What’s at Stake: Trump, the National Links Trust, and D.C. Golf

On Friday night, the Wall Street Journal reported that the Trump Administration is looking at redeveloping Washington D.C.’s public golf courses, which include the historic East Potomac Golf Links, a property that sits near the National Mall and across the river from the Wharf, the popular waterfront neighborhood.

Five years ago, during President Trump’s first administration, the National Links Trust was awarded a 50-year lease with plans to renovate and restore all three of D.C.’s courses — the aforementioned East Potomac, Rock Creek Park Golf Course, and Langston Golf Course.

Last week, the Trump Administration sent notice that the Trust was in default of the lease, which could lead to termination. This letter came just weeks after the Trump administration told the NLT that it might be found in default if it did not consent to the delivery of a large pile of dirt to East Potomac from the demolition of the White House’s East Wing. Trump told the Wall Street Journal that if the nonprofit doesn’t address the alleged violations of its lease by the end of the month, then the courses will revert to the Trump administration's control.

The National Links Trust issued a statement shortly after the Wall Street Journal report was published: “National Links Trust appreciates the President’s interest in the D.C. golf courses and looks forward to the opportunity to partner with the administration to improve these historically significant facilities. We respectfully disagree with the characterization that we are in default of our lease. In the five years since signing the lease, National Links Trust has worked hand in hand with the National Parks Service through the extensive permitting and compliance processes required for these comprehensive renovation projects. We recently received approval to begin the first of those projects, the renovation of the Rock Creek Park golf course, where we are currently under construction. National Links Trust will continue to pursue our mission to positively impact communities through affordable and accessible golf.”

The Washington Post reported that the letter from the Trump Administration did not specify why the NLT is in default or ways it could remedy any issues. Reading between the lines, it seems one reason for the default centers on the speed with which the NLT has moved forward with the renovation projects. The group recently broke ground on its renovation of Rock Creek Park with acclaimed architect Gil Hanse. Hanse is doing the work pro bono, as are the appointed architects at the other courses, Tom Doak (East Potomac) and Beau Welling (Langston). Work on these properties requires extensive government permitting, which can dictate the timeline and leave the leaseholder at the mercy of bureaucratic processes.

The New York Times, citing a source, reported that the National Links Trust has presented “numerous proposals” to partner with the administration on the projects but received a “total lack of response to that outreach.” The President told the Wall Street Journal, “I think what we’re looking to do is just build something different, and build them in government.”

In a nutshell, the two parties want the same thing: to make East Potomac Golf Links, with its sublime setting and views of the Washington Monument and the Potomac River, a crown jewel of public American golf. But their ideas for what constitutes a “crown jewel” are worlds apart.

East Potomac has a complicated history. The Blue Course was originally designed by revered architect Walter Travis and opened in 1920 as an 18-hole reversible course. The project, which was commissioned by the government, had the lofty goal of being a municipal golf model for the rest of the country. The property was met with immediate praise and popularity, logging over 65,000 rounds in its first year of operation.

President Harding — an ardent golfer who played most of his rounds at nearby Chevy Chase Club — was so enthralled by East Potomac’s design, he shifted the majority of his play to the Travis course. Soon, the facility expanded, with William Flynn building an additional 18 reversible holes, the White Course. This success spurred other cities to dream big. Shortly after East Potomac, Bethpage State Park opened in New York. In Los Angeles, a George Thomas design, Wilson Golf Club, opened its gates. On top of development in other cities, Washington D.C. expanded its golf footprint with Flynn at Rock Creek Park and Langston.

President Donald Trump’s golf portfolio, “Trump Golf,” owns and operates 21 properties across the world. It’s a for-profit entity whose properties are a mix of high-end private and public facilities. A source with knowledge of the situation has told Fried Egg Golf that Trump’s vision for the East Potomac Golf Links would involve the goal of hosting future professional events, most notably a home Ryder Cup. To achieve this type of development, the 36-hole facility would likely have to be shrunk to 18 holes. Trump has expressed interest in hiring architect Tom Fazio, who quietly toured the property recently, then had a 3.5-hour lunch at the White House afterward.

While Trump told the Wall Street Journal that “if he takes control of the courses, D.C. residents will pay a lower rate than other golfers,” the reality is that Trump’s public facilities boast some of the highest fees in golf. Trump Aberdeen’s new course — which opened last year — can be played for $750, although its website claims Scottish golfers receive discounted rates. When Trump Golf operated Ferry Point in New York, resident greens fees opened at $169 on the weekend, with a $35 cart fee. Adjusting for inflation from 2015 to today, these fees would clock in at roughly $230 and $48. It currently costs $48 to play East Potomac on a weekend, and just $42 on a weekday. If it were ever to host a Ryder Cup, the East Potomac property and views would surely make it a spectacle of sport. However, the high fees and limited accessibility would be a far cry from the historic course’s original purpose.

The non-profit National Links Trust is headed up by Mike McCartin and Will Smith, two individuals with a web of golf experience, including working for architect Tom Doak. McCartin learned how to play as a kid at East Potomac and did his college thesis on the history and potential of the property. The duo’s NLT was awarded the National Parks Service bid to operate the courses in 2020, with a plan to dramatically renovate or restore each of the three facilities.

The plan for East Potomac centers on restoring the original reversible Walter Travis-designed Blue Course with Doak. Along with the Blue Course, plans include modernizing the facility with a nine-hole par 3 course, the Red Course, and a nine-hole course consisting of par 4s and par 3s, the White Course. The NLT’s thought is that the variety of offerings will provide a greater canvas to introduce golf to new participants, just as the facility did in 1920, when it was a vital cog in golf’s growth to the wider public. The golf courses in Washington, D.C. are National Park land, thus the group plans to have a single greens fee for all United States residents, which would come in well under $100.

If East Potomac still sat in the same condition and trajectory in which the NLT found it, Trump’s vision would be more understandable. But after an organization put in so much legwork—winning a National Park Service bid for the lease, assembling an all-star team, and successfully operating the courses for half a decade—it leaves a bad taste in the mouths of many who, as kids would say, “know ball.”

These are two different visions, one rooted in accessibility and history, and another on a high-end facility geared towards elite competition and fashioned in the architectural trends of yesteryear. What’s really at stake is the caretaking of one of America’s most valuable green spaces, and what happens to it over the next 100 years, long after President Trump's second term ends.