Metropolitan Golf Foundation Acquires Historic Normandie Golf Club
This week, we wanted to spotlight a unique story from the Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association in St. Louis. Special thanks to Curt Rohe, their executive director for providing answers to the questions below.
Q: Can you provide us with some history and background on Normandie Golf Club?
A: Normandie Golf Club was built in 1901 and is the oldest Public golf course still in operation in its original location, west of the Mississippi River. Designed in St. Louis by Robert Foulis, a disciple of Old Tom Morris of St. Andrews, Scotland fame. The course sits in what is known as Greendale, Mo, and is in a depressed part of the area north of St. Louis County. The University of Missouri System purchased the course several years ago, and it has been operated by Walters Golf Management for almost 20 years. It started as a private club until the early 1980’s. It was where many of the best players in the St. Louis area called home and played. This project began almost six years ago when a couple of guys came to Tom O’Toole, Jr. to talk to him about restoring the course; however, they wanted to do it in a for-profit model, which he said would never work in that area.When they decided to do the not-for-profit route, they came back to Tom to inquire about establishing a 501(c)3 entity. The Metropolitan Golf Foundation (MGF) became involved as it was already established. MGF partnered with Beyond Housing (BH) to operate the golf course, and ultimately it was purchased by the MGF this past May from the University of Missouri System. I encourage you to visit the Normandie Renovation Project page on our website where we have a four-page brochure about The Vision and a video that truly brings that vision to life.The project really came to life when Jack Nicklaus agreed to partner with us in restoring the golf course; it will become a Jack Nicklaus Signature Course. Jack and Nicklaus Design have waived their fee in restoring the course.
The beauty of this project is that it will remain a public golf course and at the current greens fee structure it currently operates under.
Q: Why is this course and this project of importance to the Metropolitan Golf Foundation?
A: The importance of revitalizing the property is to maintain a community asset! Chris Krehmeyer, CEO of our partner Beyond Housing, said it best, “the asset will never be replaced if you lose it.” You will hear and see it many times in the materials: it is about so much more than restoring a golf course. This is about breaking new ground by transforming an under-utilized community asset into a world-class Jack Nicklaus signature golf course, to become a catalyst for progress and social change.
Q: What programs and initiatives do you see being available with the future of this facility?
A: We have partnered with Youth on Course and the Western Golf Association (WGA). We are having ongoing discussions with First Tee of Greater St. Louis, Gateway PGA Reach and many others to be a piece of the project in the future. The WGA have committed to have a caddie program at Normandie, like they are doing at Jackson Park in Chicago, where golfers can take a caddie at no charge and are only expected to tip the caddie. Caddies and a caddie master will be paid by the WGA.