16. Master Gardeners’ Hotlines
City: Kansas City, MO
Category: Parks & Recreation
Description: These are the experts to call when your dahlia’s drooping or your tomatoes are toast. Armed with state horticultural training courses and scads of experience, the volunteers can answer your questions or direct you to other resources. The Johnson County Master Gardeners work at the Deanna Rose Farmstead, 137th and Switzer in Overland Park. The hotline (913-764-6306) is staffed 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. The Master Gardeners of Greater Kansas City’s hotline (816-833-8733) is open 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays, from Mar 1 through Oct 31. Or visit www.mggkc.org
17. Kansas City Explorers
City: Kansas City, MO
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (816) 513-5630
Description: With 15 years as members of World Team Tennis under their white belts, the Explorers pack ’em in at what must be the prettiest venue in the league. Their court is at Barney Allis Plaza, in the heart of our downtown. Evening games when the lights come on in the art deco skyscrapers, the famous Bartle Hall Pylons stand tall against the night sky—well, it’s breathtaking. Add the ka-pop, ka-pop of that tennis ball and it’s all the night music you need. You can imagine that with only 2,600 seats total, tickets tend to go fast.
City: Kansas City, MO
Category: Parks & Recreation
City: Kansas City, MO
Category: Parks & Recreation
City: Kansas City, MO
Category: Parks & Recreation
City: Kansas City, MO
Category: Parks & Recreation
Address: 1800 Village West Pkwy.
22. Kansas City Wizards
City: Kansas City, MO
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (816) 920-9300
Description: When it was announced that the new major league soccer team in Kansas City would be known as The Whiz, the management got what they wanted: plenty of attention. When the jokes threatened to overcome the players’ potential, the name was changed to the Wizards in 1996. Ahhhh, that’s better.For the time being, the Wizards play their home games at CommunityAmerica Ballpark in Kansas City, Kansas; the season runs from Apr through Sept. Tickets cost $12 to $19 for adults and $8 to $13 for youths.
23. Kansas Speedway
City: Kansas City, MO
Category: Parks & Recreation
Address: 1333 Meadowlark Lane
City: Kansas City, MO
Category: Parks & Recreation
25. The Kansas City Bicycle Club
City: Kansas City, MO
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (816) 436-5641
Description: This club, established in 1963, sponsors everything from beginner rides to all-day marathons for those who have to see what’s over the next hill. The KCBC also has a United States Cycling Federation–sanctioned racing team and hosts the Tour of Kansas City race every fall. Quarterly meetings are held at a different location each time and always include an interesting ride and a picnic. A monthly newsletter keeps members current on upcoming events, newly discovered tours, and training techniques. Annual dues vary.
26. Kansas City Fencing Center
City: Kansas City, MO
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (913) 579-9535
Address: 9900 Antioch
Description: Fencing helps develop agility, strength, speed, and discipline. If not, what’s the point? This program is taught by some of the country’s finest, including head coach Kelly Williams, the top-ranked female saber fencer in the United States. Now she’s training others to succeed: Her students have placed in the top eight in United States Fencing Association competition in every age group. Classes are available for beginning, intermediate, advanced, and expert level fencers in three categories: saber, foil, and épée. Intro classes, which include two one-hour classes per week, range from $65 to $85 per month and provide equipment. Open sessions using your own equipment are also available.
27. Deer Creek Golf Club
City: Kansas City, MO
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (913) 681-3100
Address: 7000 W. 133rd St.
Description: With its 162 acres of rolling terrain and plenty of mature trees, sand, and water, well-traveled golfers may immediately identify this as a Robert Trent Jones Jr. course. It’s certainly one of his most beautiful. Jones has crafted not one but two signature holes into this masterpiece. The No. 3 hole is a 422-yard hole that plays between a creek on the left and a bunker on the right. To make it you’ll have to drive it dead-on. And if you didn’t care for that water hazard the first time around, you won’t care for the second signature shot. It comes at No. 15, a 22-yard par 3.
28. Heritage Park Golf Course
City: Kansas City, MO
Category: Parks & Recreation
Address: 16455 Lackman Rd.
Description: This popular course isn’t a walk in the park, although it is in one. The course has proven its level of difficulty by being used for U.S. Open qualifying rounds. The 16th hole is the one that can trip you up on this Don Sechrest–designed course. The 215-yard, par-3 hole requires 190 yards of carry over a body of water. We’d like to have a take in that used golf-ball concession.
City: Kansas City, MO
Category: Parks & Recreation
Address: 15400 Mission Rd.
30. Longview Lake Golf Course
City: Kansas City, MO
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (816) 761-9445
Address: 11100 View High Dr.
Description: Near one of the area’s most picturesque lakes, this course features varying elevations, elevated tee boxes, and a little longer play. The Scottish-style links offer something for every skill level. Signature holes both include water. No. 8 is particularly challenging because of the pond running along the left side. And one of the prettiest views on the course provides its biggest trouble spot on No. 12, which is played next to Longview Lake.