Exciting News About Normandie

The day finally came at the end of last month, an exciting day for a number of reasons.

Keep in mind St. Louis’ Metropolitan Golf Foundation finalized the purchase of historic Normandie Golf Course back in May, 2022. And on a recent Wednesday morning, some 29 months of fundraising and organizing came to a head, and the work to revitalize one of the most historic courses in the country began. 

The aforementioned “work” to be done at Normandie will be led by Jack Nicklaus, one of the most iconic players and golf architects in the history of the game. Nicklaus has designed and/or renovated more than 425 courses in his career, properties in more than 45 countries and 40 states. His “work” has touched facilities that have 60 major championships, six Ryder and Presidents cups and nearly 300 PGA Tour competitions. In short, when it comes to building golf courses, the “Golden Bear” has the golden chops.

That’s exciting.

Then there is the consideration of Normandie’s survival. This is a Robert Foulis original, designed and opened in 1901, among the first courses to open west of the Mississippi. Babe Ruth used to tee it up at Normandie,, so did “Babe” Didrikson Zaharias, Bob Hope and Frank Sinatra, Dizzy Dean and Stan Musial. So did generations of St. Louisans. 

This golf course in north St. Louis County once was a vibrant community asset. The vision of the MGF (the philanthropic arm of the Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association) and development partner Beyond Housing, as well as Nicklaus and his team, is to make Normandie an asset once again. 

A rising tide lifts all boats, it is said. A thriving golf course can do the same.

“This is the greatest thing that could happen to this property,” former USGA president and Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association founder Tom O’Toole said when the property was purchased. “Otherwise, it would fall into disrepair.”

That’s also exciting.

Then there is the pure, unadulterated, put-your-peg-in-the-ground-and-put-your-ball-in-the-air aspect of all this - that is, the golf part.

The industry had gone through big changes over the past 50 years, from growth spurt, to stagnation to a pandemic-fueled resurgence. Golf construction peaked in 2005, when 14,990 18-hole courses opened in the United States. That was almost double the number of courses (7,516) that came on line in 1970. 

But since 2006, more than 2,800 golf courses have closed while only 600 have opened. This year, the Covid-caused spike in golf participation has continued, and through the first half of the year, fewer than 40 courses had closed, a significant decrease from previous years. But new construction is still slow. Golf courses get built about as often as rotary telephones, if you will.

St. Louis is no different. In the early 2000s, renovations at Forest Park and the Highlands came to fruition and clubs like Old Hickory opened. But since that time, changes in the local golf landscape have been few and far between.

So, along with the Nicklaus name, in addition to the social and communal benefits, there is the anticipation of a new playing field to experience. Or as the Beatles put it on one of their early LPs, it’s “Something New!”

And that is exciting.

As the St. Louis golf community has experienced through local facilities like Winghaven and Stonewolf, Dalhousie in nearby Cape Girardeau and the Club at Porta Cima at Lake of the Ozarks, Nicklaus Design knows how to cobble a course. In the case of Normandie, Nicklaus is donating his services and making this a “Signature” course. You can be assured his attention to the historic value and its classic properties will be both reverent and revitalizing.

Already, 21 acres of brush have been cleared and more than 300 trees - growth that had not seen a bladed edge in some 50 years. While the foundation for the original routing will be retained, the new Normandie grounds will be re-grassed and rejuvenated with new tees, putting greens, bunkers and state-of-the-art irrigation. The last time you saw Normandie it was 6,497 yards- the next time you see Normandie it will stretch 7,007 yards. It will have fresh perspectives, dynamic shot values and a new, multi-purpose clubhouse.

Oh yeah, and then there is one other exciting aspect of this that is not part of the remake. That is, after the Jack Nicklaus renovation is completed sometime in Fall, 2025, Normandie will continue to be a public facility. You and the Ol’ Bogeyman will be welcome to make a tee time, to put a peg in the ground and put a ball in the air. 

Now that’s exciting!