L.A. Nickell Golf Course ☆ Follow

L.A. Nickell Golf Course is an 18-hole municipal facility located in Columbia, Missouri, within the 533-acre Columbia Cosmopolitan Recreation Area, also known as Cosmo Park. The course features three sets of tees—blue, white, combo, and red—allowing for varied yardages and challenges. The layout includes large zoysia grass fairways and bentgrass greens, with a terrain described as flat with rolling hills. The course is open year-round, subject to weather conditions, and includes a driving range with fully irrigated bermuda grass tees and target greens.

The course presents an adequate challenge for lower handicappers while offering a more difficult layout with generous ball landing areas for higher handicappers and beginners. Yardages vary by tee color, ranging from 4,684 yards from the red tees to 6,231 yards from the blue tees. Slope ratings range from 119 to 126, and course ratings range from 65.8 to 73.4, depending on the tee set and gender. The par for all tee sets is 70.

Notable features include lakes, continuous golf cart paths, and a tee-to-green watering system. The facility also offers instruction for players aged 18 and older, focusing on developing a repeatable golf swing. Staff includes teaching professionals and superintendents who manage the course conditions and player services. The course is managed by Golf Columbia, which also operates the nearby Lake of the Woods Golf Course.