Interior Secretary Unveils Design for DC Public Golf Course Renovation

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum on May 14 released a design for the renovation of East Potomac Golf Links in Washington.

“Excited to unveil the design for the East Potomac Golf Links renovation from Fazio Design. Like iconic public courses of Bethpage Black & Torrey Pines, East Potomac will offer locals—of the National Capital Region—championship-quality golf at affordable, highly discounted rates,” Burgum said in a post on X.

A rendering of the renovation features an 18-hole course overlooking the Washington Monument. Located at Hains Point in southwest Washington, East Potomac Golf Links currently includes an 18-hole course, two nine-hole courses, a driving range, mini golf, putting greens, and a clubhouse with a grille and pro shop. The redesign was created by Tony Fazio, who also worked on several golf properties associated with President Donald Trump.

In a statement, National Links Trust, a nonprofit that runs the public golf courses in the nation’s capital, said it is “excited by today’s announcement … that East Potomac Golf Links will remain affordable for local DC, Maryland, and Virginia residents.”

“This pricing model is successful at great municipal facilities like Memorial Park in Texas and Bethpage State Park in New York, which serve as accessible, welcoming, and world-class community assets,” the group added.

“We are happy that Fazio Design’s plan for East Potomac Golf Links evokes their recent success at The Patch, the municipal facility built in collaboration with Augusta National Golf Club that also includes a regulation course, driving range, short game practice area, and short course—essential tools for introducing people of all ages and skill levels to the game.”

Thursday’s development came almost a week after the Trump administration and National Links Trust reached an agreement where the nonprofit will run Langston Golf Course and Rock Creek Park Golf. It will operate East Potomac Golf Links until the National Park Service begins restoration work there. The deal resolved a dispute that had lasted several months.

“We are pleased that Washington, DC’s municipal golf courses—East Potomac Golf Links, Langston Golf Course, and Rock Creek Park Golf—will now remain open, accessible, and affordable for the residents and communities that depend on them,” Mike McCartin and Will Smith, co-founders of National Links Trust, said in a statement.

“National Links Trust will continue operating all three courses, and we are committed to building on the progress we have made over the past five years.”

The dispute began in December 2025 when the National Park Service ended National Links Trust’s 50-year lease for the three golf courses, claiming the nonprofit had defaulted on lease obligations. The nonprofit stated that it disagreed with that characterization and that it had “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.”

Despite the disagreement, all three golf courses remained open.

According to National Links Trust, Jessica Bowron, acting director of the National Parks Service, has said that the National Parks Service will follow the established compliance process that National Links Trust went through at Rock Creek Park Golf for any large-scale work at East Potomac, making the outdoor facility accessible and affordable.

A May 8 announcement from the National Park Service, National Links Trust, Fazio Design, First Tee of Greater Washington, D.C., Western Golf Association, and the Evans Scholars Foundation described the redevelopment as “a historic investment” in public golf within the nation’s capital. The project aims to transform East Potomac into a premier championship venue capable of hosting major tournaments.

While the agreement concluded the dispute between National Links Trust and the Trump administration, the settlement does not resolve the lawsuit filed by two golfers and a preservation group against the administration regarding the pending renovation of East Potomac Golf Links.

The lawsuit alleged that the Trump administration did not follow proper environmental and administrative procedures for the project at East Potomac Golf Links.

However, legal challenges surrounding the renovation remain unresolved. Two golfers and a preservation organization have filed a lawsuit against the administration, arguing that proper environmental and administrative review procedures were not followed for the redevelopment project.

The lawsuit also claims that debris from demolition work at the White House East Wing—including bricks, pipes, and wiring—was deposited on portions of the golf course without the necessary environmental review. The Interior Department has denied allegations that the debris contains hazardous materials.