Cherokee Golf Course shouldn't exist. Frederick Law Olmsted designed Cherokee Park in 1891 — 409 acres of rolling Kentucky landscape, democratic green space for any citizen. When Louisville proposed converting 52 acres to a golf course in 1900, the Olmsted Firm wrote letters. They argued. They urged the city to reconsider.
The city built it anyway. Tom Bendelow — the Scotsman who designed over 600 courses for working people — laid out the original nine holes. 2,803 yards from the tips. Par 35. Compact enough to walk in under two hours. It briefly went to 18 holes in 1915, then reverted to nine when the larger Seneca opened in 1934.
In 2019, six of Louisville's ten munis landed on the chopping block. The Olmsted Parks Conservancy proposed converting Cherokee back to parkland — paddleboats on Willow Pond, wildflower meadows, a restaurant in the clubhouse. 74% of survey respondents supported it. Metro Council was ready to vote.
Then, in 2023, the Trinity High School golf team showed up. Head coach Pat Heitz grew up playing Louisville's public courses. He brought his team to Cherokee for several days — priming, painting, cleaning, planting flowers. "When they talked about closing this down a year ago, it made no sense," Heitz said. "You see old people, young people, grandkids."
The resolution was withdrawn. Cherokee is still open. Still $20 for a family of four after 4:30 PM. Still serving the same purpose it was built for — getting people on the course.
Louisville, KY · Est. 1900 · Tom Bendelow · 9 holes, par 35, 2,803 yards · On Olmsted parkland · Survived closure threat (2019-2023)
Part of The Muni Manifesto series.