Mozingo turns back clock to 1995

By Phil Cobb | July 23, 2015 |

TONY BROWN/DAILY FORUM
Spencer Osborn, right, tees off on No. 1 at Mozingo Lake Recreation Park as his twosome partner Cole Gage looks on. Both young men traveled from their homes in Stanberry in order to play a Wednesday afternoon round on Mozingo’s Sechrest 18 course.

Golfers and campers looking to get more than their money’s worth will have a stellar opportunity to do just that during the Mozingo Lake Recreation Park 20th anniversary celebration Friday through Sunday.

To mark the beginning of the park’s third decade, the city of Maryville is rolling back campsite rentals and green fees to 1995 rates.

Based on an average inflation rate over the last 20 years of 2.28 percent, it would take $157 in today’s money to buy the same amount of stuff you could purchase for $100 in 1995, when a gallon of gas went for an average $1.15 and a gallon of milk cost a little under $3.

This weekend, just as when Mozingo first offered “primitive” camping in its early days, tent sites will be available for $3. Wait until Monday, and the fee goes back to 10 bucks.

Recreational vehicles spaces will go for $10 a night during the three-day celebration, discounted from the current standard of $25 for first-come, first-served slots and $35 for reserved slots. There is no reserve discount, because 20 years ago Mozingo didn’t accept reservations.

As for golf, players will pay $18 Friday, Saturday and Sunday for a nine-hole round and $25 for 18 holes — and that is with a cart. Current with-cart fees are $28 and $43.

Those who want to lug their clubs over the Sechrest 18 course on foot will save even more money, since non-cart fees in 1995 were $12 and $18, respectively.

In addition to saving money, golfers teeing up at Mozingo on Saturday will also have a chance to win some nice stuff — including a 2015 Ford Fiesta put up as a hole-in-one prize by Tri-State Ford Lincoln in Maryville.

All some lucky duffer has to do to take the car home, Assistant City Manager Ryan Heiland said Wednesday, is buy a $5 ticket then shoot a hole-in-one on No. 8, a 189-yard par three with a water hazard smack dab in the middle.

Hole-in-one prizes will also be offered at holes 5, 11 and 15, Heiland said. One good swing of the club could net winners vacations to courses in Michigan and Las Vegas or a new fairway wood. In addition, a driver will be given away Saturday in a separate drawing.

The hole-in-one contest will be begin at 7 a.m. and end at 5 p.m., but Heiland said ticket sales will end around 3 p.m. in order to give everyone a chance to get around the course.

Other anniversary events on tap at the lake include:

Friday: 7 p.m. beach party at the swimming area, free pizza, games and giveaways; 9 p.m. outdoor movie screening.

Saturday: 8-11 a.m. youth fishing tournament; 8:30 a.m. Kids’ Dash & Splash; 9 a.m. 5-K fun run; 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. MOERA open house, various demonstrations; 1-5 p.m. mud volleyball tournament, beer garden and DJ; 2 p.m. Little Mr. and Miss Mozingo Contest; 3-9 p.m. Family Fun Zone, inflatables, face painting, sidewalk art and dunk tank; 3-9 p.m. food and beverage vendors; 4-9:30 p.m. live music featuring Boulevard, Tyler Folkerts and the Double Barrel Band and The Mixtapes; 9:30 p.m. proclamation by Mayor Renee Riedel; 9:45 p.m. fireworks.

For complete event details, go to mozingolake.com/20year.

TONY BROWN/DAILY FORUM
The first golfer to hit a hole-in-one at Mozingo Lake this Saturday on No. 8 — a par three hole with a water hazard — will win this 2015 Ford Fiesta offered by Tri-State Ford Lincoln of Maryville. The car is one of several prizes being offered to golfers this weekend during the park’s 20th anniversary celebration.