In 2005, the communities of Bel-Nor and Greendale worked together to save the historic Normandie Golf Course from development plans that would have forever closed the oldest public golf course in America, west of the Mississippi. Now, nearly 10 years later, the future of the 113-year-old St. Louis landmark is threatened once again. 

The University of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL) has commenced planning that would allow the university to acquire Normandie Golf Course as soon as December 2014, if so approved by the University of Missouri Board of Curators. Regardless of which parties ultimately own, operate or otherwise manage the property, we petition all Normandie Golf Course stakeholders – including current owners, investors, managers and potential buyers – to make a commitment, not just to the communities of Bel-Nor and Greendale, but also to the city of St. Louis and golf enthusiasts around the world, to protect the integrity of the golf course’s unique design, continue to operate the property as a golf course and develop plans that will allow the golf course to thrive for at least another 113 years of operation.

Normandie Golf Course is both a piece of our collective history as a city and an irreplaceable link in the evolution of golf internationally. Built in 1901 on the grounds of the former Charles Lucas estate, for which it is named, Normandie Golf Course has remained a natural oasis, virtually untouched by time’s march, for well over a century. Before the World’s Fair came to town, when Theodore Roosevelt was just a newly sworn-in President, Normandie was establishing itself as one of the most challenging and beautiful courses St. Louis would ever see, thanks to the exceptional design and construction techniques of the celebrated Foulis brothers, James, Robert and Dave. Born and raised in St. Andrews, Scotland, the Foulis brothers grew up just four short blocks from the “Home of Golf,” the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews under the tutelage of Tom Morris, one of the “founding fathers of golf.” While James would become the first golf professional in America and the winner of the second U.S. Open, collectively, the Foulis brothers developed a reputation as founders of the sport in the Midwest thanks to their still-relevant contributions to play, course design and equipment innovation. Utilizing the natural topography of the area, the Foulis brothers made Normandie one of the destinations for every golfer’s bucket list, including the likes of Babe Ruth, Bob Hope, W.C. Fields and trailblazing female athlete, Babe Didrikson Zaharias.

Despite nearly a decade of tumultuous management and uncertain prospects, Normandie is still one of the most beloved and admired golf courses in the region. In 2005, a developer sought to raze the course in favor of a large-scale suburban housing development, thousands of Normandie suppporters united to oppose the threat and the proposal folded under community pressure. Now UMSL is in negotiations to acquire the property and while they hope to maintain it as a golf course, university officials won't make any assurances to the community that the famed course and its natural environment will be protected for the next generation of St. Louis golfers. The history, the beauty and the legacy of Normandie Golf Course deserve those assurances – regardless of current or future ownership. We call on all current and future owners of the property to make a covenant with the people of St. Louis, particularly the Bel-Nor and Greendale communities, promising to protect the the golf course, continue its operation and develop long-term plans to ensure its future. We prevailed in securing the future of Normandie Golf Course before and, with the help of supporters throughout St. Louis, across the country and around the world, we will prevail again.