering personalized mind and body experiences with yoga, Pilates, cryotherapy, saunas, and a full-service spa.
To enrich year-round activities, the club is exploring the addition of an inflatable cover over the western four pickleball courts, allowing members to enjoy these popular sports in any weather. These initiatives reflect Oakwood’s commitment to providing a secure, fulfilling, and holistic experience for all members.
WELLNESS CENTER
Creating a holistic experience for the membership, the state-of-the-art Oakwood Wellness Center would focus on mind, body and spirit with a combination of cardiovascular & strength training focused on Yoga & Pilates at the core. Offering a wide variety of therapies, including cryotherapies, saunas, and personalized wellness experiences, all within a full-service day spa.
COURT BUBBLE
Year-Around activities for the Social Members is what makes the Country Club experience fulfilling. The popularity of Tennis / Pickleball would be enjoyed throughout the year, rain or shine with a new inflatable cover over the Western courts. Plans are underway for consideration.