The National Links Trust (NLT) announced Thursday that it has entered a 50‑year lease to operate and restore two of Washington, D.C.’s public golf facilities: Rock Creek Park Golf Course in Northwest and Langston Golf Course in Northeast. The agreement, signed with the Interior Department and the National Park Service, marks the end of NLT’s management of East Potomac Golf Links, which will conclude on November 15.
Preserving historic access for the community
Langston Golf Course holds a special place in the city’s heritage. It is home to the nation’s oldest Black men’s and women’s golf clubs and was once overseen by Lee Elder, the first Black man to compete in the Masters. “A big issue in golf is representation by Black folks like myself,” said Russ Green, a regular at Langston. “It’s currently less than 3%, and without these courses we don’t have access, and we need real community partnerships.”
Tonya Walton, another Langston golfer, emphasized the course’s cultural significance: “When I tell people our history, this was the only place that Black people and people of color could play back in the day. It’s very important to people in the community.”
Affordable recreation and new opportunities
NLT pledged that both courses will remain low‑cost and open to the public. In addition to course upgrades and new clubhouses, Langston will launch student workforce‑development programs, paid internships, and college scholarships. “Play! Be grateful,” said Langston golfer Colby Vaughn. “It’s a low cost as well. Especially with Langston being a historically Black course, it’s something we need to preserve.”
Rock Creek Park Golf Course, while in need of significant repairs, will see a phased renovation. The first phase will focus on construction of practice facilities, followed by a comprehensive course restoration. Local golfer Michael Nguyen noted the urgency: “There’s a lot of areas where the drainage is not so great, mud collects, and this place doesn’t get a lot of people playing compared to East Potomac.” Matt Rodenberg added, “I think it’s great to have a staple of the community stay here for a long time and have a cheap place to play golf. It absolutely needs some work, but it’s the character of this place that keeps us coming back.”
Timeline and expectations
NLT expects to begin work at Rock Creek within the next few months, with a projected completion date of spring 2028 for both courses. The long‑term lease ensures stable stewardship and the ability to pursue previously stalled improvements.
Fox 5 DC reached out for comment. A spokesperson for NLT was unavailable, and the Interior Department has not issued a statement at this time.
Original reporting: Arlington County | FOX 5 DC — read the source article.
