President Donald Trump wants to turn East Potomac Golf Links into a championship-level golf course, but some of the people who regularly play at the Washington DC course fear the changes could make it less accessible to everyday golfers.
The proposed overhaul would replace the property's existing 36 holes with a single 18-hole championship course designed by golf architect Tom Fazio. Trump announced plans for the course to close Nov. 15 for approximately 15 months of renovations.
Golfers have raised concerns that the redesigned facility could become more expensive, while the removal of trees and changes to recreational amenities have prompted questions about what could happen to the surrounding park.
Why do locals oppose the proposed East Potomac renovations?
Affordability is a major concern for players
who fear the course could become less accessible to everyday residents under Trump's proposed changes.
“This course is not for oligarchs or the wealthy. It's for ordinary people who just want to get out and play golf,” Thomas Qualey told The Washington Post.
“Golf is a game that is often played by people who have a lot of resources and access to private courses, and this was the place where anybody could play and see these incredible views and come and just really be part of DC, so I think it’s a huge loss,” Carole Holt told NBC Washington.
Rock Howard, a frequent golfer from Fort Washington, Maryland, feared the proposed changes would make it unreasonable "for the regular people" to play at the course.
"This course has quite a bit of history. And to see it destroyed is just a loss of history," he said in an interview with NPR.
The latest rendering released by Trump does not show the facility's miniature golf course, which the Post reported underwent a roughly $1 million restoration in 2024 and is considered the country's oldest continuously operating mini golf course.
The plan also appears to eliminate other features of Hains Point, including the Ohio Drive loop used by cyclists, runners and walkers.
The planned changes have raised concerns about the environmental impact of removing trees from Hains Point, a popular green space along the Potomac and Anacostia rivers.
"On a very clear day, you would very often see a pair of bald eagles in the top of those trees," Alan Pemberton told NPR.
U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes, who sought to block the administration's tree removal, criticized the effort, describing the environmental impact as “unstudied” and saying the trees being removed “posed no harm.”
Tree removal could also affect water quality in the Potomac River, according to local nonprofit Potomac Conservancy.
"Chopping down trees in a historic and beloved park in DC is harmful on many levels, including environmental degradation,"the organization said. "The Potomac River is only as healthy as the surrounding land. Trees and forests play a critical role in keeping the Potomac’s waters safe by absorbing excess runoff."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why are golfers worried about the future of East Potomac Golf Links?
