The historic property that is the oldest private club west of the Mississippi tried unsuccessfully 15 years ago to get nearby residents to help it secure at least a partial closing of the street, but has now renewed discussions with adjoining neighborhoods. General Manager Chris Bancroft says the presence of the road, which golfers must cross four times when playing 18 holes, has impeded growth of the club’s golf membership.
Leaders of the Field Club of Omaha (Neb.) are looking into making another attempt to close a portion of a road that runs through the middle of the historic club’s golf course, the Omaha World Herald reported.
Established in 1898, The Field Club lays claim to being the oldest private club west of the Mississippi River, and its original golf course design dates back to 1905. The club hosted the 1941 U.S. Amateur and its course has been played by greats such as Bobby Jones and 1933 U.S. Open Champion/Field Club member Johnny Goodman, who was the last amateur to win that major tournament.
The club hosted an informational meeting on November 27 with residents of the Morton Meadows neighborhood, the next neighborhood west of the Field Club, the World Herald reported. Many Morton Meadows residents opposed the club’s effort to close a portion of the road about 15 years ago, and that effort ended when the Omaha City Council deadlocked 3-3 in 2003 after an intense two-plus years of debate among neighbors in surrounding neighborhoods.
Field Club officials apparently are trying to gather support from their neighbors this time around, the World Herald reported. Club representatives presented plans at a Morton Meadows Neighborhood Association meeting in October, according to Rick Hauptman, President of the neighborhood group.
Some neighborhood association members have raised questions on social media since that meeting, Hauptman told the World Herald. Field Club leaders hosted this meeting at the property’s clubhouse to address concerns and answer questions, Hauptman said.
Chris Bancroft, the Field Club’s General Manager, told the World Herald that the club’s golf membership isn’t growing, in part because of the street that runs through the course.
The club has a couple of potential plans for the course, Bancroft added. One would close the portion of Woolworth Avenue that runs through the course, and another would leave the street open.
A plan shown on the club’s website would reduce the number of times golfers would have to cross Woolworth from four to two while playing the 18-hole course, the World Herald reported.