Our Statement

The National Links Trust is devastated by the Trump administration’s decision to terminate our 50-year lease with the National Park Service. Since taking over stewardship of Rock Creek, East Potomac, and Langston courses five years ago, NLT has consistently complied with all lease obligations as we work to ensure the brightest possible future for public golf in DC. 

We are fundamentally in disagreement with the administration’s characterization of NLT as being in default under the lease. We have always had a productive and cooperative working relationship with the National Park Service and have worked hand in hand on all aspects of our golf course operations and development projects. 

Our tenure as lessees of the DC golf courses has been rewarding and successful. We have invested over $8.5 million in capital improvement projects at the courses, including critical short-term improvements that have paid significant dividends, more than doubling rounds and revenues while keeping green fees well below the market average for area public courses. Most importantly, we have made a difference in the community. As one example, our Jack Vardaman Workforce Development Program at Langston has provided summer employment to nearly 200 DC high school students, teaching the business of golf and providing essential job and life skills applicable in and outside the golf industry.

We have agreed to stay in place for the time being as operators so that the DC courses can remain open. This will allow uninterrupted access to golf in the District and our hundreds of dedicated employees to stay in place. Since our founding, the National Links Trust has had the privilege to ensure that DC’s municipal golf courses remain accessible, affordable, and welcoming to all. Our commitment remains unchanged and we will continue to pursue our mission with the support of our community for as long as we are allowed. 

While the golf courses will remain open for now, unfortunately our long-term renovation projects will cease. At our in-progress Rock Creek Park rehabilitation project, construction has been stopped and our general contractor is in the process of demobilizing. After five years spent navigating the complex Federal permitting processes, this development is extremely disappointing for all who have supported the project.

We will continue to seek a dialogue with the administration to offer our experience, institutional knowledge, and strong community relationships to explore shared goals for these historic public assets. While this termination is a major setback, we remain stubbornly hopeful that a path forward can be found that preserves affordable and accessible public golf in the nation’s capital for generations to come.”