Redbud at The Courses at Forest Park

The Redbud Course at Forest Park occupies a significant place in American public golf history as part of a municipal facility that dates to the early twentieth century. Robert Foulis, a Scottish professional and architect active in the St. Louis area, laid out the original course in the 1910s. The routing underwent substantial renovation decades later under the direction of Hale Irwin, the three-time U.S. Open champion who transitioned into course design. This combination of historical foundation and modern update reflects the evolution of public golf in a major urban park setting.

Forest Park itself is one of the largest urban parks in the United States, larger than New York's Central Park, and the golf courses occupy rolling terrain within its boundaries. The Redbud Course shares the property with another eighteen-hole layout, providing St. Louis residents with accessible municipal golf in a mature parkland environment. The routing moves through stands of hardwood trees and over moderate elevation changes typical of the region's topography.

The course serves a broad cross-section of the St. Louis golfing public, from beginners to experienced players seeking a walkable round in a park setting. The combination of Foulis's early design principles and Irwin's later refinements aims to balance playability with strategic interest. As part of a municipal system, the Redbud Course represents the tradition of public access golf that has served American cities for over a century.