JACK NICKLAUS AND NICKLAUS DESIGN WILL LEAD REBIRTH OF NORMANDIE GOLF COURSE

[Buck Wolter]

JACK NICKLAUS AND NICKLAUS DESIGN WILL LEAD[/size]
REBIRTH OF NORMANDIE GOLF COURSE

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[/size]Golf Legend to Donate His Services to Help Launch Fundraising Efforts
[/size]For Renovation of Historic Public Golf Course in North St. Louis County

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[/size]ST. LOUIS, April 15, 2021 – Jack Nicklaus, the greatest champion in the history of golf, and his renowned Nicklaus Design firm have agreed to join the philanthropic effort to renovate Normandie Golf Course (Normandie), the Metropolitan Golf Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association (MAGA), with its partner Beyond Housing (BH), the famed community development organization, announced today.
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[/size]Nicklaus Design will lead the project and Mr. Nicklaus will donate his services for the renovation of Normandie, which was built in 1901 and is one of the oldest public golf courses west of the Mississippi. Nicklaus will not only lead the design effort, but he will support the group’s fundraising efforts to purchase the property from the University of Missouri-St. Louis, as well as the necessary funding for facility construction of the project. Upon completion of the project, Normandie will become a Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course.
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[/size]“The appeal of this project to me was to be involved in an effort that could serve as a catalyst to change needed in our country today, beginning with parts of St. Louis County,” Jack Nicklaus said. “Restoring Normandie for a community in need will have a long-lasting positive impact on the lives of youth in St. Louis.”
[/size]Nicklaus was introduced to the Normandie project in late 2020 by friend Tom O’Toole, Jr., past USGA President and MAGA Founder. He was quick to lend his support to the revitalization effort.
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[/size]“To have Jack agree to be involved in this project immeasurably changes its viability,” O’Toole said. “Now, this is an effort that a metropolitan area, and the businesses who thrive here can get behind to forever change the lives of youth in our region.”
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[/size]This project is so much more than the renovation of a historic public golf course. It is about retaining a community asset for the benefit of a region by being a catalyst for socio-economic change in an under-served community.
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[/size]“Once a community loses an asset of this magnitude, seldom is it regained,” said Chris Krehmeyer, CEO of Beyond Housing. “This project expands and complements the successful projects BH has developed in this region.”
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[/size]Once funding is secured for Normandie, construction could begin by year’s end. It is important to note, the golf course will remain open and continue to be operated by Walters Golf Management through the 2021 golf season.
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[/size]Jack Nicklaus has other philanthropic ties to St. Louis through his involvement with the Ascension Charity Classic presented by Emerson, a PGA TOUR Champions event, which also supports north St. Louis County communities and will be held September 6-12, 2021 at Norwood Hills Country Club.

[Jeff Schley]

Kudos for JN to participate as he has always been generous with his time and efforts for worthy causes. Just another example. I'm sure Ryan can update us with more details as he is involved IIRC.

[Buck Wolter]

Upon completion of the project, Normandie will become a Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course.
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[/size]Progress I guess[/color]

[Ryan Hillenbrand]

This is very positive news, though if it becomes a JN Signature course I'd assume the Foulis routing is history


I played a small part in the "losing" bid to buy/run the course in favor of this one led by Tom O'Toole. But even still, his group had trouble finding donors and I'd suspect it was because there was no clear vision for the course. Now with Nicklaus committed I'm sure it'll have the sizzle to sell it to the community.

[Steve Pozaric]

Good news for St Louis public golf. I hope it retains some of its roots as a JN Signature course.

[Rob Marshall]

I was told that Nicklaus sold his interest in the design business. Not true?

[Mark Mammel]

I have to say I have mixed feelings. It's always good when someone of Nicklaus's stature donates his time and effort for the public good and public access to golf. His designs, other than Muirfield Village, are just not my cup of tea. But kudos and keep public golf alive and well.

[Bill Shamleffer]

I too have mixed feelings about this news.  It is a very decent thing of Nicklaus to do for a friend and for the community.  Also, I expect that this is the only way this course avoids stop being a golf course in the near future. I doubt it has made a real profit in many years.


On the other hand, in my teens & early 20s (1980s), this was my favorite public course, and was cheap, but one of the best routings of all the cheap courses in town.  There is something to be said about having a cheap course but which is still interesting, and offering some shotmaking challenges.  We lose something when those that do not have a lot lose a special course.


But I suspect it went with too little care for too long.  Nevertheless, I will have to make one more visit this summer to StL to visit a part of my youth, where I spent many a summer Mondays with friends from the caddie yard, that was often followed by a meal at The Pasta House.


I do VERY much hope the do nothing to change the routing.  They can do anything they want to the greens & the bunkering, but PLEASE leave that routing EXACTLY as is.