Shawnee, KS · Public course
Tomahawk Hills Golf Course
The oldest golf course in the Kansas City metro, public since day one, run by Johnson County Park and Recreation next to Shawnee Mission Park.
About Tomahawk Hills Golf Course
Tomahawk Hills opened in 1910, which makes it the oldest golf course in the metro, and it is public, operated by the Johnson County Park and Recreation District. It sits at 17501 Midland Drive in Shawnee, on the rolling ground beside Shawnee Mission Park and the Little Mill Creek lowlands. The course is a par 70 of a little over 6,000 yards with zoysia fairways and bent grass greens, and JCPRD describes it as one of the most challenging public layouts in the area because of the elevation and the tight, tree-lined corridors. A newer clubhouse and driving range round it out.
There is no membership to buy and no sponsorship to line up; you book a tee time online and show up. That makes Tomahawk Hills a useful benchmark for buyers who want golf in their life but do not want a five-figure initiation attached to their move. Families in Shawnee, Lenexa and western Overland Park use it as their home course, and it is a common place for relocating households to play while they decide whether a private club is worth it.
For the home search, the draw is the setting rather than fairway frontage. The neighborhoods west of I-435 along Midland Drive and around Shawnee Mission Park are in the De Soto and Shawnee Mission school districts depending on the parcel, with a mix of 1990s subdivisions and newer construction, and prices well below south Leawood. If you are looking in Shawnee or Lenexa and want a park, a lake and a hundred-year-old golf course within a few minutes, this corner of the county delivers that without a gate.
How membership works
Tomahawk Hills is a public course with no membership required. Play is by daily green fee, with tee times booked online through JCPRD, and the district offers various rate options; check the current fee schedule on the JCPRD golf site since rates change seasonally. There is no residency requirement, no sponsorship and no initiation. If you want a home course without the commitment of a private club, this is the model. Ask the pro shop about any annual pass or league programs, which are not detailed on the public page.
Clubs adjust initiation and dues with demand and rarely publish them. Treat any figure above as a planning range and ask me for current numbers before you commit to an address. Read the metro-wide breakdown in what country club memberships cost in Kansas City.
Neighborhoods around Tomahawk Hills Golf Course
Shawnee
The course is in western Shawnee beside Shawnee Mission Park.
Lake Quivira
The gated lake community just north; residents have a public course minutes away.
Overland Park
Western Overland Park golfers reach it via I-435 and 87th.
Homes for sale near Tomahawk Hills Golf Course
Live from the MLS. Thin inventory is normal at this tier — tell me what you want and I'll watch for it, including off-market.
Thinking about living near Tomahawk Hills Golf Course?
I'll send current pricing for the neighborhoods that feed this club, what's about to hit the market, and the membership questions to ask before you write an offer.
Tomahawk Hills Golf Course: questions buyers ask
Is Tomahawk Hills Golf Course public?
Yes. It is owned and operated by the Johnson County Park and Recreation District and open to everyone. You book a tee time online or through the pro shop and pay a daily green fee. There is no membership, sponsorship or residency requirement of any kind.
How old is Tomahawk Hills?
The course opened in 1910, which JCPRD says makes it the oldest golf course in the Kansas City metropolitan area. It has been updated over the years with zoysia fairways, bent greens, a driving range and a newer clubhouse, but the routing through the hills beside Shawnee Mission Park is what gives it character.
What is the course like?
A par 70 of a little over 6,000 yards, which sounds short until you play it. Elevation changes, tree-lined fairways and the terrain around Little Mill Creek make it one of the more demanding public courses in the area. Good course for regular play close to home rather than a resort-style test.
Which neighborhoods are near Tomahawk Hills?
Western Shawnee along Midland Drive and around Shawnee Mission Park, plus Lake Quivira to the north and Lenexa to the south. Depending on the exact parcel, homes fall in the De Soto or Shawnee Mission school districts, so confirm the district for any address you are considering rather than assuming.