Sports
St. Albans Offers Elite Golf Amid Historical Setting
St. Albans Country Club has been honored for having two of the top-10 courses in the state for the second consecutive year. Attendance in its woman's league is one of the highest in St. Louis.
Being continually recognized as one of the top golf courses in Missouri would be a point of significant pride for most country clubs.
St. Albans Country Club general manager David Derfel is especially proud of the fact that Golf Digest has honored St. Albans for having two of the top-10 courses in the state for the second consecutive year.
“I’m extremely proud of our golf courses,” Derfel said of the Tavern Creek and Lewis and Clark courses. “It takes a great deal of commitment from our superintendent and his team to maintain these courses to this level of conditioning.”
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Nearby Fox Run Golf Club also offers one of the area’s top courses with a challenging par-71 course designed by Gary Kern.
Tavern Creek, rated seventh and previously sixth, was designed by renowned golf course architects Dana Fry and Dr. Michael Hurdzan. The St. Albans website indicates Tavern Creek “features breathtaking vistas of the Missouri River Valley, dramatic dog-leg holes, and 12 of 18 holes that play around creeks, streams, or ponds. The harmony with natural surroundings and the challenge they provide makes for a truly memorable golf experience.”
Tavern Creek opened with nine holes in 1995, and the second nine was completed in 1997.
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The par-72, 18-hole Lewis and Clark course, designed by Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish, is surrounded by 100-year-old woods, dramatic terrain and natural creek hazards. Named for the legendary explorers, the course is challenging for players of all levels.
An elite traditional links course, the Lewis and Clark course has played host to an impressive array of tournaments since its opening in 1992, including the Metro Amateur Golf Championships, the Missouri State Amateur Golf Championships, the prestigious Missouri Cup Matches, and in 2000, the St. Louis Men’s District Championship.
To remind golfers of the rich historical significance surrounding the grounds they play on, five fully preserved Civil War-era graves are nestled throughout the course.
In 1998, Golf Digest recognized the excellence of Tavern Creek by ranking it the “Fourth Best New Private Course” in the United States. In 2005, Golf Digest ranked the Tavern Creek course as the “Number One Course” in Missouri, further adding to the challenge and the allure of this fine course for members and their guests to seek a perfect game of golf.
Each summer, St. Albans also offers instructional youth programs, in which more than 200 young golfers participate. The Tiny Tigers program for children ages 5 to 7 emphasizes fun and fundamentals, and the Junior Tour program for youngsters up to age 18 hones skills while building confidence, character, and a passion for the game.
“St. Albans is the perfect golf community,” Derfel said. “There is truly something for everyone in the family. The men enjoy a progressive tournament schedule throughout the season. Our woman’s league’s attendance is one of the highest in St. Louis.
“It’s not uncommon to see a family teeing off together on a sunny summer afternoon followed by a bite to eat in our dining room or maybe a dip in the pool.”
St. Albans is an unincorporated community in northeastern Franklin County, MO. It lies less than a mile north of Route 100, about seven miles west of Wildwood borders.