You’d be hard-pressed to find many fans of public golf, regardless of political persuasion, who are pleased with recent developments out of Washington, D.C. The nation’s capital has instead been a source of disappointment for many, stemming from the Department of the Interior’s decision in late December to terminate the National Links Trust’s lease on three municipal courses — Rock Creek, East Potomac and Langston. The decision came just weeks after President Trump floated the idea of taking over the courses himself, raising concerns among public golf advocates about both affordability and the fate of the historic designs.
This week, though, there is better news for muni golf boosters, involving that same nonprofit but coming from the far side of the country. The National Links Trust has announced a new municipal project in Washington State. It’s built on a partnership with the Friends of the Port Townsend Golf Park to guide the future of Camas Prairie Park, an historic public golf property roughly 60 miles north of Seattle.
Formerly known as the Port Townsend Golf Club, Camas Prairie Park is anchored by a nine-hole course that dates to 1904 and today operates as a multi-use public space, with a driving range, disc golf, walking trails, a restaurant and a nature preserve. After two years of local stewardship, the Friends secured a 20-year lease extension in late 2025.
Under the new agreement, National Links Trust will help develop a master plan focused on affordability, environmental sustainability and community access. As part of the agreement, a Himalayas-style putting course will also be constructed, supported by a $250,000 grant from a family foundation.
Trust officials say the partnership had been in development for months before the D.C. lease was terminated, a point they’re keen to clarify given the timing of the announcement.
“It might appear as if we’re preparing for a post-D.C. future, but that’s not the case,” a Trust spokesperson said. “This isn’t instead of D.C. We are going on parallel paths.”
The spokesperson added that the Port Townsend partnership represents “the most concrete step we’ve taken toward trying to have a national footprint.”
The announcement comes amid deep uncertainty about the Trust’s future in Washington, D.C. The nonprofit was founded in 2017 to revitalize Rock Creek, East Potomac and Langston, with celebrated architect Tom Doak on board to help oversee the renovation plans. Since taking over operations in 2020, the Trust has invested more than $8.5 million in capital improvements. During that same period, rounds-played and revenue have increased, and green fees have remained among the lowest of any major municipal system in the country. Planned renovations, supported by pro bono work from Doak, Gil Hanse and Beau Welling, were already underway when the lease was revoked.
In a statement after its contract was terminated, the National Links Trust said it was “devastated” by the move and disputed the Trump administration’s claim that it had been in default under the lease.
What comes next in the capital remains unclear. President Trump has said that the course would offer lower rates for locals (though he did not specific a price range). According to reports, he wants to hire Tom Fazio to oversee a redesign. The president and the architect met in person in December, though no formal plans have been announced. The National Links Trust continues to operate the courses in the meantime, but a spokesperson said the uncertainty makes it difficult to manage staffing, budgets and long-term planning.
“We would still like to be involved in D.C. in the long term, but that’s hard when there are so many questions about the future,” the spokesperson said. The Camas Prairie Park project, he noted, “is kind of our way of saying, ‘We’re open for business.’ Our mission remains the same. We want to preserve high-quality affordable golf. That’s really the message. We want to help wherever we can.”
