Forest Park Golf Course
| Club information | |
|---|---|
  | |
| Coordinates | 38°38′41″N 90°17′48″W / 38.64468°N 90.29675°W |
| Location | St. Louis, Missouri |
| Established | 1912 |
| Type | Municipal |
| Total holes | 27 |
| Website | forestparkgc.com |
| Hawthorn | |
| Par | 35 |
| Length | 3,047 yards (2,790 m) |
| Course rating | 33.4 |
| Slope rating | 108[1] |
| Dogwood | |
| Par | 35 |
| Length | 3,140 yards (2,870 m) |
| Course rating | 35.4 |
| Slope rating | 130[2] |
| Redbud | |
| Par | 35 |
| Length | 3,174 yards (2,900 m) |
| Course rating | 35.3 |
| Slope rating | 130[2] |
The Forest Park Golf Course, also known as the Courses at Forest Park or the Norman Probstein Community Golf Course, opened in 1912 as a nine-hole golf course.[3] The original course was designed by Scotsman Robert Foulis, an employee of the Old Course at St Andrews, while a second and third set of nine holes were finished in 1913 and 1915.[3] In 1929, the Forest Park Golf Course was home to the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship.[3]
Between 2001 and 2004, the three courses and the clubhouse were rebuilt under the direction of course designer Stan Gentry.[3] The rebuilding project initially was funded by St. Louis developer Norman Probstein with a gift of $2 million, followed by donations of $2 million from Eagle Golf, $2.4 million from the Danforth Foundation, $4.5 million from Forest Park Forever, and $1.6 million from the city of St. Louis.[4] The three rebuilt courses are named for trees in St. Louis: the Hawthorn is a relatively flat and walkable layout; the Dogwood is a somewhat hilly course with a water fairway; and the Redbud is very hilly and the most challenging layout of the three.[4] One glass-enclosed clubhouse serves all three courses, and it includes a restaurant open to all park users known as Ruthie's Grill.[4] After the completion of the renovations, the Forest Park Golf Course was named the Best Golf Course in St. Louis by the local alternative newspaper, the Riverfront Times.[5]
References
- ^ "Course Rating and Slope Database™ - Forest Park Golf Course - Redbud/Hawthorn". USGA. Retrieved 14 September 2022.
- ^ a b "Course Rating and Slope Database™ - Forest Park Golf Course - Dogwood/Redbud". USGA. Retrieved 14 September 2022.
- ^ a b c d "Forest Park Golf Course: History". Archived from the original on September 10, 2011. Retrieved July 27, 2011.
- ^ a b c "Forest Park Forever: Golf". Archived from the original on July 2, 2011. Retrieved July 27, 2011.
- ^ Riverfront Times: Best Golf Course 2008.
External links
- Official website
- "Golf in Forest Park". City of St. Louis. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
- Walsh, John (30 January 2006). "Keeping that old-school feel". Golf Course Industry. Retrieved 13 September 2022.