Most of us of modest means have trouble imagining how we can create and leave a positive impact on our little corner of the world. If we’re rich, it’s easier to see a large monetary donation change lives or produce something beautiful for others to enjoy.
But even small gifts can balloon into a significant offering that can impact many lives for the better.
For example, a donation to the renovation of the Normandie Golf Club will impact not just those who play the historic public course, but the North County community as a whole.
A recent Bel-Nor town hall meeting provided updates on the ongoing renovation of the golf club, which borders St. Charles Rock Road, Bel-Nor and Greendale. Metropolitan Golf Foundation (MGF), Beyond Housing, Jack Nicklaus and Nicklaus Design are partnering on the project.
Until recently, this public golf course had been hanging on by a thread for 16 years, with the threat of either closure, a congested housing development, or uncertainty. The course’s future always remained tenuous.
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Tom O’Toole, native south St. Louisan and director of the MGF, is a major force in spearheading the golf course renovation. He achieved a coup enlisting the aid of famed golfer and course designer Jack Nicklaus, who envisioned a revitalized, reconfigured design that would benefit underserved youth and North County communities. This Nicklaus Signature Course is also a boon for the entire metro St. Louis area, both for those who enjoy the sport played on a stellar public course, and those who just relish driving by the beautiful verdant grounds.
Nicklaus waived his $3 million customary fee to help ensure the area’s dream of a beautiful green space with a new clubhouse and job opportunities for locals. Several groups (among them First Tee of St. Louis, Boys & Girls Club of Greater St. Louis, the U.S. Golfing Association and the LPGA) will offer a caddie program, classes and golf lessons to local underserved kids. Young people will have an opportunity to exercise outdoors, forge friendships, while learning a sport and taking pride in their achievements. Participants may also be eligible for scholarships.
Not only is this the oldest public golf course west of the Mississippi, it has an illustrious history. It hosted many past celebrities: Babe Didrikson, Jim Furyk, W.C. Fields, Babe Ruth and Dizzy Dean, to name a few.
The Post-Dispatch on March 18 carried a cover story on the Normandie Golf Club renovation. It reported that some people are lamenting the cutting down of mature trees there.
I’m a big tree-lover myself. But at the recent meeting, we learned that most of those trees had major problems or would impede or be dangerous to golfers. They hadn’t been maintained or pruned for many years.
Once the new course is completed, the benefits we’ll receive will far outweigh this loss. New trees will be planted to replace those removed. Yes, it’ll take years for them to mature, but the tradeoff is worth it.
I don’t play golf and never will. But I see the enormous potential of this envisioned dream and want to help it become a reality. This plan injects new life and growth into the community, that all of St. Louis and St. Louis County can take pride in.
When this dream comes to fruition, it will provide a legacy to our youths, and adults will reap advantages too. It will remain a public course, enhancing the area. Supporting this club’s renovation is a positive step we can take for our neighbors, ensuring a bright future.
Organizers have raised more than $8 million toward the renovation, as well as obtaining a $5 million low-interest loan. But the price tag for this ambitious project is $15 million to $20 million. They anticipate opening in 2025.
In the next year, they need the financial support of both St. Louis and St. Louis County to meet the goal. Please consider making a donation by going online to https://www.metga.org/nicklaus-and-normandie, scroll down to learn more wonderful things about the project, and click on “Donations” at the bottom left of the page to make a gift.
It’s not every day you get the opportunity to change the trajectory of someone’s life, or leave a legacy of beautiful green space for all to enjoy, long after we’re gone.